Q: Hello ,doctor..is it ok to eat spicy foods when pregnant?

A: I love spicy foods! When pregnant, I crave it even more. Most people find it difficult to eat with me when I’m preggie…because the food is just that spicy! Unfortunately, this has a challenge associated with it. Eating spicy foods in pregnancy can cause your esophageal sphincter to stay open for prolonged periods leading to heartburn.

Heartburn really has nothing to do with the heart…I bet all of you knew that, aye? It is usually felt as a burning sensation in the chest which feels worse on bending down or lying down. Okay, why and how does this happen? You know that the stomach produces acid to help with food digestion, right? Have you ever wondered, how come this acid isn’t all up in your mouth all the time? Well, that’s because there’s a ‘lock’ or control at…