Home Remedies for Acidity, Acid Reflux , Heartburn

Acid reflux or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease), which is a scientific way to describe acidity or heartburn; it affects 50-60 percent of Americans. There are many causes of acid reflux, heartburn such as lifestyle, dietary habits etc.

Causes of Acidity/acid reflux :-

Eating heavy meals, lying down right after intake of meal, obesity, overweight, wrong time of eating, consumption of oily, fast food, snacks, consumption of beverages like alcohol, carbonated drinks, tea, coffee.

Common symptoms of acidity/acid reflux :-

Vomiting, bloating, chronic sore throat, respiratory problems, wheezing, chest & stomach pain, coughing, dry cough, turning down food, heartburn, gas formation in stomach, weight loss for unrecognized reason, hoarseness etc.

A spoonful of baking soda :-

A spoonful of sodium bicarbonate, or teaspoon-full to be exact, can help put an end to the gnawing, 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.”

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 mixture. You can repeat this as needed but should not exceed seven ½ teaspoon doses in a 24 hour period. 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.

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.

Have Almonds :-

Having raw almonds help containing acid reflux. Almond is alkaline producing food and alkaline works to balance body’s pH level. Thus, it can be said that almonds can neutralize the acid that causes burning sensatin in the esophagus. It is also a good source of calcium which in turn is highlyy recommended for GERD patients.

• You may have handful of almonds as a snack everyday.
• Have 2-3 almonds after every meal.
• You may also keep some almond in your purse or in office drawer so that you find them easily when you’re attacked by acid reflux!

Drink Aloe Vera Juice :-

This wonder herb aloe vera soothes burning skin as well as burning esophageal lining! Aloe vera can reduce inflammation of esophagus as well as of stomach. It can even heal the existing damage caused by acid reflux and heartburn.

• If you have severe problem due to acid reflux, have half a cup of aloe juice before each meal. However watch out for its laxative properties too.
• Alternatively, have 2 ounces of aloe juice first thing in the morning mixed with a glass of water.

An Apple a Day May Keep your Heartburn Away!

This is rather a delicious way to keep your acid reflux at bay. The fibers in the apple absorb away the acids that are produced in the stomach. Not to say, fiber is good for digestion and bowel movement too. High amounts of dietary fibers in an apple makes it a good cure for indigestion and in turn for acid reflux.

• Have an apple before you go to bed; or
• Have fresh apples once or even few times a day.

Bananas :-

Banana contains natural antacids which act as a barrier against acid reflux. Bananas contains high amount of potassium which is known as an alkalizing mineral that has a high pH value 5.6. The higher the pH value (pH 5.6), the lower the acidity/astringency, which is why the banana is an awesome antidote to acidity. The food with pH 5.6 is generally great for people with acid reflux. 

Banana reduces the damage caused by acidity. Banana is very great fruit which is rich with fiber; it helps for fast digestion and reduces the repetition of acidity.

Consume 1-2 completely or overripe banana to get relief from acidity, because overripe banana has high amount of potassium which helps fast relief from acidity.

Ginger :-

Ginger develops absorption and digestion of vital nutrients and helps easy digestion. It also breaks down the proteins in our daily diet. Ginger guards our stomach against ulcers by promoting mucus secretion thus it reduces the effect of the acidity. 

1. Consume 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger juice with 1 tablespoon of honey after meal.
2. Chew a piece of ginger for relief and add ginger in your regular diet for improving digestion.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger juice in your regular herbal tea or fruit juices.

Cold milk :-

Drink glass of cold milk, add 1 tablespoon of honey instead of sugar. Milk is rich in calcium and has higher amount of calcium. Cold milk prevents acid build up in stomach and it absorbs the surplus acid. Cold milk gives instant relief from the burning feeling one feels throughout the acid reflux. 

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. 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 esophageal sphincter, which make it more likely stomach contents, will push through and you’ll experience reflux.

Smoking + alcohol = heart on fire :-

Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can set you up for terrible reflux. The nicotine and alcohol both work to weaken your LES, making it that much easier for stomach contents and acid to splash up into your esophagus. Alcohol is also going to irritate your stomach in general. The solution? Quit smoking, and drink less (if at all.) Doing both will improve your health overall, in addition to relieving acid reflux.

Mustard :-

Mustard is well known as an alkalizing. It is rich source of minerals.  Consumption of mustards seeds helps neutralize the acid in the stomach and also reduces pain due to acid reflux.

Potato juice :-

This is another best home remedy to reduce acidity. Potato juice is very excellent remedy for stomach gas. 

Prepare half cup of potato juice from raw potato, add 1 tablespoon honey & half teaspoon of black pepper powder to it and drink this mixture an hour before your meals. This can be done 2-3 times a day.

Cloves :-

• Smash 2 cloves and consume on empty stomach with warm water. Consumption of raw cloves gives relief from acidity. Also add cloves in your regular diet to prevent recurring acidity.
• Cloves have carminative effect which increases hydrochloric acid in our stomach and helps to alleviate acidity and drive out gas from your body effectively. In some cases, acidity can be caused by low stomach acid too.
• Crush two-three cloves and chew them thoroughly so that the juice will released into your stomach easily.
• Consume 2-3 crushed cloves and half teaspoon of cardamom powder with glass of warm water to minimize acid trouble.