And, it also increased the likelihood of heartburn. Although the name heartburn suggests that this is a heart related illness, it s really not even close to that. As a matter of fact, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is basically a digestive illness that can be prevented or least lessened in its frequency through lifestyle modifications. This is because large meals tend to overwhelm the stomach and it will produce excessive stomach acid in order to digest excessive food. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, go for around 6 smaller meals a day. This will keep acid production in check and eventually prevent or at least lessen heartburn. Heartburn: The Symptoms You Should Watch Out For Heartburn is a condition where you will feel an uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest. And, you have to remember that although the pain caused by heartburn is felt in the chest, this condition is in no way related to the heart or any heart related diseases. On the other hand, severe cases of heartburn will require a more comprehensive treatment as home remedies will only provide temporary or partial relief. If you have a severe case of heartburn, then you have every right to be worried. This may be a sign that you have a condition called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. These bad habits include smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Eating fried and fatty foods can also cause heartburn. You have to remember that cigarettes contain nicotine, which adds to the production of acids in your stomach. It also irritates your esophagus and will loosen the sphincter, which is primarily responsible for keeping stomach acid in the stomach and prevent it from coming in contact with the esophagus. If this is so, then your health care provider or doctor may prescribe you some of these drugs. After antacids, the next group of drugs that you may need to take for easing heartburn symptoms is histamine-2 blockers. Most drugs of this type may be purchased over the counter and what it does is that it decreases the amount of acid that your stomach produces.