If you live in the St. Louis area and find yourself reaching for antacids regularly, you’re not alone. Heartburn is one of the most common digestive complaints I hear in the office at Sheen Vein (Aesthetics and Functional Medicine). That burning sensation in your chest or throat can disrupt sleep, make meals uncomfortable, and over time, even affect your overall health.

The good news? Heartburn is not just something you have to live with. By understanding the causes and making targeted changes, you can take back control of your digestive comfort.

What Causes Heartburn?

Many people think heartburn is due to “too much stomach acid.” In reality, more often than not, the opposite is true—you don’t have enough stomach acid or your digestive system isn’t functioning efficiently. Without proper stomach acid, food doesn’t break down the way it should, leading to reflux, bloating, and nutrient deficiencies.

(Read more in our related post on how low stomach acid impacts nutrient absorption).

Other common contributors include:

• Eating large meals or lying down right after eating
• Carrying excess weight, which puts pressure on the stomach
• High intake of processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, or spicy meals
• Medications that relax the lower esophageal sphincter
• Stress, which affects digestion and gut motility

Lifestyle Strategies for Relief

Here are some practical steps you can start today if heartburn is interfering with your life:

1. Eat Smaller, More Balanced Meals

Large, heavy meals can overwhelm the digestive tract. Try smaller meals with balanced portions of lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables. Avoid eating within two to three hours before bedtime.

2. Elevate Your Head While Sleeping

If heartburn wakes you up at night, try propping the head of your bed up 6–8 inches. This uses gravity to help keep stomach contents where they belong.

3. Identify Trigger Foods

For many patients, certain foods worsen reflux. Common culprits include fried foods, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, and coffee. Keeping a food diary can help you identify your personal triggers.

4. Manage Stress

Stress tightens the body, slows digestion, and increases symptoms of reflux. Techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation can help. (You may also find our post on stress and sleeplessness helpful.)

5. Support Digestive Health

Sometimes, heartburn improves when we restore balance to the gut. That may include probiotics, digestive enzymes, or even supporting bile and pancreatic function. A functional medicine evaluation helps us decide what your system specifically needs.

Functional Medicine Approach to Heartburn

At Sheen Vein (Aesthetics and Functional Medicine), we take a different perspective on digestive health. Instead of simply masking the symptoms with acid-blocking medications, we ask: Why is this happening in the first place?

We often evaluate for:

• Stomach acid levels (low acid is far more common than high acid)
• Food sensitivities that trigger inflammation
• Nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium or zinc, which can affect digestion
• Gut dysbiosis (imbalances in the gut microbiome)
• Structural factors such as hiatal hernia or chronic inflammation

Once we understand your unique situation, we can create a personalized plan to restore your digestive function and reduce your symptoms naturally.

When to Seek Medical Care

Occasional heartburn is common, but frequent or severe symptoms should not be ignored. Persistent reflux can damage the esophagus and increase risk of conditions like Barrett’s esophagus. Red-flag symptoms include difficulty swallowing, unintentional weight loss, vomiting blood, or black stools—if you experience these, seek medical attention promptly.

Local Help for Heartburn in St. Louis

If you’re tired of relying on antacids or acid blockers and want to uncover the why behind your heartburn, we’re here to help. Our functional approach is designed to get to the root cause, whether it’s nutritional, hormonal, or gut-related. Many of our patients are surprised to learn that once the underlying imbalance is corrected, their heartburn naturally improves—and so does their overall digestion and energy.

Take the Next Step

You don’t have to live with the burn. With the right evaluation and support, heartburn can often be managed effectively without long-term medication. At Sheen Vein (Aesthetics and Functional Medicine) in St. Louis, we offer comprehensive, root-cause-driven care for digestive concerns, helping you feel better from the inside out.

If you’re struggling with frequent heartburn, schedule a consultation today and let’s work together toward lasting relief.

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