Home Remedies for Heartburn
natural remedies for Acid Reflux & heartburn relief

You were looking for and just found very effective Natural Home Remedies for Heartburn or natural remedies for acid reflux that will give you heartburn relief

Right after lunch or dinner this heartburn began acting up, sending a burning sensation up into your food pipe spoiling the rest of the day, right? Something about this meal is not going its normal way, unfortunately we all know about how that feels

Don’t let this acid reflux ruin your day

find that heartburn relief, right now!

These home remedies for heartburn have been very helpful to millions of people. They were struggling with the same problems you are dealing with now, but have been saved. And most of them now know what to do and what to avoid to keep it from happening again

Most ingredients for these natural remedies for acid reflux you probably already have somewhere in your kitchen or medicine cabinet. If not they are widely available and very affordable or downright cheap. They are easy to apply, very powerful and finally will give you that heartburn relief you were dreaming of

home remedies for heartburn or acid reflux

Let's get started, first a short explanation then

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is also called acid indigestion or pyrosis and although its name might be a bit confusing, heartburn has actually nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is a burning feeling in your (lower) chest accompanied by a sour or bitter taste in your throat or mouth. This is because your stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, which is the tube bringing the food from your mouth to your stomach

Normally a valve called esophageal sphincter (also called LES) together with gravity keeps your meal and stomach acid where it belongs, inside your stomach. It only opens up to let food in the stomach and occasionally to let air out. In medical terms this last one is called "eructation," and although the name sounds like you quickly need a specialist, don't immediately run to your doctor, it is simply burping or belching; necessary to let excess air out of your stomach

Some more heartburn facts

Occasional heartburn is a very common thing to happen and is usually no cause for alarm. It happens mostly after a big meal and is often made worse when you lie down or bend over. But it can also be one of the symptoms of acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease also called GERD

About 10% of Americans and up to 50% of pregnant women have heartburn on a daily basis and in 30% percent of the entire population it happens occasionally. And a big part of these acid reflux sufferers is looking for a natural heartburn relief

Heartburn Symptoms

Well you are here because of these exact symptoms, so we guess you have a pretty good idea, but just to do a double check, acid reflux or heartburn symptoms include:

A burning feeling or even pain in the (lower) chest and or throat, like the food is not going down properly and is even rising up again. It usually occurs after eating and sometimes happens at night

The feeling or pain worsens when you lie down or bend over

Usually there is no real need to contact your doctor. However when you also have severe chest pain especially combined with difficulty breathing or pain in your arm, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, this might be a symptom of a heart attack. If so immediately seek medical help!

We also advise to contact your doctor if:

you have heartburn more than two times a week
symptoms insist even after different natural heartburn remedies
you also have difficulty swallowing
you also experience unexplained and serious weight loss
you vomit blood or blood just comes from your throat
you feel tightness in your throat or feeling that food is stuck there
you have hoarseness or a hoarse voice
you experience nausea

This could mean you may have acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease also called GERD

Causes of Heartburn

In short, most of the times it is acid reflux that causes it. Like we already mentioned normally your esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomach and then it closes again. If for some reason this valve relaxes too much or is weakened, stomach acid flows up into your esophagus. This is even made worse when you lie down or bend over

This might just do the trick, what do you think?

There are some foods and drinks that can trigger heartburn in some people, these risk factors are:

Chocolate
Greasy, fatty, fried or spicy food
Coffee, both regular and the decaffeinated version and other drinks that contain caffeine
Tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato products like ketchup etc
Peppermint or mint
Alcohol
Vinegar
Black pepper
Mustard
Soft drinks

When you have heartburn the stomach juice makes your esophagus more sensitive to other foods, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, spicy foods, garlic, and onions. When you eat these foods it may cause even more heartburn

Other common causes of Heartburn
and Acid Reflux

Overeating - Eating too much or too much too fast forces some of your stomach acid up

Eating before going to bed - When you lie down gravity loses its grip and stomach juice can flow back

Being overweight or obese - The excess fat puts pressure on your stomach forcing stomach juice out

Constipation - constipation increases the chance of acid reflux and heartburn

Slower emptying of the stomach

Anxiety and stress - These can increase the amount of acid your stomach makes and cause your stomach to empty more slowly

Smoking or using other tobacco products - This relaxes the esophagea sphincter and stimulates the production of stomach acid

