Some of us suffer from a little heartburn from time to time, like usually at the holidays when we overindulge with the tasty food that is associated with holidays, and others are fighting a constant battle against heartburn. If you fall into the latter group then you know how painful the burning can be and you’re probably willing to do just about anything to have it stop.
The good news is that there are natural remedies for heartburn that can help, not only with a current attack, but also there are tips for preventing heartburn naturally so that you never have to have it reoccur. Wouldn’t that be great? Let’s dig in.
10 Natural Remedies for Heartburn – Herbal Cures
Heartburn:
Heartburn is a painful, burning feeling in the middle of our chest or the upper part of our stomach. This pain can also spread to our neck, jaw, or arms, can last just for a few minutes or make us suffer for hours.
What Causes Heartburn?
Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is a muscle at the entrance of our stomach, it acts as a gate: It opens to let food move from our esophagus to our stomach, and then it shuts to stop food and acid from coming back out.
What Causes Heartburn?
Following factors trigger the Heartburn symptoms-
- An Overeating
- Lying down immediately after meals.
- Stress
- Eating spicy, fatty foods or greasy foods
Most people run to the nearest pharmacy to get an over-the-counter treatment when they’re having a heartburn incident as they see this as a way to get instant relief. While this may be so, most over-the-counter medications simply mask the symptoms and do nothing to address the real cause of the heartburn.
Usually, because these drugs only mask the symptoms, the painful symptoms quickly return. This is why so many men and women, around the world, are turning to alternative remedies for heartburn to help ease their discomfort.
The beauty of natural remedies for heartburn is that you can do them from the comfort of your home.
A note of caution for you, however, is that you should not ignore your heartburn if it has become chronic as the repeated incidence of acid flowing back into your esophagus can lead to more serious conditions including esophageal cancer.
Let’s have a look at some natural remedies for heartburn that you can start implementing immediately to get relief;
(This list also includes tips to avoid heartburn)
(This list also includes tips to avoid heartburn)
1. Stop eating a few hours before bedtime – this also helps with weight control.
2. Eat smaller portions of food – eating smaller portions of food more frequently puts less of a strain on your digestive system.
3. Foods to avoid (these tend to trigger heartburn) – Citrus fruits, peppermint, tomatoes, spearmint, chocolate, raw onions, garlic, black pepper, vinegar, fatty foods, fried foods, spicy foods, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks and there may be others that are triggers for you so make note of what you’ve eaten before your heartburn attacks.
4. Reduce Stress – stress has been proven to be another factor that can trigger heartburn.
5. Quit Smoking – smoking can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter which closes off the esophagus and prevents stomach acids from entering it which causes heartburn.
6. Aloe Vera Juice – drink this before your meals. It has been shown to soothe the esophagus.
7. Slippery Elm – Slippery elm is often the primary ingredient in herbal sore throat lozenges found in health food stores or in the natural food section of some grocery stores and drug stores. It helps to coat the esophagus and reduce irritation.
8. Papaya Enzyme – You can get a chewable version of Papaya Enzyme. Which helps to combat the acidic sensation and provide relief.
9. Pineapple Juice – Pineapple juice contains an enzyme called Bromelain, Enzyme Bromelain is known to digest Proteins.
10. Change sleeping body shape – Practice sleeping on your side instead of your stomach. Rise up your head position and upper body when you lie down.
So there you have several remedies and tips for dealing with heartburn.
Take the time to find the help and the natural treatment you need, and you’ll be able to get on with your life and enjoy it to the fullest. You deserve to be happy and healthy.
Also be sure to share any natural remedies you may know of by leaving us a comment. Thank you for sharing.