The Meal Was Fine... So Why the Heartburn?

You know the moment.
The meal was normal. Sensible, even. Nothing spicy, nothing fried, nothing obviously “wrong”. And yet, half an hour later, there it is. That familiar warmth rising in your chest, a tightness behind the breastbone, a sour taste that wasn’t there before.

It’s confusing, isn’t it? Especially when you’ve already cleaned up your diet, avoided the usual suspects, and made an effort to eat “properly”.

Most people assume this kind of discomfort means they’ve eaten the wrong thing. Acidic food. Rich food. Late food. Or they jump straight to the idea that something is failing - weak digestion, low stomach acid, ageing, or “just reflux”.

But what if the meal wasn’t the problem at all?
What if the burn had more to do with how you ate than what you ate?

In this week’s newsletter, we’re looking at why heartburn and reflux can show up after perfectly reasonable meals, and how one overlooked habit can quietly change what happens after you eat.

What That Burning Feeling Really Is

Despite the name, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart.

That uncomfortable heat or pressure is caused when stomach contents move upward, irritating the lining of the oesophagus. This happens when the valve between the stomach and oesophagus - the lower oesophageal sphincter - doesn’t close as effectively as it should.

Most advice focuses on food triggers. And yes, certain foods can aggravate symptoms. But the valve itself is deeply influenced by pressure, posture, and timing.

In other words, digestion isn’t just chemical.
It’s mechanical.

And small physical habits can make a big difference to how well that valve does its job.

The Overlooked Habit: How You Sit After You Eat

One of the most common patterns behind post-meal burn has nothing to do with ingredients.

It’s what happens after the plate is cleared.

Think about it. You finish eating, then you slump back into the chair. Or you curl forward over a phone. Or you lean back on the couch, knees up, body folded. Sometimes you even lie down “just for a minute”.

To your body, this changes everything.

When you collapse your posture, you increase pressure inside the abdomen. The stomach gets compressed upward, and the valve that’s meant to stay closed now has gravity and pressure working against it.

Even a well-functioning digestive system can struggle in that position.

The food hasn’t changed.
The mechanics have.

 Why This Gets More Common With Age

As we move through our 40s, 50s and beyond, connective tissues naturally lose a bit of tone. That includes the tissues supporting the diaphragm and digestive organs.

This doesn’t mean something is “going wrong”. It simply means your body becomes more sensitive to positioning and pressure.

Add years of sitting, driving, screen use, and forward-leaning posture, and the upper body often carries more tension and compression than we realise.

So when you eat and then fold forward or sink down, the stomach has less space to sit comfortably. The valve is asked to work harder. And that’s when symptoms appear.

It’s not weakness.
It’s physics.

 When Eating Quickly Makes It Worse

There’s another piece to this puzzle that often travels alongside posture.

Speed.

When you eat quickly, swallow air, or rush through meals, the stomach fills with more pressure than it’s designed to handle calmly. Combine that with slouched sitting, and the pressure has nowhere to go except up.

Again, the meal itself might be perfectly fine.

But the environment you created around digestion wasn’t ideal.

 A Simpler Way to Support Digestion

The reassuring part of all this is how little you need to change.

You don’t need a new diet.
You don’t need to cut everything out.
You don’t need to eat tiny meals forever.

You just need to give your stomach the space and positioning it needs to do its job.

Try this instead.

After you finish eating, sit upright for at least ten minutes. Not rigid. Just tall enough that your chest is open and your belly isn’t compressed. Let gravity work with your digestion, not against it.

If you’re moving to the couch, prop yourself up rather than sinking down. If you’re at the table, resist the urge to lean forward over a screen. If you’re tired, pause before lying down and give your body a little time to settle the meal.

These small choices send a very different signal to your digestive system.

Why This Often Works When Nothing Else Has

Many people are surprised by how effective this is because it doesn’t feel like a “treatment”.

There’s no supplement. No restriction. No difficult routine.

But digestion thrives on alignment.

When the stomach sits comfortably below the diaphragm and the valve isn’t under pressure, food moves down as intended. Acid stays where it belongs. The burning doesn’t start.

And when this becomes a habit, the body often stops anticipating trouble after meals, which further supports smoother digestion over time.

A Pattern Worth Noticing

If you experience burning mostly in the evenings, after dinner, or when relaxing, that’s another clue.

Those are the times we’re most likely to slump, recline, or curl forward.

It’s rarely about dinner being “worse” food.
It’s about dinner being followed by compression.

Once you see that pattern, it becomes much easier to work with your body instead of fighting it.

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t understand, I ate well,” you’re probably right.

The meal was fine.

Your body just needed a little more space, a little more time, and a little less pressure to handle it comfortably.

Sometimes digestive relief doesn’t come from changing what’s on your plate, but from changing what happens around it.

Until next time, remember, digestion isn’t just about what you eat. It’s about how you hold yourself while your body does the work.

The information provided in this newsletter is for general guidance and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your health and wellness routine.

Wishing you good health,

The Wellness Valet Team

Recipe of the Week: Slow Braised Chicken with Fennel, Leak and Thyme

Ingredients:

• 3–4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin removed)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• 1 leek, washed and sliced into rounds

• 1 small celery stalk, finely sliced

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)

• 1 bay leaf

• 250 ml low-salt chicken stock

• Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over medium heat.

• Season the chicken lightly and brown it gently for 2–3 minutes on each side. You’re not looking for colour so much as warmth and flavour. Remove and set aside.

• In the same pan, add the fennel, leek and celery. Cook slowly for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly translucent. Add the thyme and bay leaf.

• Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables. Pour over the stock. It should come about halfway up the chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low.

• Let the dish braise quietly for 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and the broth lightly aromatic. Avoid boiling, Slow and steady keeps the dish easy to digest.

• Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning gently.

• Serve in shallow bowls with the broth spooned over the chicken and vegetables.

  This pairs well with a small serve of basmati rice or mashed potato if you want something grounding without heaviness.

This is a gentle, aromatic dish that’s warm, moist, and naturally soothing for digestion. Braising keeps everything tender and avoids the dryness or heaviness that can come from roasting.