Skip to content

ONE Group staff member Melanie Potiaumpai, PhD, works with cancer patient Curt Chambers in the exercise room at Penn State Cancer Institute in 2018. Both are smiling and Chambers is pulling on a resistance band.

Heartburn

Learn about heartburn in people with cancer in this guide from The ONE Group (Oncology – Nutrition – Exercise) at Penn State College of Medicine.

Jump to topic

Search

What you should know

The heartburn guide from The ONE Group includes the information on this page, formatted for print.Get a printable version of this guide

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is a condition that causes a burning sensation in the chest.

Heartburn is caused by acid reflux – stomach acid refluxing back into the esophagus.

Symptoms

  • Developing a sour taste in your mouth
  • Pain or swelling in the throat
  • Burning sensation in the chest
  • Nausea or loss of appetite
  • Dry mouth
  • Gum irritation
  • Bad breath
  • Stomach noises


What you can do: Improving your eating to minimize heartburn

Foods that trigger heartburn

  • Fried foods, such as onion rings and French fries
  • Full-fat dairy products, such as butter, whole milk, regular cheese or sour cream
  • Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, tomatoes and pineapple
  • Chocolate
  • Garlic, onions and spicy foods
  • Caffeine
  • Mint

Foods that help with heartburn

  • Vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumbers
  • Ginger
  • Oatmeal
  • Non-citrus fruits such as melons, bananas and apples
  • Lean meats and seafood such as chicken, turkey and fish
  • Egg whites
  • Healthy fats such as avocados, walnuts and flax seeds
  • Oils such as olive oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil

Lifestyle changes that can help to minimize heartburn

  • Try to avoid stress. Stress can cause heartburn or make the heartburn worse. Try meditating in the mornings to relieve stress.
  • Sometimes it helps to lose weight. Ask for a referral to a dietitian. They can help with a more personalized diet.
  • Exercise moderately for 15 to 30 minutes every day.
  • Wait an hour after eating to exercise.
  • Avoid laying down after eating a meal.
  • Try not to eat within two to three hours before you go to bed. This can help prevent the secretion of extra acids. Laying down can make the pain worse.
  • Sleep with your head and shoulders elevated.
  • Enjoy smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Eat each meal slowly.
  • Wear loose clothing.
  • Keep a food diary to note which foods cause heartburn.
  • Avoid tobacco.
  • Limit caffeine and alcohol.

Where can I find more information about aerobic and strength-training exercises?

If you are interested in starting aerobic and/or strength-training exercises, The ONE Group (Oncology – Nutrition – Exercise) provides videos demonstrating proper form for more than 50 exercises.

See the videos here

Notes

Contact your physician if:

  • You are having symptoms of heartburn. Your physician may prescribe medication to help relieve the heartburn.
  • You notice blood in your bowel movements.
  • You have difficulty breathing, eating or swallowing.

References

  • American Cancer Society