Experts provide recommendations for avoiding heartburn during the holidays.USA Today (12/15, Marcus) reports that "the holidays are a heartburn nightmare waiting to happen," but "there are effective ways to avoid such spells, and to treat the discomfort, experts say." Katherine Zeratsky, a dietitian at Mayo Clinic's Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center, suggests "steering clear of certain common reflux 'trigger' foods" like "fatty cheeses, alcoholic beverages, minty flavored drinks and desserts, [and] creamy beverages, such as eggnog, hot chocolate, and caffeinated drinks." Duke's Rahul Shimpi advises changing certain "lifestyle habits, including using tobacco and caffeine, which can decrease the pressure in the muscle at bottom of the esophagus." Notably, "some medications, including calcium channel blockers for high blood pressure and sedatives for insomnia and anxiety, can increase or exacerbate GERD, as well."
Tea drinkers may digest fondue faster than wine imbibers. The AP (12/15) reports, "Debate has raged for decades in Switzerland over the perfect fondue beverage," with some insisting that "white wine is the best option. because the alcohol supposedly breaks down the gruyere cheese." Others, however, "say only tea -- with no milk or sugar -- is appropriate." Now, a paper in BMJ reveals that "people who drank tea digested the fondue in about six hours, compared to nine hours for those who had wine and kirsch," but "experts found no difference in symptoms like heartburn, nausea or indigestion among the groups."
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