10 Natural Remedies For Acid Reflux - Ojus Life

10 Natural Remedies For Acid Reflux

Dr Anita Nischal

 

Is acid reflux bothering you often but you don’t want to be a lifelong sufferer? You need not worry as acid reflux is a common disorder that affects almost everyone at some point of time in their lives. Acid reflux is the throwing up of acidic stomach fillings into the oesophagus because of a damaged or weak lower oesophagal sphincter (LES).

A sphincter is around a group of muscles that make a valve at the close of the food pipe that opens into the stomach. These muscles are tightly closed and open only to allow the passage of swallowed food into the stomach. A dysfunctional LES disrupts this process, thus letting the backflow of stomach contents into the oesophagus.

The frequent or chronic occurrence is referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This can greatly impact daily activities leading to sleep disturbances, and restraining your food choices.

Acid reflux is a chronic illness affecting 44% of the American population along with daily occurrences distressing about 7% of the population.

Acidity treatment at home is a step-wise approach that comprises diet and lifestyle interventions. Let us check out the home remedies for acid reflux below:

10 Home Remedies For Heartburn

If you are seeking home remedies for chest burn, here are ten habits to ease and even prevent your symptoms:

1. Eat a ripe banana

The rich source of potassium in a banana makes it a justly alkaline food, implication it can help counter the stomach acid annoying your oesophagus. Though, unripe bananas are less alkaline, starch-heavy and may in fact be an acid reflux cause for some people. Further, some alkaline foods that may help balance heartburn comprise melons, cauliflower, fennel and nuts.

2. Chew sugar-free gum

Chewing gum upsurges saliva production and this can reduce heartburn since saliva can help encourage swallowing. This can keep acid down and defuse the stomach acid that’s refluxed into your oesophagus.

3. Avoid trigger foods

Certain foods and drinks can activate acid reflux and heartburn. You can help classify the specific foods most probable to give you issues by keeping a journal. Once you identify them, avoid these foods and drinks for acidity treatment at home.

4. Do not overeat or eat quickly

When it comes to home remedies for heartburn, observing portion sizes at meals can assist you. Eating plenty of food altogether may put more pressure on the valve that stops stomach acid from going out of your oesophagus. For home remedies for acid reflux eat smaller meals more often. Besides, eating quickly can also be a trigger of heartburn, thus slowing down and taking time to chew your food.

5. Avoid snacking before bed

Sleeping or laying down with a stomach full of food can activate acid reflux and make heartburn symptoms worse. Hence, you must evade eating within 3 hours of your bedtime. Also, do not eat at least two hours before exercising.

6. Wear loose-fitting clothing

The best and simple home remedy for heartburn is not to wear tight-fitting belts and clothing that squeeze your belly. Instead, wear light and loose clothes to give your belly comfort and ease.

7. Adjust your sleep position

Uplifting your head and chest higher than your feet while sleeping is a home remedy for acid reflux.

Be careful with piling pillows as it may even make your symptoms worse. Moreover, sleeping on your left side is assumed to aid digestion and may prevent stomach acid reflux.

8. Lose weight if you are overweight

Extra weight puts an extra burden on your stomach, growing your risk of acid reflux and heartburn. Taking a well-balanced diet with enough physical activity are the first two ladders to maintaining a healthy weight and home remedies for chest burn.

9. Stop smoking

Smoking decreases the amount of saliva produced and influences the effectiveness of the valve that keeps stomach acid from arriving at the oesophagus, both of which make heartburn more probable. Quitting smoking can decrease the incidence and sternness of acid reflux and, even eradicate it.

10. Reduce stress

Chronic stress can influence your body leading to slowing digestion. The elongated period food sits in your stomach, the more prospective stomach acid is to reflux. Furthermore, having an enlarged sensitivity to pain can create the burning pain of heartburn more deeply. So, taking steps to reduce stress is one of the home remedies for acid reflux and heartburn.

What To Eat & What Not To Eat For Heartburn

You can incorporate these specific foods into your diet as home remedies for heartburn:

  • Vegetables: Like green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, asparagus, potatoes, and cucumbers.
  • Ginger: Add grated or sliced ginger root to recipes or smoothies, or can opt for ginger tea to ease symptoms.
  • Oatmeal: Other fiber possibilities contain whole-grain bread and whole-grain rice.
  • Non-citrus fruits: Such as melons, bananas, apples, and pears work wonders as home remedies for chest burn.
  • Lean meats and seafood: Like chicken, turkey, and fish are part of home remedies for acid reflux.
  • Egg whites: Limit egg yolks as these can trigger reflux symptoms.
  • Healthy fats: Healthy fats include avocados, walnuts, flaxseed, olive oil, sesame oil, and sunflower oil.

What Not To Eat For Heartburn

To control your symptoms for heartburn, you could start by eradicating the following foods from your diet:

1. High-fat foods

These foods delay stomach emptying and are:

  • French fries and onion rings
  • full-fat dairy products,
  • fried cuts of beef, pork, or lamb
  • bacon fat, ham fat, and lard
  • desserts or snacks,
  • cream sauces, gravies, creamy salad dressings
  • oily and greasy foods

2. Tomatoes and citrus fruit

These include:

  • oranges
  • Pineapple
  • grapefruit
  • limes
  • lemons
  • tomatoes
  • tomato sauce
  • salsa

3. Chocolate: It has been revealed to relax the smooth muscle in the LES and upsurge reflux.

4. Garlic, onions, and spicy foods: Spicy and tangy foods, such as onions and garlic, generate heartburn symptoms.

5. Other options: You might contemplate eliminating certain foods if you are allergic to dairy, flour-based products like bread and crackers, and whey protein.

Best Supplement For Acid Reflux

The natural and herbal supplements for good gut health are probiotics, GI-Restore, Tulsi which aid in weight loss as well. These are good gut health supplements formulated by OjusLife and are beneficial for acid-reflux and heartburn.

More Recommendations

Apart from over-the-counter home remedies for heartburn, you can take some herbal supplements to improve your acid reflux symptoms. However, if the symptoms continue or cause trouble swallowing or are related to other symptoms you must call the doctor.

Also, watch when you eat, how you eat, eat slowly and take smaller bites to keep your gut healthy.

Also Study:

 

Yes, heartburn is a digestive disorder that may cause pain in your back.

 

Yes, acid reflux often occurs with a sour taste in the mouth. This taste, with the recurrent burping and coughing, can lead to nausea and even vomiting in some cases.

 

Yes, acid reflux can trigger nausea and at times vomiting.

 

The best home remedies for acid reflux are drinks such as water, cold milk, coconut water, and smoothies.

 

Milk has some pros and cons. Though protein and calcium from skimmed milk may buffer stomach acids, and full-fat milk may upturn heartburn symptoms. You can opt for low-fat milk.

 

GI-Tulsi is the best herbal supplement for acid reflux formulated by OjusLife. It entails all the herbal ingredients that work in calming down chest burn.