Not Smoking
A healthier lifestyle also includes getting rid of vices that are detrimental to health, such as smoking. A good reason to quit smoking is to experience fewer instances of heartburn caused by GERD. Smoking damages the esophagus, particularly the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is responsible for holding back stomach acids from rising to the throat. When the muscles of this organ are weakened, heartburn episodes might occur.
It is general knowledge that smoking cigarettes has many adverse effects, like stained skin, blackened teeth, heart disease, and lung cancer, to name a few. But knowing its dangers does not make it easy for chronic smokers to quit. For many individuals, smoking has become part of their daily life, as part of their daily routine. Some light a cigarette as soon as they wake up, after a meal, and while driving. Regardless of the routine, it is still beneficial for smokers to quit, as science and medicine advise, since this will help them not only with GERD and heartburn but with other health problems brought by smoking.
