Pecking Poinsettias Whoa to ho, ho, ho. To answer those burning holiday questions about what we sup and sip, researchers weigh in on heartburn, bubbly, candy and, yes, poinsettias. More than a fourth of those who suffer from heartburn get it more at Christmas than any other time of the year.
Thanksgiving ranks second.
Even people who know which foods are likely to cause heartburn eat those goodies around Christmas, researchers found. While heartburn for most of us may just be that unpleasant sensation of feeling your chest is on fire, for some it signals a more serious problem. GERD occurs when the valve at the lower end of the esophagus malfunctions, allowing stomach acid to flow back up the esophagus. Party poopers at the University of California at Davis, on the edge of California's famed wine country, have found that the bubbly sensation of champagne is actually caused by carbonic acid, a chemical irritant that burrows into your tongue. According to New Scientist , the researchers laid their own tongues on the sacrificial altar.