This will keep acid production in check and eventually prevent or at least lessen heartburn. You should also avoid foods and beverages that reduce pressure on the LES or the lower esophageal sphincter. This means that you have to avoid food like peppermint, chocolate, coffee or any other beverages or food that contains caffeine, and fatty or fried foods. Because of this, the stomach produces more acid in order to digest these types of foods properly, which is primarily what you don t want to happen as it will increase the likelihood of experiencing heartburn. So, lifestyle modification is needed in order for you to prevent heartburn or at least lessen its frequency. The main cause of heartburn is when the stomach acid backs up or refluxes to the esophagus. This can happen for several reasons. The first is when the lower esophageal sphincter or LES is weakened or relaxed and doesn t do its job properly. The LES is what keeps the stomach acid in the stomach. Basically, this is the most common symptom for GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. The result is feeling a burning sensation that starts on the diaphragm all the way to the chest. Usually, heartburn is accompanied by a sour or bitter taste, which is primarily the stomach acid you regurgitated and made its way to your mouth. To make things worse, women who are pregnant are more susceptible to heartburn. The rule here is to see the doctor if you need antacids to get relief from heartburn for more than 2 weeks. This may be a sign that you may be suffering from a more complicated condition or a more serious condition that causes heartburn. Your doctor will be able to provide you with better diagnosis and administer the proper or appropriate treatment for your condition. Heartburn: Don t Let It Control Your Life Millions of people in the country suffer from heartburn or what is also known as acid reflux. Although most adults experience this condition, having a chronic heartburn can definitely become a huge problem that it can affect your entire life in a very negative way.