Q. During the holidays, I always get heartburn. What is heartburn, what causes it and how can I prevent it naturally?

A. The term "heartburn" is a misnomer, because it doesn't involve the heart; it occurs when stomach acids are regurgitated, causing irritation to the esophagus. There is, however, a "burn" — the sensation in the lower chest below the breast bone, known as heartburn. People with heartburn may experience other symptoms, such as a bitter taste in the mouth, a dry, nagging cough, hoarseness or a feeling that food is stuck in the chest or throat.

Occasional heartburn is not dangerous, but if chronic, it can lead to the condition known as gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Statistics show that 10 percent of Americans experience heartburn on a daily basis, 30 percent have heartburn occasionally, and 50 percent of pregnant women suffer from it.

The cause of heartburn is an underactive lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. When you eat, food travels down the esophagus to the stomach, where the LES closes to prevent stomach acids from refluxing upward. A weak LES allows gastric contents to move up into the esophagus, resulting in heartburn.

Heartburn is common in people who overeat, and those who live stressful lives, eat on the run or eat too late at night. It can also occur if there is excessive pressure on the stomach from obesity, or from tight clothing.

A number of dietary and lifestyle factors can make heartburn more likely. These include ingesting coffee, alcohol, tomato products, citrus fruits, chocolate, mints, fatty foods, spicy foods, and onions, taking aspirin or ibuprofen and smoking cigarettes.

According to conventional Western medicine, heartburn is the result of too much stomach acid, and antacids are typically prescribed. In both naturopathic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, heartburn is the result of an overburdened or weakened digestive system, and lifestyle changes are imperative to successful treatment.

HOW TO PREVENT HEARTBURN: