Learning the best home remedies and natural treatments for this common health concern is imperative as the discomfort associated with acid reflux or heartburn requires instant relief. Keep reading to uncover some of the best home remedies for it that really do work amazingly well.
The acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where the acid in our stomach flows up to the esophagus. The acid in the stomach flows back when the tube that delivers food from our esophagus to the stomach fails to hold back the acid.
When you suffer from gerd, the food you eat finds its way back to the esophagus. This undigested food that goes into your esophagus and triggers digestive acids to follow it into the esophagus causing you irritation. The irritation of the esophagus is commonly known as heartburn.. This may occur occasionally or even frequently in many people. If this natural irritation or heartburn happens frequently, and you are still getting no relief even after medication, then you are definitely suffering from GERD.
Heartburn is just one of the symptoms of acid reflux disease. There are many other symptoms that point to this disease. These may include nausea, chest pains, vomiting, asthmatic symptoms, chronic sore throat, recurrent hiccups and dyspepsia.
The acid reflux symptoms are quite discomforting and the suffering person can hardly perform daily activities with ease when suffering from the disease. Medications can relieve the symptoms of GERD but only for a while and they may again reoccur in future. In order to prevent this disease from occurring again and also for some natural heartburn relief, you will need to make wise decisions regarding in your diet.
You should decrease the consumption of foods that trigger acid reflux, such as;
Certain rough textured foods such as crackers, potato chips and cereals should also be avoided as they can easily irritate your esophagus. Despite what you may have heard, apple cider vinegar is not a a good home remedy at all. It is contraindicated in acid reflux disease as it itself is an acid.
Simply avoiding these types of foods and eating more natural unprocessed foods serve as preventative remedies in themselves and should be heeded upon if you are serious about getting rid of your acid reflux and getting heartburn relief.
As concerns your lifestyle, you should avoid smoking and taking alcohol especially before and after meals as they tend to make the situation worse. Make sure you sit upright while eating and try not to lie down immediately after meals. It is also important for you to avoid exercising immediately after meals, you should instead take a walk. To help in faster digestion of food, you should chew food thoroughly.
You should include natural foods that are safe for both your stomach and esophagus. You should include;
It is best to consume;
Aside from this, natural dairy products such as;
People suffering from acid reflux should consume natural mineral water as it is the safest beverage for them. So make sure you keep your home stocked with these fresh items.
Click the bottle to learn more about this amazing natural remedy for acid reflux and heartburn!
This video features a doctor explaining the process and mechanics of gerd and reflux, and its symptoms.
Heartburn and acid reflux is something that most women during pregnancy will experience. It brings about a lot of discomfort and more so if the heartburn occurs on a regular basis.
During the pregnancy period heartburn or acid reflux usually becomes worse and is something which is also experienced with expectant women who have never suffered from it before. It will usually start to develop at the first trimester and gets worse as the pregnancy advances.
Apart from the regular causes as explained earlier, when it comes to expectant women acid reflux is caused by the upsurge of certain hormones which end up creating the uncomfortable burning feeling.
Another possible cause is the increased levels of progesterone combined with internal abdominal pressure which comes about as a result of the enlarged uterus. This can lead to a reduction in the pressure levels found within the lower esophageal sphincter.
Due to the fact that a large number of medications can harm the development of the fetus, it is necessary for these expectant mothers to make use of homemade remedies which are not only effective but also safe for use.
apart from the remedies discussed above, some of the following are particularly effective in the treatment of heartburn when you are pregnant:
I hope you are now more confident about what to do if you have any concerns about acid reflux during pregnancy. Try the remedies above first, and if the condition still persists, see your doctor.
Watch this video to see how expecting mother Stephanie explains some natural remedies to reduce the pain from acid reflux during pregnancy.
The best way to treat acid reflux or heartburn is to prevent it in the first place. For this, you will have to identify triggers, and they are not same for every person, so some trial and error will definitely be there. As food is the main culprit, you should write down the foods that you feel are causing the problem and try to avoid them.
Other remedies known to be effective include papaya, being involved in exercises, avoiding tight clothes, the time when to eat and the posture, for example; tilting the head up will help considerably.
