Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest that can radiate up to your neck and throat. It’s often brought on by eating spicy foods or other foods that irritate the esophagus lining.
Heartburn is more common than you might think, affecting about one in five people. The condition is usually temporary, but it can be painful and uncomfortable if it occurs often.
Heartburn is often caused by overeating, drinking too much alcohol, and taking certain medications. Heartburn can also be caused by eating greasy or spicy foods and sleeping on your stomach. Other causes of heartburn include pregnancy, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hiatal hernia.
Here are some surprisingly effective heartburn remedies.
- Eat small meals and snacks every few hours instead of three large meals a day.
- Avoid food triggers such as spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, and mints.
- Eat slowly, chew your food well and stop eating when you feel full.
- Eat more fiber in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to help digestion and prevent constipation which can cause heartburn.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and avoid dehydration, worsening your symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux disease (GERD).
- Apply heat to your stomach by taking a warm shower or applying a heating pad over the area where you feel pain. The heat helps dilate blood vessels and relaxes muscles which can relieve pain caused by spasms in the esophagus caused by acid reflux disease (GERD).
- Get plenty of rest so that your body has time to recover from the symptoms of acid reflux disease (GERD) without having to deal with other stresses such as work or school stressors that might trigger your symptoms again soon after they subside from resting correctly for at least eight hours at night while sleeping soundly.
- Avoid eating heavy foods that take longer to digest, such as fried foods, red meat, dairy products, and processed foods.
However, there are many natural remedies available that you can use to treat your heartburn. They are also effective in preventing future episodes of heartburn.
- Ginger
Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for heartburn for centuries. Ginger has antispasmodic properties that can help relieve the symptoms of indigestion by relaxing the muscles of your digestive tract. It also increases saliva production, which helps to neutralize stomach acid and aid digestion.
It can be consumed in many forms, but fresh ginger is best. You can chew it raw, add it to tea or cook with it in dishes like stir-fries and curries. However, if you choose to eat it raw, peel off the outer layer first, as this can be pretty tough on your stomach.
- Pepto-Bismol
Pepto-Bismol is a common over-the-counter medication that will usually quickly relieve an upset stomach, including acid reflux symptoms. It contains bismuth subsalicylate, which helps calm the stomach lining, so it doesn’t produce as much acid when food enters it. You should only take this medicine if you have diarrhea because diarrhea can cause dehydration, which could exacerbate symptoms of heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar helps balance your body’s pH levels and alkalize your stomach so that it does not produce excess acid.
- Ginger Root Tea
Ginger contains natural anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract, lowering heartburn symptoms. You can also try adding ginger powder while cooking food instead of salt as it helps control acidity levels in the body.
Ginger root tea helps soothe the entire digestive system, including the esophagus and stomach muscles, reducing heartburn symptoms and other digestive problems like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
- Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice can be an effective remedy for treating heartburn because it contains enzymes that help digest food better while also soothing the irritated tissue in the esophagus or stomach lining due to its antiseptic properties.
- Baking soda with lemon juice
This remedy helps neutralize stomach acidity levels and regulates pH balance in your stomach, which effectively relieves heartburn symptoms.
- Chamomile Tea
For many centuries, chamomile tea has been a popular remedy for heartburn, indigestion, and other digestive disorders. It is an excellent choice to help reduce the symptoms of heartburn, which are caused by gastric acid refluxing up into the esophagus.
Chamomile also has anti-inflammatory properties and helps relieve stomach cramps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.
- Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil is a natural antacid that contains menthol, an ingredient that helps soothes an upset stomach. It is an excellent home remedy for relieving heartburn and acid reflux.
- Cabbage juice.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, cabbage juice has been used as a home remedy for heartburn since at least the late 1800s. It contains enzymes that neutralize stomach acid and tannins that soothe inflammation in the esophagus.
- Lemon balm tea
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a member of the mint family and has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and calming effects on the nervous system and digestive tract.
Lemon balm tea is an excellent remedy to relieve heartburn and indigestion. It contains rosmarinic acid, which has been shown to reduce smooth muscle contractions in the digestive tract. One of the main advantages of drinking lemon balm tea is that it doesn’t contain any calories or sugar — just pure plant nutrients!
- L-glutamine powder.
The L-glutamine powder is an amino acid that helps relieve symptoms of acid reflux by increasing the amount of mucus produced by the stomach lining and reducing inflammation.
- Licorice root tea
Licorice root tea is a soothing herb that has been used for thousands of years to treat digestion problems. It helps reduce inflammation, soothes the stomach lining, and relaxes the digestive tract muscles. It helps to reduce the acidity in your stomach by neutralizing it.
It is rich in antioxidants that help repair the damage done to your stomach lining by the acid in your stomach. It also contains glycyrrhizin, which has been shown to inhibit gastric acid and pepsin production, two key components that cause heartburn. It may also boost immunity and help fight inflammation.
- Yogurt with live cultures
Yogurt with live cultures is a great way to help reduce heartburn. Yogurt contains lactic acid, which can help to neutralize stomach acid. The probiotic bacteria in yogurt also help to promote a healthy balance of gut flora.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce swelling in the esophagus. This is especially helpful if you suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which causes acid to back up into the esophagus when there is a problem with the valve between the stomach and esophagus.
- Bananas
Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, which help reduce inflammation and acid levels in your body — two things that contribute to heartburn, pain, and discomfort. Bananas also contain pectin fiber, which can absorb excess stomach acid, so it doesn’t irritate your esophagus as much.
- Orange juice
Many people find that drinking orange juice helps reduce the symptoms of heartburn. Orange juice contains vitamin C, which has been shown in studies to reduce acid levels in the stomach and esophagus, which can help reduce pain associated with heartburn. This may not work for everyone, but it’s worth a try if you have access to fresh oranges or orange juice free from added sugar or preservatives.
In summary, heartburn is a big problem for many people. If you’ve ever had heartburn, you know how uncomfortable and painful it can be. Some tremendous over-the-counter remedies and home remedies can help you combat it. The home remedies included in the list above are highly effective, costing little to nothing, and are all-natural, meaning they should not apply extra strain on your inflamed stomach.
So why not give one a try the subsequent time heartburn pops up? You’d be surprised at how well they work without the nasty side effects or dangerous ingredients that many over-the-counter drugs have!