Frequent bending over and lifting - This puts more stress on the stomach, as does very intense exercising or wearing too tight clothes or belt

Pregnancy - Raised hormone levels during pregnancy or greater pressure on the stomach because of the growing uterus and baby can cause heartburn

Certain medicines - Medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen, sleeping pills, some antidepressants and medicines for high blood pressure may cause heartburn

Hiatal hernia - This is when a small portion of the stomach pushes up through the muscle that separates the lungs from the abdomen called the diaphragm. The valve closing your stomach can't close enough anymore

Certain diseases - Some other diseases weaken the esophageal sphincter, such as scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease

Home remedies for heartburn
quick natural acid reflux remedies

We understand that a quick home remedy for acid reflux is sometimes necessary in a really uncomfortable episode of heartburn. In these cases one of these natural home remedies for heartburn and acid reflux will do the job perfectly well and without side effects

Home remedies for heartburn

Apple cider vinegar

Why on earth drink something that contains acid when I suffer from acid coming up my esophagus and throat? We hear you; in fact we heard it many times before. It is probably one of the most widely used home remedies for acid reflux, it has proven effective countless times but as many times it brought that question to mind, why does it work as heartburn relief?

Even though research has been done on this subject, still nobody has a clear cut answer. It is suggested that the acid in the apple cider vinegar stops the stomach from making more acid because the level is more than high enough. The only thing we know is that it works almost like magic as heartburn relief for many people

There are good and bad acids in this world and apple cider vinegar turns out to be a good one

For these natural acid reflux remedies you can take a glass of water or apple juice and add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to it and drink it after a meal. You could add some honey for taste. Drinking this before or during meals could also help prevent heartburn

Another option is to mix apple juice, grape juice and apple cider vinegar and drink it before or after a meal

Because each individual reacts differently you could experiment a bit with the amounts you use, try more or less apple cider vinegar or more or less of the other ingredients. See what works best for you as a heartburn home remedy

Home remedies for acid reflux

Apples

Eating an apple, or sometimes even just a part of it, as a heartburn home remedy can really give you heartburn relief. It works basically the same as the vinegar part, where the good acids help you stop the heartburn

It varies again from individual to individual to which variety works best for you, experiment a bit

Home remedies for heartburn

Potatoes, carrots or celery

One of the oldest natural home remedies for heartburn is using these vegetables. Its use is widespread across the world and that's because they are very effective. It seems like the alkaline potato, carrot or celery juices temper the acids

Grate or shred a potato, carrot or celery and eat it. This has proven to fight the most serious cases of heartburn the natural way

Another way is to put them in a juicer and drink the juice

Home remedies for acid reflux

Plain Water

Drinking a good amount of water is one of the most basic natural home remedies for heartburn you can think of. It washes away the acid burning and balances the acidity out

To prevent heartburn or acid reflux you can drink at least 4 pints (+/- 2 liter) of water spread over the day

Home remedies for heartburn

Ginger

Again nobody really knows why it works but even doctors are convinced that ginger or ginger-root will work as heartburn relief. It seems to absorb the the acid and it calms the nerves which is a double whammy

Take fresh ginger and grate, cut or smash it into a pulp eat this whenever you feel heartburn coming up

Another way is to mix the ginger pulp with a bit of coriander and eat this

Or you can buy ginger capsules and take them right after you ate, experiment a bit with how much you need to help you out

Finally you could also prepare ginger tea or add ginger to your meals

Home remedies for acid reflux

Persimmon

We've heard from many sides that persimmon in general and persimmon drinks in particular are very effective as a heartburn home remedy. The following cinnamon, ginger, persimmon mix was surprisingly effective for many people

We also had to find out how it was made and what the exact ingredients were and found this recipe. It turns out to be a Korean new year's recipe called Soo Jeung Kwa or Persimmon Punch

Recipe courtesy "The Korean Kitchen" by Copeland Marks:

Take a bowl and mix 2 quarts of water, 4 cinnamon sticks and 1/8 Lb of thinly sliced fresh ginger. Let it simmer for 1/2 hour, strain the liquid get rid of the ginger and leave the cinnamon. Add 1 cup of sugar to the hot liquid and then 3 whole dried persimmons sliced into pieces. Let it stay overnight in the fridge and serve cold

