Feeling the Burn (In a bad way)

Right at the end of last semester I had a week where my entire chest hurt like mad.

It was achey and sore, but internally, not muscularly.

It was insane, and terrible.

and my mother and I finally (self)diagnosed it as 

HEARTBURN

Terrible. So painful.

But i bought some TUMS, popped them like candy for a few days,

and then I was fine. 

I figured "Eh, Stress related"

Because once finals and graduation were over, it didnt come back even once during the holidays.

Well, the bitch is back and with a vengeance this time.

All week I've been having sharp, piercing heartburn right behind my sternum.

Often compounded by the fact that I'm wearing a corset for 3 hours a day in rehearsal.

Its a more concentrated heartburn this time around,

and I'm waking up with Acid Reflux symptoms...

ughh. Terrible.

Anyways. I've decided to take some steps to help it, because carrying a huge thing of Tums in my purse is obnoxious.

I researched some "Heartburn Triggers" as far as food,

Web MD's top ten list is as follows, and I've highlighted the ones that I consume the most of:

1. Citrus
2. Tomatoes
3. Garlic & Onions
4. Spicy Foods
5. Peppermint
6. Fatty foods like Cheese, Nuts & Steak
7. Alcohol
8. Coffee & Caffiene
9. Chocolate
10. Carbonation

ALL BUT TWO THINGS on the list are in my diet fairly regulaly.

annoying.

Health.com also cites Stress, ibuprofin usage, being overweight, and late night snacking as triggers.

This last week was insanely stressful

I've been popping Ibuprofin alot for my bruised tailbone

I'm not overweight, but I'm not at a healthy weight.

and I am the QUEEN of late night snackage.

So basically it should come as NO surprise that I am dealing with this issue.

First Step: 

Stop Eating after 9pm. I'm going to do everything possible to avoid eating that late from now on.

Second Step: 

Control how much of the "trigger foods" i'm consuming. This will be tricky because I LOVE

Tomatoes

 and Coffee

and Garlic 

and Onions 

and Chocolate

and alcohol 

and CHEESE (and bacon and nuts...)

but if it means no more piercing, burning pain... worth it. 

Third Step:
Be more active and work on dropping some LBs. 

Its one of my goals to lose 25 by the summer, so It's time to get to work.

Fourth Step:

BREATHE deeply and try to remember 

that unless it is a life-threatening situation, it isn't worth stressing about.

I'm also getting back on an OTC acid reflux pill that I started taking a while back.

...And carrying Tums with me EVERYWHERE

just in case.