You should not suffer when there are many natural remedies available. These treatments and home remedies may take longer, but they are definitely worth the effort, as they come without side effects and are long lasting as well. It is always the better option than running straight to a pharmacy when faced with the discomfort from heartburn and acid reflux.
Watch this video for advice on home remedies for heartburn from family practitioner Ken Savage in this family friendly medical conditions presentation.
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I have stumbled upon this site whilst researching for my husband’s condition. He works long hours and also works away a lot, and when hes away he often eats out, on business dinners etc. He suffers from heartburn and occasional dyspepsia, so I was wondering if any readers had tried the already prepared homeopathic and herbal remedies you can get? I saw it in the post above. i think this solution would be more suitable for my husband as he doesn’t have that much control over his diet when he is working away. I’d be interested if anyone has some experience of using the ready made treatments.
Marjorie
I also have the same problem with my husband! He suffers from heartburn and spends lots of time away on business trips, so I bought the tablets from the already prepared homeopathic & herbal remedies for him which he can now take with him when he’s away. So far so good, and he hasn’t had any complaints like he used to, and when he’s home, I stick to low fat meats and small meal portions.
I’m a smoker, so I have no idea if some my symptoms have to do with smoking, but I definitely have the occasional heartburn and as well as other symptoms listed here. I know I should quit smoking, but that’s not the main problem for my heartburn I don’t believe. I’m going to first try to avoid foods that trigger acid reflux and see if that makes any difference first. I’ll try the rest if that doesn’t work, but hopefully it’ll be as simple as avoiding some of those foods, because a few of them on the list I eat them a lot.
So it looks like I’m getting the heartburn due to my diet. I eat a lot of citrus fruits, chocolate, fried foods, and a lot of caffeinated drinks. I probably drink at least 3 cups of coffee a day and that’s a lot of coffee for a person to drink in a single day. I’ll switch over to fruits like banana and apples and that should help with the heartburn.
Acid reflux disease refers to the back flow of acidic gastric contents into the esophagus which produces clinical manifestation by irritating or injuring the esophageal mucosa. It is also called GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) or heart-burn. It manifests as burning sensation in the midline of the chest, regurgitation, difficult swallowing, and even with chronic cough, chronic sore throat, pharyngitis and asthma. Alcohol, cigarette smoking, obesity, poor sleep postures, caffeinated drinks, citrus fruits, fatty and fried foods, bad eating habits, and drugs can lead to the development of symptoms of acid reflux disease [1].
Along with medical and surgical treatments, home remedies also help to relieve the symptoms of GERD. Sleeping with elevated head, taking small meals, cessation of alcohol and smoking, weight reduction, and avoidance of fatty foods and citrus fruits (lemon juices etc.) are recommended home remedies for acid reflux disease [2]. Apple cider should not be used in GERD as it contains acetic acid and we need to inhibit acid production in the stomach. Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, and recently is recommended to heal the injured mucosa [3]. Gastric protective effect of extract of ginger has been reported in studies [4]. Ginger contains gastric defense factors and gingerols. Similarly, celery extracts (e.g. A. graveolens extract) replenish gastric wall mucus and voids ulcers [4]. Also, leafy vegetables avoid a lot of stomach diseases [5]. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) mixed in water also helps relieving the symptoms of acid reflux disease.
References:
1. Gaude GS. Pulmonary manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Ann Thorac Med. 2009; 4(3): 115-23.
2. Rodriguez-Telliz M. supraesophageal manifestations of gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Drugs. 2005; 65:67-73.
3. Ulbricht C, Armstrong J, Basch E, Basch S, Bent S, Dacey C, et al. An evidence-based systematic review of Aloe vera by the natural standard research collaboration. J Herb Pharmacother. 2007; 7:279-323.
4. Sumbul S, Ahmad MA, Mohd A, Mohd A. Role of phenolic compounds in peptic ulcer: An overview. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2011; 3(3): 361-7.
5. Kubo A, Corley DA, Jensen CD, Kaur R. Dietary Factors and the Risks of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Barrett’s Esophagus. Nutr Res Rev. 2010; 23(2): 230-46.
By:
Dr. Muzammil Irshad, MBBS