Home remedies for heartburn

Sodium bicarbonate (Baking soda)

Sodium bicarbonate is probably better known as baking soda. This is also a widely used natural heartburn remedy that neutralizes the acid

Simple, effective and harmless when taken in the right quantities

Simply add a teaspoon of baking soda to a big glas of water, stir and drink it

We've heard of people recommending club soda because it also contains some baking soda but tastes just better. You might give it a try

caution

Don't use too much baking soda for too long a time; this can cause high blood pressure or even symptoms of diabetes. When you are on a sodium restricted diet we obviously also advice NOT to use this method since it contains sodium

Also be very careful with how much baking soda you take as a heartburn home remedy especially when you have seriously overeaten

Home remedies for acid reflux

Chewing Gum

One of the newest discoveries against heartburn, acid reflux relief or GERD is chewing gum. It stimulates the production of saliva which naturally neutralizes acid and makes you swallow more

Basically it speeds up and exaggerates the normal process of acid neutralization in you esophagus

Give it a try and see what gum works best to give you heartburn relief

Home remedies for heartburn

Almonds

Eat a handful of almonds (raw or unsalted dry roasted) after your meal, this will stop the heartburn. Effective and tasty natural acid reflux remedy

Home remedies for acid reflux

Broccoli

The fiber in raw broccoli will bind to the acids in your esophagus and stomach and gives you heartburn relief

Home remedies for heartburn

Banana

A very simple natural acid reflux remedy is to slowly eat a banana when you feel a heartburn attack coming up. It will neutralize the acid, and don't drink anything in the meantime

Home remedies for acid reflux

Pretzels

This natural heartburn remedy we got from a registered nurse who works in a center where they treat patients with esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon, liver and pancreas disorders

She recommends simply eating pretzels until the heartburn stops

On the other hand we heard from people getting heartburn after eating them. This shows that these home remedies for heartburn can work on one person but can have the adverse effect on another. It's up to you to find what works best for you

Home remedies for heartburn

Brown sugar

Neutralizes and gives you heartburn relief. Simply take 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar for immediate relief

Home remedies for acid reflux

Mustard

This natural remedy for acid reflux works perfectly well for most people although there are also cases where mustard causes or even worsens the heartburn. Pregnant women seem to profit most from this natural acid reflux remedy

Take 3 teaspoons of mustard and wash it down with a glass of water. Experiment with the amount and sort of mustard to see what works best for you

Home remedies for heartburn

Herbal teas

Anise and lavender or green tea will help you to get heartburn relief because they naturally reduce the acid in your stomach

Mix aniseed and lavender in equal amounts and pour boiling water on it. Let it stay for 5 minutes then strain it. Add honey to taste and drink it in the morning and evening

Our note

Opposed to popular advice, we do not recommend using mint or peppermint as a acid reflux home remedy. Mint might help against the taste in your mouth and throat, but it will also relax the valve that normally keeps your stomach closed and exactly that can cause your heartburn to be even more severe.

Same goes for milk, it is often named as a home remedy for acid reflux or heartburn, but the fat, proteins and calcium in milk will only stimulate your stomach to make more acid

Home remedies for Heartburn
how to prevent acid reflux

Even better than a quick fix would be to go to the root and try to prevent heartburn or acid reflux from there. These natural home remedies for heartburn prevention do exactly that. They are little changes in lifestyle that can really save you from those heartburn attacks

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Don't overeat

Overeating is one of the main causes for heartburn or acid reflux. Your over full stomach forces the acid up and out of your stomach into your esophagus. So eating smaller and more frequent meals will keep this in check. By the way this is also a much healthier food pattern that will also make it easier to lose weight...but that's another point

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Leaving some room before you lie down

Give your meal 2 to 3 hours to settle and digest before you go to sleep. Your full stomach and loss of gravity when you lie down will surely cause. If you need to nap try do so sitting up

Natural remedies for heartburn prevention

Keeping a healthy weight

When you're overweight or obese the excess fat will put pressure on your stomach forcing acid up and out. So slowly loosing some weight and maintaining it is a good way to prevent heartburn

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Eating a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly is good for everybody not just as a natural acid reflux remedy. It improves your general health. Especially people who suffer from regular heartburn or acid reflux should pay extra attention to what they eat

