Heartburn is a very common condition that many people can experience at some point in their lives. This condition is characterized by an uncomfortable burning sensation right behind your breastbone, which often creeps up your throat, and this is a symptom more so than a disease.
This symptom is caused by acid reflux which happens when the ring of your muscle that allows food into the stomach (LES or the lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes when it should not. The result of this situation is acid from the stomach goes back up your esophagus, which then sensation of heartburn.  It is a very bad feeling when we have acid burning in our throats. Also, it is possible to have reflux without heartburn, but it is not possible to have heartburn without reflux. There are many prescription and over–the–counter medications that are available for this condition, but if you have occasional heartburn, then you can try some home remedies and make some lifestyle changes because they help you as well.
11 Natural cures for heartburn
Contents
- 1 11 Natural cures for heartburn
A cup of chamomile
When you have a spot of chamomile tea about 30 – 60 minutes before your plan on going to sleep, then this can help you to reduce the inflammation in your stomach, and possibly this will balance out the acidity levels as well. Also, this natural cure can give you relief from stress, which can trigger acid reflux, and also it will help you to sleep throughout the night as well [1]. Also, you can use instant chamomile tea, or you can use easily make your own fresh chamomile tea. You should boil one cup of water in a cooking pot, and then you should reduce the heat. You should stir in one teaspoon of dried chamomile flower petals, and you should let them simmer for 45 seconds. You should remove it from the heat, and then you should let the chamomile flower petals soak for 1 – 2 minutes before you strain them out. You should pour this chamomile tea into a mug, and you should add a small amount of lemon or honey if you want.
Snack on almonds
You should eat some almonds after every meal, every snack, and every time you ingest something. You should try to track down organic almonds if this is possible. These nuts neutralize the juices in your stomach, which relieves and prevents some instances of heartburn. Directly after every meal, every snack, or every time when you ingest something, you need to eat three to four almonds after it. There is no need to eat more almonds unless you want to eat more. But you should remember that when people have eaten almonds in excess, then this can trigger heartburn, they can help with tension headaches, but they can trigger migraines.
Mustard
This natural cure is an alkalizing food, which is full of minerals, and it has a weak acid in the form of vinegar. You should consume mustard straight. At first, this can make you grimace, but ultimately, this can end up making a smile on your face. Mustard has alkaline properties, which can help to neutralize the acid which can come creeping up your throat, and this can also neutralize the pain of acid reflux [2]. This natural cure is most helpful when we are feeling a bout of heartburn creeping up or if we are in the midst of one. You will need one teaspoon of good-quality yellow mustard. You should muster up some courage, and you just take the little sucker straight.
Maintain a healthy weight
When you are overweight, then this increases your risk of GERD, and you have an increased chance to suffer from occasional heartburn a lot more as well [3]. This is happening because we have unnecessarily added pounds, and they will put pressure on our lower esophageal sphincter. You should try to lose weight, and over time the heartburn will simply weaken.
You need to avoid smoking and alcohol
Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes can set you up for terrible reflux. Alcohol and nicotine both work to weaken your lower esophageal sphincter, which is making easier for stomach contents and acids to splash up into the esophagus. Alcohol can irritate our stomach in general. The best solution for this situation is to quit smoking, and you should drink less. If you can stop drinking alcohol, then you should do it. When you will do these easy lifestyle changes, then your overall health will be improved, and also you will get relief from acid reflux.
Avoid tight-fitting clothes
Things that are cinched tightly about your middle or waist can worsen the heartburn. If you wear super tight jeans on, when you sit down, then the waistband is going to sink into your abdomen region. Tight belts and even shirts can be a problem for some people. This is happing because all of the mentioned clothes can put extra pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter, which is making your stomach contents more likely stomach contents to push through, and you will experience reflux.
Track your triggers
Tracking the triggers of your heartburn can help you to heartburn to go away. We all know that in this modern era, dedication, energy, and time are very important for our work and social lives, but we must track the triggers because they can help us in the treatment of this condition. We should not go crazy with what we eat and rely on over–the–counter medications to keep the acid at bay. We should keep a little diary of sorts that we will make notes on what we have eaten and what is the cause of the heartburn. Also, we should keep track of activities of what we have worn in some situations.
Make ginger-root tea
This natural cure can help you to ease many stomach woes, from nausea to acid reflux [4]. You should sip a cup of fresh ginger root tea about twenty minutes before a meal. This can help you to calm down your tummy, and it acts as an acid buffer. You should slice three quarter-sized pieces of ginger root, and you should simmer gently in two cups of water. Cover it for thirty minutes. You should remove the ginger pieces, or you can leave them in. pour into a glass, and you should drink all of it about twenty minutes before a meal.
Eat a banana or an apple
Bananas have natural antacids which can act as a buffer against acid reflux [5]. If you want to try these easiest home remedies, then you should try letting a few bananas ripen up nicely, and you should eat one banana per day.
Also, there is another natural cure that you can try, and that is to eat one apple per day. You should slice one up, and you should eat it a couple of hours before you go to sleep because this will help you to get relief from the discomfort or prevent it.
Get more acid
When we have acid burning into our esophagus, then we think about ingesting even more acid sounds a bit crazy. In many cases, acid reflux is caused by not having enough acids in our stomach rather than having too much. The acid itself tells that your lower esophageal sphincter to tighten and close off.
If you are not producing enough acids, then your lower esophagus sphincter is going to think this is not a big deal (it is meant to loosen up for a little bit). Then, you are getting acid reflux into your esophagus. If you think that this is the cause of your heartburn, then you should try drinking some pure, raw, and unfiltered apple cider vinegar to see if this can prevent your acid reflux or if it will cut it off.
You should mix three teaspoons or up to one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into six to eight ounces of fresh water, and you should drink it. You can do this natural treatment before each meal (which is probably the most effective), before you go to bed, or two to three times during the day. If you have noticed that this natural cure worsens your reflux, then you should not ingest it anymore. Also, too much of this natural cure can contribute to this problem.
Soothe your stomach with Aloe Vera juice
Aloe Vera is a plant that is used to soothe burns [6]. People often think of this natural cure to help them with sunburns, but also it has other health benefits. Also, this natural cure can help you with heartburn because it can reduce inflammation. This means that when your stomach gets inflamed and irritated or when your esophagus is getting eaten away, then a nice glass of Aloe Vera juice can be your effective natural treatment. You should drink ½ cup of Aloe Vera juice, which will be cool or at room temperature, before your meals. You should know that Aloe Vera can act as a laxative.
References
[1] Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports. 2010;3(6):895-901.
[2] Aliannejad R, Hashemi-Bajgani S-M, Karbasi A, et al. GERD related micro-aspiration in chronic mustard-induced pulmonary disorder. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2012;777-81.
[3] Festi D, Scaioli E, Baldi F, et al. Body weight, lifestyle, dietary habits and gastroesophageal reflux disease. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009;15(14):1690-1701.
[4] Bodagh MN, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Science & Nutrition. 2019;7(1):96-108.
[5] Keshteli AH, Shaabani P, Tabibian S-R, et al. The relationship between fruit and vegetable intake with gastroesophageal reflux disease in Iranian adults. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2017;22:125.
[6] Foster M, Hunter D, Samman S. Chapter 3: Evaluation of the nutritional and metabolic effects of aloe vera. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects (2nd Ed). Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S (Eds.). 2011.
