Heartburn Remedies : Natural and Home Heartburn Remedies & Treatments

While chewing gum and vinegar are 2 top  heartburn remedies, there are many other proposed acid reflux remedies.

Chewing Gum – The most important thing that chewing gum does is cause the release of saliva.  One of the hallmarks of GERD is reduced saliva production, which is why chewing gum is one of the most powerful home heartburn remedies.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Heartburn –The acetic acid in vinegar is what relieves heartburn, and acetic acid is the primary ingredient in all vinegar. Vinegar is one of the best heartburn remedies, no matter what the type.

Mustard and Acid Reflux – Mustard does work for heartburn simply because it contains vinegar.  It is especially useful if you can include it into your cooking recipies.

Antacids (Calcium Carbonate) – Effective for occasional use and a temporary solution for heartburn. Negative side effects from prolonged or chronic use such as increased suseptability to the formation of kidney stones make antacids something you want to avoid using regularly over the long-term.

Baking Soda –  Adding a small amount (about 1 tsp) of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) into a glass of water helps neutralize stomach acidity. This can give quick relief to heartburn symtoms as the PH of the stomach is increased. This is not beneficial over the long term because the stomach requires an acidic environment for adequate digestion of foods.
Not to be used by people with hypertension because of the sodium.

Ionized Alkaline Water – Alkaline water is water that has been buffered with an alkaline substance such as bicarbonate. Most ionized alkaline waters have a high PH between 9.5 and 10. Alkaline water works much in the way that antacids do and may neutralize stomach acid. The problem is neutralizing stomach acid negatively impacts digestion which may lead to more reflux down the road and other digestive problems.

Milk and Heartburn – Milk acts as a buffer solution and can help neutralize stomach acid. However, there is a downside in that neutralization of stomach acid impedes digestion rather than enhances it. Milk also may increase acid reflux in those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk proteins.

Celery and Heartburn – Celery may reduce heartburn simply because it requires a lot of chewing to eat; chewing produces saliva, and saliva is the best heartburn remedy around. One good way to incorporate this natural heartburn remedy into your lifestyle is to eat a few pieces of celery at the end of a large meal.

Bromelain supplements – Bromelain is an enzyme that helps reduce inflammation and aids in the digestion of proteins, which might reduce acid reflux. Pineapple contains high concentrations of  bromelain.

Fennel Seed Oil – Fennel is a flowering herb and a popular supplement for some digestive disorders. While no direct research exists on the use of fennel seed and heartburn, the indirect evidence suggests that this very inexpensive supplement may be a great way to improve digestion and stop acid reflux.
Fennel seed supplements may not be appropriate for you if you take any other prescription medication (particularly birth control or other hormonal medications), have a history of seizures, or have plant allergies.

Iodine Supplements – Iodine is essential for thyroid function. There is a link between hypothyroidism and acid reflux, and many people in western nations do not get enough iodine in their diets. If you are not taking medication for hypothroidism and you are not under any salt intake restrictions, consider adding iodized salt to your diet or adding more iodine rich foods such as seaweed or kelp. This may improve your heartburn over time.

Bed Wedge Pillows – Bed wedge pillows are pillows specially designed to reduce acid reflux when sleeping. Make sure the pillow is wedge-shaped and actually puts your torso on an incline; a pillow that only elevates your neck is not going to work.
An alternative to the pillows is to raise the head of your bed by about 4 to 6 inches. You can also purchase inexpensive bed post lifts to elevate the end of the bed where your head rests.

Simple Fix for Heartburn in the Morning – For those people who tend to have an upset stomach and heartburn upon waking and for the early morning hours, having a protein shake (whey protein) in the morning (with nothing else) first thing after waking is a great way to help reduce acid reflux.  Mix up a high-quality protein powder with as little as water as necessary (4 to 5 ounces), and only drink water or coffee in the morning after your reflux has subsided.

It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about your acid reflux if you experience heartburn two times a week or more rather than trying to rely on self treatment.

Ways to Prevent Nighttime Heartburn and Acid Reflux

If you experienced heartburn before, then you know that it is unpleasant, painful and in most cases, distressing. You have to know that millions of people from different parts of the world suffer from heartburn and it is also a very old condition that humans suffer from.

If you suffer from heartburn on a regular basis, you may need to treat it in order to prevent heartburn attacks or at least lessen its frequency.

Although mild heartburn is more of a nuisance than a real condition, chronic or severe heartburn can be something much more serious. Chronic heartburn will not only prevent you from living a normal life, but it can also be very dangerous to your overall health.

You need to remember that when acid reflux or heartburn occurs, your esophagus will get damaged. Occasional or mild cases of heartburn will let the lining in your esophagus to recover and no long term damage will be done. But, if you experience heartburn on a regular basis, you may need to take this more seriously as repeated heartburn attacks will prevent your esophagus lining from recovering and cause serious damage to it.