Try to cut out or minimize the fatty, fried and greasy food, these are a lot of the times responsible for heartburn or acid reflux
Same goes for fizzy drinks. Too much soda with all those bubbles will put a lot of pressure on your stomach
Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, and cola. Caffeine relaxes the valve keeping your stomach closed and can irritate more an already irritated or inflamed esophagus
Chocolate is probably the most important food which NOT to take when you have heartburn. It is almost all fat and contains caffeine…a double NO NO in heartburn country
Alcoholic drinks relax the valve which tries to keep your stomach closed. So slowing down on alcoholic drinks is a good idea to reduce heartburn
For some people citrus fruit and sour fruit can cause heartburn, if so avoid them
Garlic, onion, pepper, radish and cabbage are risk factors that can in some people cause serious heartburn or acid reflux
Hot and spicy food sometimes puts the heartburn into overdrive
Don't eat unripe fruits
Refined sugar and refined carbohydrate products can be responsible for your heartburn, try to eliminate them from your diet
Eat a lot of green and leafy vegetables they stimulate your digestion
Take a fiber rich diet, this helps neutralizing excess acid and gas. It also helps in flushing out the toxins from your body
Drink plenty of water at least 8 glasses everyday
Eat high-protein, low-fat meals
Eat complex carbohydrate rich food like brown rice and pasta. They are easy to digest and form no acid
Fruits like watermelon, banana, cucumber and papaya help you fighting acidity
Find out what food or drink is causing heartburn in your case and eliminate them from your diet

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Raising the head of your bed

Lying horizontally gives the acid more opportunity to flow back into your esophagus because gravity doesn't hold it back anymore

So raising the head of your bed about 6 or 7 inches with wedges under the mattress or putting something under the bedposts should do the trick. Extra pillows don't seem to work since they only raise your head and put a strain on your neck

If done correctly this is also an excellent acid reflux home remedy for babies with reflux problems. Do however ask proper advice from your midwife/ nurse or doctor to see if this will work in your case

Natural remedies for heartburn prevention

Acidophilus

This natural bacterial culture called lactobacillus acidophilus is found in our own body and is very helpful in your digestive system. So it doesn't get more natural than this. It is also the naturally occurring culture in plain, unflavored yogurt

So you can start eating a lot of yogurt of course or buy acidophilis in capsules in your health food store

Take a few capsules every day; see how much works best for you

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Lifting with bent knees

If you bend at your stomach, you will put pressure on it forcing acid up and out, so bend at the knees…by the way this is also better for your back

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Check your medicine cabinet

Some drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, sleeping pills, some antidepressants and medicines for high blood pressure may cause heartburn. If this is the case talk to your doctor about it

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Avoiding tight fitting clothes

These home remedies for acid reflux prevention focus on your clothes. Tight fitting clothes put pressure on your stomach with all its heartburn consequences. Also loosen your belt or start wearing suspenders, this also relieves the pressure

Natural remedies for heartburn prevention

Eliminating anxiety and stress

These can seriously worsen your heartburn symptoms. Try to reduce or eliminate them. You could use all kinds of relaxing techniques, meditation, listening to music, building self confidence, exercising such as walking, riding a bike or skating (just not too serious that can worsen heartburn), massage, aromatherapy or other relaxation techniques

Home remedies for heartburn prevention

Stop smoking

Smoking is bad for heartburn and for your health in general. If you're not smoking yourself try also to avoid other peoples smoke

Final notes

Heartburn or acid reflux is basically harmless but nonetheless very annoying and can have a negative effect on your well being

If you only have heartburn every now and then it is probably not that serious. However, if you have cases of heartburn more frequently it may be a symptom of acid reflux disease or GERD. This can lead to a whole other set of serious conditions and ailments

People who have serious chronic heartburn run a higher risk to develop serious complications including narrowing of the esophagus or a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett's esophagus

Remember that all people still are individuals and all cases of heartburn or acid reflux are also different. What works for one person in one situation might not work for another. So don't despair if a home remedy doesn't immediately work for you. You can try another one probably with more success. Maybe you can combine some of these natural remedies for heartburn to get the best result for your situation

If however the heartburn does not resolve even after some life style changes and trying some of the other suggestions; or the frequency of heartburn cases goes up, contact your doctor

...and always remember you're already gifted with the

most effective natural solution available: