Also, you have to avoid going to bed on a full stomach. Stay up at least 3 hours after eating your last meal before you go to bed. This will give the acids a chance to decrease before your body is in a position where heartburn will likely occur, which is lying down. If you are a smoker, then you should quit smoking as the nicotine content in cigars and cigarettes can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, which is basically the muscle the controls the opening between the esophagus and the stomach. The burning sensation will travel from your diaphragm to your throat and you will taste something sour and bitter on your mouth and feel as if food is reentering your mouth. You feel like vomiting and when you do gag, no food will come out. Around 20 percent of adults experience a mild case of heartburn. Doing so will keep the stomach light and digestion easy. Carbohydrates and starch based food can also help neutralize stomach acid. The fourth is to maintain good posture whenever you eat and after you eat. This way, you will avoid putting pressure on the stomach, which will help in avoiding stomach acid from flowing back in to your esophagus. It will also help tighten the LES or lower esophageal sphincter muscle to keep stomach acid inside the stomach. Proton pump inhibitors may also be prescribed by your doctor if you continue to experience heartburn. This type of drug will prevent the stomach from secreting acid. Usually taken once a day, these drugs are usually very effective in easing heartburn symptoms. It is also accompanied by a bitter or sour taste in your mouth, which is basically the stomach acid your body regurgitated. This is what you will feel when you experience heartburn. In most cases, heartburn occurs a few hours after eating. The pain can last for many hours and this condition will make you feel as if food is stuck on your chest or your throat. Research has found that Hispanics and Caucasians suffer from heartburn more frequently than any other races, such as Asians and African Americans. Today, genetic research is still being conducted to discover why this is so. It is important to keep in mind that if you have chronic heartburn, you have to get it treated.