Do you ever feel your heart racing after eating? Also known as heart palpitations, the affected person feels their heart rate increase after eating in this situation. It could feel like your heart is skipping a beat or pounding. In some cases, you could experience your heart beating in your neck, chest, or even throat. Heart palpitations could occur anytime — at night, in the morning, or after you eat. No matter how scary they appear, an increased heart rate is not usually dangerous.
You might be wondering what causes your heart to race after eating. Keep reading this blog to learn the causes and treatments.
Signs of Increased Heart Rate After Eating
Many people experience heart palpitations after eating. If you have the same issue, you might notice the following symptoms:
- Fluttering: You might feel like your heart is doing flips, causing a fluttering sensation in your chest.
- Irregular Heart Rate: You may feel like your heart is skipping a beat or breathing out of rhythm. Moreover, it could seem as if your heart stops for a second.
- Pounding: Your heart will start beating very hard due to increased heart rate. In some cases, people hear the pounding heart in their ears.
Reasons Your Heart is Racing After Eating
So, why do you have heart palpitations after eating? The primary reason for an increased heart rate could be chewing, swallowing, and digestive process. Alternatively, the ingredients you have consumed can play a role in increasing your heart rate. Typically, this condition is harmless.
What Foods Can Increase Your Heart Rate
Some foods are also responsible for your heart racing after eating. So if you have an increased heart rate, the following might be why:
- High-Carbohydrate Foods
- High-Sodium Foods
- High-Sugar Foods
- Spicy or Rich Foods
- Ingredients like monosodium glutamate, theobromine, tyramine, etc.
Foods with increased carbohydrate levels can spike your blood sugar levels, which increases your heart rate. This is especially true if you have hypoglycemia. Furthermore, eating sugar-rich food with hypoglycemia can also cause heart palpitations. Similarly, high-sodium foods like processed or canned foods can have the same results. Eating spicy or rich foods often triggers heartburn, possibly increasing your heart rate.
Other Causes of Heart Racing After Eating
Ingredients are not the only reason your heart rate might increase after eating. Underlying medical conditions are also possible causes of heart palpitations related to eating or drinking. These include the following:
- Anemia
- Dehydration
- Alcohol Consumption
- Stress or Anxiety before, during, or after the meal
- Arrhythmia
How To Stop Heart Palpitations After Eating?
The treatment for heart palpitations will depend on the cause. Therefore, your healthcare provider will first run tests and diagnose the cause of your heart racing after eating. Usually, heart palpitations go away on their own as they are not serious. Still, you can make lifestyle changes to control the symptoms. These include:
- Managing stress
- Sleeping properly, at least 8 hours
- Exercising more
- Meditating
- Practicing mindful movements like yoga
- Refrain from smoking
If your heart palpitations are due to an underlying medical reason, you should receive the proper treatment. Visit an experienced heart specialist for the required treatment.
What Should I Do?
In conclusion, food processes and ingredients could be why your heart is racing after eating. However, medical causes could also lead to an increased heart rate. Your healthcare provider can suggest adequate treatment.
Atrial Fibrillation Centers of America have the most effective solutions for arrhythmia. Contact our team at (832) 478-5067. You can also drop by our clinic at 13325 Hargrave Rd. Suite 280, Houston, TX 77070.