Heartburn is something that most adults will experience during their lifetime. It is characterized by an uncomfortable burning sensation right behind the breastbone that oftentimes creeps up the throat, and is a symptom more so than a disease.
It is caused by acid reflux, which occurs when the ring of muscle that allows food into your stomach relaxes when it shouldn’t. The result is acid from your stomach goes back up your oesophagus, which then causes the sensation of heartburn. Think about it… it’s acid burning your throat…ouch!
It’s actually possible to have reflux without heartburn, but it is not possible to have heartburn without reflux. While over-the-counter and prescription medications are available, if you suffer only from occasional heartburn, lifestyle changes and heartburn home remedies may be the route you want to take.
1. A spoonful of baking soda…A spoonful of sodium bicarbonate, or teaspoon-full to be exact, can help put an end to the burning, sensation of heartburn caused by acid reflux. Baking soda, as sodium bicarbonate is more commonly known, can help your reflux and in turn help your heartburn because it is a base substance.
It has a pH higher than 7.0, and therefore neutralizes stomach acid. Neutralizing the stomach acid means that if/when your LES decides to be lazy and acid comes up your throat, you don’t get “burned.”
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You will need…
-1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon of baking soda
-a glass of fresh water
Directions
Mix either a ½ teaspoon or 1 single teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water that is no more than 8 ounces. Give it a good stir and drink all of the mixtures. You can repeat this as needed but should not exceed seven ½ teaspoon doses in 24 hours. Also, avoid using this as a remedy for more than a week straight, as it is high in salt and can have side effects such as swelling or nausea.
2. Soothe your stomach with aloe juice… Aloe is a plant used to soothe burns, and people often think of using it to help something like sunburn, but it can do more than that. It may be able to help with heartburn too because it reduces inflammation. This means when your tummy starts getting irritated and inflamed, or your oesophagus is getting eaten away at, a nice glass of aloe Vera juice may be just the thing to help calm it down.
You will need…
-1/2 cup aloe Vera juice
Directions
drink a ½ cup of aloe juice, cool or room temperature, before meals. Keep in mind that aloe can act as a laxative, so unless you’re looking to fit in a few extra bathroom Sudoku puzzles, look for a brand that has the laxative component removed.
3. Chew gum… The Journal of Dental Research conducted a study that showed people with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or chronic heartburn, experienced relief when they chewed a piece of sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal.
This is because chewing gum stimulates the salivary glands, and increases the flow of saliva. Any acid that has built up in the gut is diluted and washed away or cleared out more quickly.
The clearance of acid then improves the symptoms of GERD. It is possible that the same school of thought could be applied to occasional heartburn as well. It’s our regular saliva that we swallow that actually makes normal bouts of reflux here and there completely painless.
You will need…
-1 piece of sugar-free gum
Directions…
After a meal, pop in a piece of sugar-free gum and chew for 30 minutes to help ward off heartburn.
4. Chin up (and don’t lie down) Heartburn tends to get worse at night, thanks to the fact that you’re lying down when you sleep. Gravity works against you, and it’s easier for the digested contents of your stomach to back up into your oesophagus, along with acid.
Try elevating your head about 6 inches when you sleep by placing bricks, books, or blocks under the legs at the head of your bed. You could also try a wedge-shaped pillow under your mattress, but don’t simply piles up extra pillows as it’s easy to slip off of them at night.
Don’t lie down within 3-4 hours after eating, because lying down with a full stomach makes stomach contents press harder against your lower oesophagal sphincter.
5. How, what, and when…
Watch how you eat: Don’t inhale giant mouthfuls of food. Take smaller bites and eat slowly, allowing your stomach time to digest and without giving it an excuse to pump out excess acid.
Watch what you eat: You’re probably aware that specific foods trigger heartburn, usually foods high in acid (tomatoes or citrus fruits, for example,) or spicy foods. Avoid these as best you can to ward off
Watch when you eat: Don’t eat within 3-4 hours before bed. Lying down puts more pressure on your LES and increases the likelihood of acid sneaking through.
6. Get more acid… When you have acid-burning your oesophagus, it seems quite counterintuitive to ingest even more acid. In many cases though, acid reflux is caused by having not enough acid in your stomach, rather than having too much, as over-the-counter or prescription “acid blockers” imply (although that can also be the case, among other factors.)
It is the acid itself that tells the lower oesophagal sphincter to tighten and close off. If you don’t produce enough acid, your LES is going to think it’s no big deal to loosen up for a little bit.
Then, of course, you get a reflux of acid into your oesophagus. If you think this may be your case, try drinking some pure, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to see if this prevents your reflux, or cuts it off.
You will need…
-3 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
-6 to 8 ounces of fresh water
Directions
Mix 3 teaspoons, or up to 1 tablespoon, of apple cider vinegar into 6-8 ounces of fresh water, and drink. You can do this before each meal (probably the most effective,) before bedtime, or 2-3 times during the day. If you feel it worsens your reflux, do not continue to ingest it. Too much may also contribute to the problem.
7. Eat a banana or an apple… Bananas contain natural antacids that can act as a buffer against acid reflux. If you want to try out the simplest home remedies for heartburn first, try letting a few bananas ripen up nicely and eating one every day. Another option is to try an apple a day. Slice one up and eat it a couple of hours before bedtime to relieve or prevent discomfort.
8. Make gingerroot tea… Gingerroot can help ease up several stomach woes, from nausea to acid reflux. Sipping a cup of fresh tea about 20 minutes before a meal can help calm down your tummy and act as an acid buffer.
You will need…
-3 quarter sized slices of gingerroot
-2 cups of water
Slice up 3 quarter sized pieces of gingerroot and simmer gently in 2 cups of water, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the ginger pieces, or leave them in, pour them into a glass, and drink all of it about 20 minutes before a meal.
9. Avoid tight-fitting clothes… Things cinched tightly about your waist or middle can worsen heartburn. If you have super tight jeans on, when you sit down, the waistband is going to sink into your abdomen region. The same goes for tight belts-and even shirts can be a problem for some.
This is because all of the above puts extra pressure on your lower oesophageal sphincter, which makes it more likely that stomach contents, will push through and you’ll experience reflux.
