General Description
By some estimations nearly 40 percent of Americans
experience acid reflux / heartburn at least once a month. This is a monumental problem
and is very important as it can lead to many other health concerns.
Causes
Heartburn is usually caused by eating too much food
too fast. When this happens acid from your stomach is pushed up into
your esophagus making your chest feel like it is on fire. Be aware that
if you have heartburn frequently recent studies have shown that it can
lead to esophageal cancer.
Consuming products containing white flour
may cause gas.
White wine, especially dry young whites
from Germany, may cause heartburn. These wines are very acidic.
Acidic foods such as vinegar, orange
juice and coffee
Stress - emotional, mental or physical
Anxiety or anger
Tips
If you get heartburn after taking supplements, drink a glass of water
afterward. This may alleviate the problem by providing more fluid for
the digestive process.
• Raise the head of your bed.
• Eat slowly so that the enzymes in your mouth can
begin the digestive process. This will reduce the amount of undigested
food you have in your stomach.
• Lose weight.
• Avoid products with peppermint in them. For some
reason peppermint allows acid to pass from the stomach into the
esophagus.
• Avoid food and drink before you go to bed. Allow
several hours for food to digest before you go to bed.
• Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva,
which neutralizes the acid and helps push the digestive juices back down
into the stomach where they belong. If you have a continuing problem
and choose to chew gum, it would be preferable to use a natural brand
that uses xylitol instead of sugar as a sweetner.
• Sucking on hard candy or other means of producing
more saliva will also be helpful.
• Put a hot water bottle over your liver (upper
right abdomen). This will help your liver and gallbladder function
better to digest what you have eaten.
• Don't lie down if you have heartburn, as stomach
acids will back up into the esophagus; stand or sit up instead.
Remedies
Folk
Banana Eating bananas seems to be very beneficial
for relieving heartburn. Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the
body. You may also use ground dried banana.
Chamomile Make a tea by simmering 1 teaspoon of
licorice root in 11/4 cups of water for 10 minutes in a covered pot. Add
2 teaspoons of dried chamomile, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
Strain and drink.
Clove, oil of Put a few drops of oil of clove in a
glass of water and sip slowly.
Ginger root Take a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
root or 1,000 mg of the powder daily. This remedy can be more effective
than any over-the-counter or prescription medication. Ginger is helpful
for indigestion, especially if it is due to eating spicy foods.
Licorice Sold as DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice),
take two 250 mg chewable tablets, or break open a 250 mg capsule and
dissolve in two ounces of water and drink it. Note:
do not take if you have hypertension.
Turmeric helps stimulate digestion and prevents acid
build-up. Curried foods contain turmeric. If you don't use turmeric in
your cooking, take 2-3 1/2-1 gr capsules before meals.
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