4. Gum
Chewing gum is famously bad for your stomach. Why? Because your body thinks that it is getting food and prepares the enzymes and acids for breaking down food and this can then damage the lining of the stomach, seeing as there’s actually no food in there!
But guess what? Chewing gum is a good thing when you are eating because those same acids are good news when you need to actually break down your food. And if you have enough of them, they can do a better job so that they don’t end up in your throat! Seems counterintuitive but yes, sometimes heartburn is the result of not enough stomach acid.
That and gum also stimulates the production of saliva to help you break down your food before it even gets that far. In one study, people with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) saw benefits from chewing gum 30 minutes following a meal.