Do you feel a burning sensation in your chest or throat as you down your cup of coffee? It is a sign that you have gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) also called heartburn or acid reflux. It is mostly brought on by your diet.

So, one of the best ways to beat it would be to eliminate things like coffee (including decaf), soda, tomatoes, alcohol, and chocolate. But there are other reasons why you may get heartburn. The triggers include:

1. Eating too much – Overeating leads to the stomach getting distended which means that your sphincter muscles cannot close properly. This lets the acidic stomach juices to flow up to the throat.

2. Eating habits – Eating fast can lead to heartburn. Avoid eating two to three hours before bedtime. Do not eat lying down.

3. Cigarettes and alcohol – The smoke when inhaled can burn the esophagus lining, while too much alcohol can burn the stomach lining.

4. Hiatal hernia - When the sphincter muscle and the upper part of the stomach move above the diaphragm you develop a hiatal hernia. The hernia makes acid reflux, which causes heartburn, more likely. Actually heartburn is a symptom of hiatal hernia.

5. Obesity – Research shows that people who suffer heartburn are often overweight.

6. Medicines - Common medications used to treat asthma, high blood pressure, heart problems, arthritis or other inflammations often trigger this problem.

7. Exercise - Exercise especially those that put pressure on stomach can bring on acid reflux.