8 Best Natural Home Remedies for Heartburn

Heartburn is a burning pain sensation you feel in your chest, and it spreads to your neck and sometimes shoulders.

It is caused by acid reflux, a condition that happens when the acid in your stomach finds its way up into your esophagus due to excess acid in your stomach or when the valve (Cardiac sphincter) between your stomach and esophagus is weakened and cannot close properly.

You’re likely suffering from Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori but can be caused by other symptoms) when you regularly experience severe heartburn due to acid reflux at least twice weekly.

It is advisable to see a doctor when you feel you’re experiencing GERD.

Causes of Heartburn

pylori Bacteria infection, which causes GERD
Hiatal hernia is when part of the stomach is pushed up into the lower part of your chest through an opening in the diaphragm. This condition is often due to pregnancy.
Heavy smoking
Regularly consuming large amounts of alcohol
Beverages containing large amounts of sugars
Eating shortly before bedtime
Consuming too much acidic juice
Eating too much of fries and spicy foods
Consuming a large portion of food at meal times

Symptoms of Heartburn

A burning pain sensation in your chest
Pain in your neck and jaw
Discomfort in your stomach
Difficulty swallowing
Bitter taste in your mouth
Difficulty turning your neck and bending due to pain
Difficulty swallowing

8 Best Natural Home Remedies for Heartburn

1. Drinking Milk

Milk is a popular remedy for heartburn due to its high calcium content. However, due to its high-fat content, it can stimulate the stomach to produce more acid.

Dosage: Drink 8 ounces of fat-free skimmed milk twice daily, in-between meals.

2. Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is effective in treating heartburn, bad breath, sore throat, nausea, etc.

Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which neutralizes and washes down the acid in your esophagus into the stomach; it also reduces stomach acid levels and helps digest food.

How to treat heartburn with chewing gum: chew sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal.

3. Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements are a natural antacid used in treating acid reflux.

Consuming calcium supplements increases the PH of gastric juice, a digestive enzyme produced in the stomach, by neutralizing the acid in the gastric juice and reducing its corrosive nature, which causes damage to the mucus layer in the stomach and esophagus.

Calcium also increases peristalsis action, which pushes food down into the stomach, prevents acid reflux by stimulating increased esophageal motility, and stimulates the stomach walls to produce more gastric juice with balanced acid content.

Dosage: Take 200-400 mg of calcium supplement (tablets) thrice daily.

4. Baking Soda

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has strong alkaline properties that make it effective for treating acid reflux and providing instant relief to heartburn.

Like calcium, baking soda works by neutralizing excess acid washed into the esophagus and also maintaining the acid balance of the gastric juice.

Dosage: mix a teaspoon of baking soda in an 8-ounce glass of water, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into it, and consume immediately. Repeat at bedtime if need be.

5. Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe Vera has been used in ancient Chinese to treat various ailments, including internal and external burns, by consuming the gel from the leaves or applying it topically to the skin.

Aloe Vera is rich in active ingredients that help in treating heartburn by healing wounds in the esophagus and stomach caused by acid reflux, balancing the acid content of the gastric juice, protecting the walls of the esophagus and stomach, and also acting as an anti-inflammatory agent by reducing inflammations in the throat caused by acid reflux.

Dosage: consume ¼ cup (2 ounces) of aloe vera juice twice daily, 30 minutes before meal time.

Alternatively, you can dissolve 1 teaspoon of aloe vera powder in half a cup of water and consume it as prescribed above.

6. Ginger

Ginger has been used since ancient times in ayurvedic medicine in treating diverse internal and external ailments due to the presence of gingerol and several active compounds responsible for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

These compounds also play important roles in preventing gastrointestinal irritation caused by an imbalance of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice.

As such, ginger prevents the backflow of acid from your stomach into the esophagus. Ginger also reduces inflammation in the esophagus, reduces nausea, and also prevents pain in the chest pains.

Dosage: mix one teaspoon of grated ginger, or ginger powder in a cup of boiled water, add a few drops of lemon, and consume. Repeat this treatment twice daily for two-three days.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is produced locally or commercially from crushed and fermented apples.

It is an important substance that has found varied use in homes and as a treatment for various ailments, including heartburns, due to its rich flavonoid constituents like caffeic, ferulic, and gallic acids and catechins, which makes it a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

ACV is used as a treatment for heartburn because it prevents the backflow of acid into the esophagus by stimulating the closure of the cardiac sphincter.

It also increases the acid level in people with low acid balance in the gastric juice secreted by the stomach walls, thus preventing acid reflux and heartburn.

Dosage: mix a teaspoon of ACV in an 8-ounce glass cup of warm water, add ½ teaspoon of honey, stir and drink before meals.

8. Probiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria consumed as supplements or live active cultures in fermented foods like yogurt, fermented vegetables, etc.

Bad bacteria in the bowel produce foul-smelling gas like hydrogen sulfide and methane; the pressure from these gases forces the stomach acid into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Bad bacteria can also cause low acid levels in gastric juice, resulting in acid reflux.

Probiotics control the growth of harmful bacteria growths like H. pylori, which are responsible for GERD, balances the acid level in the gastric juice, prevent constipation, and increases nutrient absorption.

Dosage: Consume yogurt (with live culture), kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, sour cream, buttermilk, and other fermented foods rich in probiotics daily.

Conclusion

Natural remedies work best in keeping heartburn at bay. However, the following lifestyle changes play an important role in preventing heartburn reoccurrence.

Exercising regularly to maintain a healthy weight
Eating small portions of food and snack in-between meal times
Eat slowly
Dietary changes to plant-based foods
Cut down on caffeine and chocolate consumption
Do not lie down immediately after a meal
Quit smoking and cut down on heavy alcohol consumption
Practice mindful meditation
Avoiding anxiety triggers and stressors.

You should see a doctor if you do not find relief from heartburn after practicing any of the above-suggested herbal remedies.

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