Six home remedies for heartburn!

Heartburn is burning sensation in the heart. It is an unpleasant feeling. Antacids help but if you are out of reach of them, you can try these home remedies and find relief.

Heartburn and it’s reasons

Heartburn is not related to the heart. It is a burning sensation felt in the chest area. It occurs when your stomach contents return into the end part of the esophagus. Sometimes, this regurgitation might even be severe enough to cause the contents to reach the mouth. This gives a bitter or sour taste in the mouth. This is called water brash.

It’s main causes are:

-Overeating
-Eating too fast
-Lying down very soon after a heavy meal
-Eating certain foods like spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, soda drinks, tomato foods, citrus fruits, chocolate or fatty foods
-obesity
-stress
-smoking

Home remedies

Heartburn can occur anytime and last from a few minutes to few hours. It can become chronic in some patients. Antacids give relief but at emergency times when you are unable to procure antacids, these home remedies come handy.

Low fat Milk

Milk offers relief but provided it is low fat milk. Nutritionist Ekta Gupta explains:

“Milk is often thought to relieve heartburn,”

“But you have to keep in mind that milk comes in different varieties — whole milk with the full amount of fat, 2% fat, and skim or nonfat milk. The fat in milk can aggravate acid reflux. But nonfat milk can act as a temporary buffer between the stomach lining and acidic stomach contents and provide immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.”

Low fat yoghurt acts similarly. It also improves gut health and boosts immunity.

Ripe bananas

Banana fruit is alkaline. It has high levels of potassium in it. Hence it can decrease the action of the gastric acid on the lower esophagus and relieve symptoms of heartburn.

But choose a ripe banana since raw banana is less alkaline and has a lot of starch. This may have a counter action.

Sugar free gum

Chewing a sugar free gum will increase saliva production. This can reach the esophagus and dilute the acid. Also, while swallowing the saliva, the downward muscular movement would prevent the regurgitation of stomach contents into the esophagus. Studies have shown this to be effective.

Ginger

Ginger is great as a digestive aid. It is alkaline in nature and also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. This helps to neutralize the gastric acid and soothe the damaged gut. To get relief prepare a ginger concoction or infusion. Sip it in order to get relief.

Apple cider vinegar

It is s popular belief that apple cider vinegar helps in relief of heartburn though studies supporting this are lacking. But one should be careful of using this as a home remedy for heartburn because of its acidic nature. Do not use the full concentration of it. Take a small amount and add it to a glass of warm water and drink it with meals.

Read here: Easy make Booster Shot for Immunity, lemon, Turmeric, Vinegar

Lemon water

Lemon juice also is very acidic. But a small amount of it in warm water along with honey has an alkalizing effect. Therefore, it can neutralize the stomach acid. Moreover, honey has natural antioxidants in it which can protect the health of the esophageal mucosal cells.