In extreme cases, it may lead to the scarring of the esophagus. You may also develop Barrett’s esophagus, where you will be at risk of getting esophageal cancer. This is mainly the reason why you may want to prevent heartburn especially during nighttime when you are going to bed.

People are more prone to experience heartburn during the night when they lie down. This is because when we lie down, it’s easier for the acid to reach our esophagus because gravity will no longer be of any help when we are lying down.

And, when we lie down, there will be a much more prolonged contact between the esophagus and the acid, which can easily lead to the deterioration of the esophagus lining, which will cause a more serious complication as mentioned earlier.

So, here are some of the ways on how you can prevent heartburn from happening during nighttime.

The first is to avoid eating large meals during dinner. You have to remember that big meals mean that the stomach has to work harder to digest the food you eat. This will also mean that the stomach will take a lot longer to digest what you eat and it has to produce more acid to digest the food. This is what you don’t want to happen when you are already lying down your bed getting ready to go to sleep.

You should also avoid going to bed on a full stomach. You need to allow your stomach at least 3 hours before you turn in.

As much as possible, you have to avoid lying down after eating dinner.

You should also avoid drinking alcohol late at night as this increases alcohol production in your stomach and it also relaxes your LES or lower esophageal sphincter. The LES is responsible for keeping stomach acid inside your stomach and if it relaxes, it will open up and allow acid to come in contact with your esophagus.

Lastly, you may want to have a supply of antacids ready in case you experience heartburn during the night. Drinking plenty of water can also help neutralize the acid in your stomach.

These are the ways on how you can prevent nighttime heartburn. Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will reduce the occurrence of nighttime heartburn and avoid letting heartburn take control of your life.

Heartburn Remedies: Simple Home Remedies to Manage Heartburn

Heartburn and acid reflux affects millions of people around the world. Although there are medications, which are suggested by doctors that can help with this condition, these medications may not always be helpful.

This is why you have to know about the different home remedies that can help in managing heartburn and acid reflux. These home remedies can really help in decreasing the frequency of heartburn and it will also lessen your dependence on drugs to treat heartburn.

Basically, heartburn is a digestive disorder that is a result of living an unhealthy lifestyle. The foods we eat are primarily one of the causes of heartburn, especially today where the food available is not always healthy for our stomach and for our overall health.

The key to managing and treating heartburn is to make some lifestyle changes. This means that you have to quit the bad habits you have. These bad habits include smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Eating fried and fatty foods can also cause heartburn.

You have to remember that cigarettes contain nicotine, which adds to the production of acids in your stomach. It also irritates your esophagus and will loosen the sphincter, which is primarily responsible for keeping stomach acid in the stomach and prevent it from coming in contact with the esophagus.

Another option that you can do to treat heartburn is to take natural supplements that are known to treat heartburn. Today, you will find plenty of food and dietary supplements known to manage and treat heartburn. For example, eating an apple a day together with a glass of lukewarm water can help lessen the frequency of heartburn.

You can also consider consuming baking soda with water, which is also known as a very effective heartburn remedy. Although this may not taste as good as a soda, this will help heartburn sufferers by neutralizing stomach acid and eliminating gas bubbles in your stomach.

You also have to keep in mind that eating too much spicy and fatty food can be very harmful for heartburn patients. These foods are very difficult to digest, which means that your stomach has to produce extra acid to digest it.

It is also very helpful to eat meals early at night. This will help give your stomach time to let the acid subside before you lie down and go to bed.

You should also stop wearing tight clothes as these clothes can produce pressure on your midsection forcing stomach contents, including stomach acid, to go up.

Lastly, you should start losing weight. This will help relieve heartburn symptoms and you will also look better and feel more energetic if you do.

These are the home remedies that you can do in order for you to manage heartburn effectively. Remember these tips and you can be sure that heartburn will not take control of you life and you will also lessen your dependency on medications to treat heartburn.

So, the next time you experience heartburn, you may want to cut down on fatty food and eat an apple a day. This will not only help in treating heartburn but it will also help keep your body healthy.

Heartburn: Self Care and Medical Treatments Available

Today, millions of people experiences heartburn. Some have mild cases of it while others have chronic or severe cases of heartburn.

If you are also experiencing heartburn, then it would be wise if you follow these tips in order for you to properly manage or control it and prevent it from taking control of your life. You see, heartburn is a painful condition where you will experience pain often described as a burning sensation on the chest.

Although the name heartburn suggests that it may be an illness associated with the heart, it’s actually not. Heartburn is a digestive condition where stomach acid flows out from the stomach and comes in contact with the esophagus. Sometimes you will regurgitate and taste something bitter or sour in your mouth during an episode of heartburn.

This is because the stomach acid may have reached your mouth, which explains the sour or bitter taste.

Mild cases of heartburn are considered more of a nuisance than a real condition that can have a large impact on people’s life. It can be managed and controlled through self-care. But, if you have chronic heartburn, you may need to seek professional medical help as self-care at home may only provide temporary or partial relief.

For mild or occasional symptoms of heartburn, a few lifestyle modifications will go a long way in helping you with your heartburn problem.

To start, you may want to avoid large meals. Large meals are usually the cause of heartburn. This is because large meals tend to overwhelm the stomach and it will produce excessive stomach acid in order to digest excessive food. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, go for around 6 smaller meals a day. This will keep acid production in check and eventually prevent or at least lessen heartburn.

You should also avoid foods and beverages that reduce pressure on the LES or the lower esophageal sphincter. This means that you have to avoid food like peppermint, chocolate, coffee or any other beverages or food that contains caffeine, and fatty or fried foods.

You also have to lessen your consumption of food that damages the esophagus, such as spicy food, tomatoes, citrus juices and fruits, and even tomato sauces.

After a big meal, you need to take a rest for at least 2 to 3 hours. Avoid doing any activities that forces acid back in to the esophagus, such as lifting, straining, and coughing. You also have to avoid wearing tight fitting clothes as this can produce pressure on your midsection forcing stomach contents, such as stomach acid, upwards to your esophagus.

After eating, avoid lying down. Use gravity to your advantage. Sit, stand up or walk around for at least 3 hours after a big meal. If you constantly experience night time heartburn, try to elevate the head of your bed when you sleep. But, you should never use more pillows under your head. Instead, use a wedge under the mattress or place a 6 inch block under the head of the bed.

If you are overweight, you should start losing weight. And, you also have to stop smoking if you do smoke as nicotine can damage your LES or lower esophageal sphincter.

Taking antacids can also work. This works by neutralizing the acid in your stomach and it should be taken 1 hour after meals or when you feel heartburn symptoms starting.

You can also take advantage of drugs that block the production of stomach acids. Low doses of these drugs are available over the counter.

These are the self-care and medical treatments that you can consider if you are suffering from heartburn. By keeping these things in mind, you can be sure that you will be able to effectively manage heartburn and take control of your life again.

Heartburn Home Remedies: 5 Effective Ways to Get Rid Of Heartburn Pain

If you’ve experienced a bad case of heartburn before, then you know how uncomfortable and painful this condition can be. Most people who experiences frequent heartburn says that this condition can really prevent you from doing your daily activities. In short, heartburn can prevent you from living a normal life.

This is why a lot of people buy over the counter medicines to ease the pain caused by heartburn. You have to keep in mind that over the counter medicines can work for mild cases of heartburn but if you are suffering from a severe case of heartburn, then you may want to try consulting your doctor as this may already be a sign of a more serious illness.

You will also find that there are plenty of natural heartburn home remedies. This will really help ease the pain you feel during heartburn attacks and it will also lessen your dependency on drugs. So, here are 5 natural cures that will make a big difference when it comes to treating heartburn.

The first is to drink more water. This is the most simple yet the most neglected advice for heartburn remedy. Water will help dissolve or dilute the acid in your stomach, which will eventually help in preventing or at least lessen the frequency of heartburn. The next time you feel the symptoms of heartburn, try drinking 2 glasses of water. You will see that this will make a lot of difference.

Baking soda is also a great way to treat heartburn. Drink water with baking soda that next time you feel the symptoms of heartburn. However, although this will help ease the pain as it will neutralize the acid in your stomach, it is only a short term solution.

Aloe Vera juice can also help in neutralizing acid in the stomach. This is because Aloe Vera juice is alkaline in nature, which means that it will counteract the acid in your body.

You should also start drinking herbal tea. Green tea and chamomile tea can work very well in helping with digestive problems, such as heartburn. There are also people who say that ginger tea works best for treating heartburn. Try drinking tea once a day and you will see a big difference as it will be able to reduce the frequency of heartburn you experience.

Lastly, you may want to start avoiding eating foods that are known to trigger heartburn. Examples are spicy foods, fatty or fried foods, foods high in sugar, and citrus fruits. Food and beverages containing caffeine should also be avoided as well as carbonated drinks.

You really don’t have to give up on foods like this but you may want to limit it in order for you to decrease the frequency of heartburn. Besides, you wouldn’t want to give up eating oranges or grapefruit, would you? These things are not only delicious but they are also rich in vitamins.

Remember these things and you can be sure that you will be able to control heartburn more effectively. Through these natural home remedies, you will be able to lessen your dependency on drugs prescribed by your doctor.

Heartburn and the Available Medical Treatments for It

As a person suffering from heartburn, you have to remember that you are not alone. In fact, millions of people all over the world suffer from this kind of condition and it is also a condition that existed for centuries or most probably since man first walked the earth.

