Why Heartburn Can Seem Worse in Winter & How To Find Relief.

Is heartburn worse in winter? For many people, yes. Cold weather tends to change the way we eat, move, and even dress, and those changes can quietly set the stage for digestive discomfort including heartburn or acid reflux.
 

But what are the main winter triggers?

1. Tight, layered clothes can put pressure on your stomach.¹
2. More time spent lounging or curled up on the couch, especially after meals, affects digestion.²
3. Sipping more coffee or mulled wine to stay warm can relax the muscle that keeps acid down.³
4. Extra stress from winter bugs or disrupted sleep can make your digestive system more sensitive.⁴
5. Rich, hearty, and acidic meals we eat for comfort when it’s cold are one of the biggest triggers.⁵
    

Winter Warmers: Soups, Stews, and Low-Acid Comfort Foods

There’s nothing more comforting in winter than a warm bowl of soup or a hearty stew. But for those who manage heartburn or gastric reflux, traditional winter meals can often come with unwanted, often painful symptoms.

Acidic ingredients like tomatoes, citrus, and spicy peppers are common reflux triggers due to their ability to increase stomach acid, relax the sphincter muscle at the top of the stomach that keeps acid down, and irritate the oesophagus beyond⁶.

Reducing or substituting these in favourite winter dishes may make a big difference, so consider swapping out tomatoes in soups and stews for roasted pumpkin or kumara purée which adds a creamy texture and naturally sweet flavour without the acid.

Reflux-Friendly Winter Recipe Tips

• Use bone broth or low-acid vegetable stock as a base for soups.
• Choose mild herbs like basil, oregano, or parsley over hot spices.
• Add fibre-rich vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and courgettes.
• Opt for lean meats and slow-cooked legumes for protein.
• Avoid frying ingredients; roast or simmer instead.
   

Simple Comfort Food Ideas

• Creamy kumara and pumpkin soup with coconut milk
• Mild chicken and vegetable stew with barley
• Lentil and carrot soup with turmeric and parsley
• Roasted root vegetable mash with grilled fish
   

Eating with reflux in mind doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort. With a few mindful tweaks, your favourite winter warmers can become nourishing, soothing meals that hopefully keep the cold, and reflux, at bay.

When Diet Alone Isn’t Enough

While diet and lifestyle changes can go a long way in reducing the impact of heartburn or reflux, sometimes symptoms persist, especially during the colder months. If you need more consistent relief, a heartburn-specific medication like Losec® may help.

Unlike antacids, which only temporarily relieve symptoms, Losec® is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) so it’s able to target the problem at its source, reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. And it’ll do this long term. Take one tablet a day for two weeks and you could be symptom free up to three months . Just remember that Losec® is a treatment designed to work alongside a healthy lifestyle. It supports your efforts to eat a balanced, responsible diet - it doesn’t replace them.

To learn more about Losec and how it could help, click here.