First of all, you need to remember that heartburn is in no way related to the heart. As a matter of fact, heartburn is a digestive condition where stomach acid comes in contact with the esophagus. When this happens, you will feel a burning sensation that starts on your diaphragm and work its way up to your chest. And, in most cases, you will even regurgitate and experiencing having a sour or bitter taste on your mouth. This is mainly the stomach acid reaching your mouth.

Heartburn is painful and it can really stop you from doing any of your daily activities. This is why you have to know about the available medical treatments in order for you to properly manage heartburn and take control of your life from heartburn.

Over the counter antacids are the oldest and also one of the most effective treatments for heartburn. Hundreds of years ago, people chewed on chalk to ease heartburn. This is because chalk contains calcium carbonate, which is a very effective acid neutralizer.

Antacid tablets may be effective but they are slow to act. When compared to liquid antacids, antacids in tablet form are less powerful in neutralizing stomach acid.

If you constantly experience heartburn, antacids will be very useful to you because they offer instant relief from heartburn especially if it is caused by foods or certain activities. But, you have to remember that relief will only be temporary and over the counter heartburn drugs will not prevent heartburn from returning and it will also not allow an injured esophagus to heal.

The rule here is to see the doctor if you need antacids to get relief from heartburn for more than 2 weeks. This may be a sign that you may be suffering from a more complicated condition or a more serious condition that causes heartburn.

Your doctor will be able to provide you with better diagnosis and administer the proper or appropriate treatment for your condition.

There are different kinds of antacids that you can buy on drug stores but most are combinations of magnesium hydroxide and aluminum. This type of antacid may cause unwanted side effects, such as constipation or diarrhea.

If you want a more effective type of antacid, you will want to go for antacids that contain calcium carbonate. They are known to be the most potent in neutralizing stomach acid and are very popular among people who suffer from heartburn.

When taking drugs, always remember that you should follow the instructions in the label. Never take more than the recommended daily dose. In most cases, people take antacids right after meals and before they go to bed. It’s also allowed to take antacids if you feel the symptoms of heartburn. Just remember that you shouldn’t take more than what is recommended.

Lastly, always tell your doctor about your antacid use.

These are the available medicines for heartburn. Antacids are very effective in helping ease the symptoms of heartburn but you should always keep in mind that you have to see the doctor when you experience heartburn at least 3 times a week for 2 weeks. This may be a sign of a more serious condition.

Effective Ways to Prevent Heartburn during Pregnancy

Heartburn is one of the oldest and also one of the most common conditions that affects millions of people every single day. Despite its name, heartburn is in no way related to the heart. In fact, this is a digestive condition where stomach acid comes in to contact with the esophagus causing irritation. The result is feeling a burning sensation that starts on the diaphragm all the way to the chest.

Usually, heartburn is accompanied by a sour or bitter taste, which is primarily the stomach acid you regurgitated and made its way to your mouth.

To make things worse, women who are pregnant are more susceptible to heartburn. It can really be frustrating experiencing this condition especially when the weather is hot or warm.

If you are pregnant, you have to be prepared to experience heartburn as this will be very common. Now, you need to keep in mind that although this condition is painful and extremely uncomfortable to experience, it is a condition that will not harm the baby inside your tummy.

But, it is still uncomfortable and you want to control or manage it or at least decrease its frequency. Here are ways on how you can prevent or at least manage heartburn during pregnancy.

Firstly, you have to realize that heartburn is caused by a backflow of stomach acid in to the esophagus. This happens because the muscles in your stomach relax because of the hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy. The best thing that you can do is to avoid eating large meals. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, try to eat 6 smaller meals daily. This will help in decreasing the production of stomach acid. Also, you should try eating your food slowly as this will be able to help reduce the symptoms of heartburn.

Secondly, you need to avoid certain foods. If you love spicy food, such as Mexican food, then you may want to cut back on this type of food while you are pregnant. Spicy food can get your stomach to produce more acid, which will increase the likelihood of you experiencing heartburn. Fried and fatty foods should also be avoided as this type of food is hard to digest, which will force your stomach to produce more stomach acid.

You also need to drink plenty of water. However, avoid drinking plenty of water while you are eating. The excess fluids will result in increased acid reflux, which will lead to heartburn. Also, avoid caffeinated and carbonated beverages as these drinks are known to increase acid production and relax the LES or lower esophageal sphincter.

If you experience heartburn while sleeping, try to elevate your head using extra pillows. This way, you will let gravity do its job by keeping stomach acid inside the stomach.

If you want to take antacids, go for liquid antacids instead of tablets. But, you should always consult your doctor before taking any type of medications. This way, you will be able to know if the medicine you will take is safe for the baby.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to control heartburn during pregnancy. Always remember to always consult your doctor before you take any medication even if it is over the counter.