Mikael G.J. – Page 3 – HeartburnSite.com

Get Rid Of Heartburn With These Remedies

Heartburn is that very uncomfortable feeling that can burn and feel almost as if you’re having a heart attack. Learning how to get rid of heartburn can provide relief quickly and efficiently.

Causes

While many blame heartburn on spicy foods or fatty foods, it’s not always clear what the exact cause of heartburn is. However, the long term overall goal of anyone suffering from the condition is to get rid of it quickly.

Stay Upright

To begin, it’s important to remain in an upright position for at least an hour after eating. Don’t go in and lie down after a meal no matter how tempting it may be.

Water

Drink plenty of water when you first feel heartburn coming on. Water will help to wash the acid to go back where it belongs, in your stomach.

Ginger Root

Grate some ginger root into a boiling cup of water and allow it to steep for about 10 minutes. Drink this to stop the nausea and to relax the esophagus muscles. This helps the acids to remain in the stomach where they belong.

Teas can also be made of anise, fennel or caraway seed in the same fashion. Simply add 2 teaspoonfuls to a boiling cup of water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Strain and drink.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Before you think how gross this might taste. A tablespoonful of vinegar can indeed work miracles and ease heartburn. While it may burn going down, it will stop shortly after and heartburn will be greatly eased.

Many people don’t realize that heartburn is often causes from the lack of acid in the stomach. Vinegar adds the acid to your stomach so your stomach can do the work of digesting your food properly.

Gum

Chewing gum creates more saliva and helps push the acid back into the stomach. Try reaching for the gum when heartburn arises.

Drink Your Veggies

Vegetable juice has long been touted as a way to get rid of heartburn. Carrots, cucumbers and radishes as well as beetroots are all alkaline in nature. The alkaline in their juice can reduce acid and help to reduce the pain of heartburn in minutes.

If the juice is too plain, add in a pinch of salt or pepper to help flavor it. The vegetables themselves can also be eaten if that is preferred over drinking juice.

Baking Soda

Many swear by this treatment for heartburn. Grab a box of the stuff and mix in about half a teaspoonful of it with some lemon juice ( a few drops is perfect) and put it all into a glass of warm water. You’ll want the lemon juice with this as it tastes kind of soapy. It works in the stomach to help reduce acid quickly.

The limonene in the lemons also helps to reduce the acid production formed in the stomach. Squeezing lemon juice into water and drinking it may also help.

Milk

Consider drinking a glass of whole milk. It’s great for your overall health and will help to reduce acid.

Apples

Eat an apple. This often helps to reduce acid.

Now that you know how to get rid of heartburn you’ll know more how to treat it next time you get it. If one remedy doesn’t work you can easily try another on this list.

Apple Cider Vinegar For Heartburn And Other Remedies

By Mikael G.J.

Acid reflux occurs when the lower espophageal sphincter relaxes too much following a meal, which allows the digestive juices from the stomach to push their way up the esophagus. This creates a painful burning sensation in the chest, which can spread upwards into the throat area.

Everyone will experience reflux symptoms once in a while, and some people will have heartburn more often than others. For instance, pregnant women tend to be frequent sufferers. However, if you get it regularly over a long period of time you may have a disorder such as acid reflux disease which causes heartburn.

Acid reflux is becoming an increasing problem, and it is estimated that at least 50 percent of Americans are sufferers. This rise in acid reflux disorders may be linked with an increase in the average weight of the population, as people who are overweight are at increased risk of it.

This condition should not be dismissed as a mere irritation. Although acid reflux is uncomfortable rather than dangerous in the short term, the symptoms can lead to serious health problems in the long term such as esophageal cancer. It is important to seek treatment.

If you are diagnosed with it then your doctor may advise medication or in very serious cases, surgical intervention. However, in most instances, there are acid reflux remedies you can try at home. These can be highly effective for people who only suffer acid reflux on occasion.

Lose Weight

As previously mentioned, one of the leading causes of GERD is being overweight. Therefore the best remedy for most people is a healthier diet and more exercise, which can reduce incidences of the lower esophageal sphincter relaxing unnecessarily. Scientific studies have shown that losing just ten percent of your overall body fat can dramatically improve acid reflux disorders.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Drinking acidic vinegar may seem a bad idea if you suffer from heartburn, but actually there is good evidence that it can greatly improve heartburn symptoms.

Acid reflux is not always caused by an over stimulation of acid production, in fact, it is often caused by the opposite. When there is insufficient digestive acid available in the stomach, it takes the food a long time to digest, and the longer it takes, the more likely it is that acid will spill into the esophagus and cause the symptoms of heartburn.

Add up to a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink it with your meal. This will help to stimulate the healthy production of stomach acid and hasten the digestion of food, which lessens the likelihood of experiencing acid reflux. If you do not enjoy the taste of apple cider vinegar, try adding a little honey to the glass.

Baking Soda

Although the taste is not very pleasant, many heartburn sufferers swear by drinking a cup of warm water with a tablespoon of baking soda. Baking soda is alkaline, and will neutralize the effect of the stomach acid.

Fenugreek Or Chamomile Tea

Scientists have not conclusively determined which herbs can be used to treat symptoms, but the clinical studies which have been conducted so far have indicated that fenugreek or chamomile tea may be effective for reducing symptoms.

Since the taste tends to be more pleasant than either baking soda or apple cider vinegar, this home remedy is worth a try. However, it is worth noting that fenugreek tea can nausea in some people. Therefore, you should avoid this remedy if you notice any digestive discomfort following use of the tea.

Chewing Gum

One of the cheapest and most effective ways to relieve the symptoms of acid reflux is chewing gum. The chewing motion will cause you to swallow more frequently, which helps to remove any acid in the esophagus, and the increased saliva production can neutralize the acid. Be sure to choose a sugar free version to protect your teeth.

Sleep On Your Left Side

Sleep studies on GERD and acid reflux sufferers have shown that your sleeping position can improve – or aggravate – your symptoms. Sleeping on your left side can reduce the pressure on your stomach, and alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux.

If you suffer from acid reflux, these remedies may bring you some relief. Be sure to experiment to find what works best for you.

Heartburn Home Remedies For Quick Relief

By Mikael G.J.

Heartburn is an all too common problem that affects millions of people on a daily basis. If you frequently experience an uncomfortable burning sensation after you eat or if you find yourself with an upset stomach, you may be suffering from heartburn.

Before you visit the doctor, however, try some easy heartburn home remedies to get some relief. They may solve your problem without requiring the use of prescription medications.

The easiest way to deal with heartburn is by making some simple lifestyle changes. Keep track of what you eat and when you experience heartburn. This information can help you figure out which foods are most likely to trigger an attack. Once you determine the connection, you can avoid these foods, or at least minimize the amount of them that you eat.

Certain foods are more frequently associated with heartburn, such as mint, chocolate, tomatoes, and onions. However, triggers can vary from person to person. If you discover that a certain food frequently causes problems for you, try eliminating it from your diet for a week or so. This may help you get rid of heartburn with ease.

Avoid lying down shortly after you eat and do not eat before you go to bed. When you lie down, it is easier for the stomach acid to come back up into your esophagus.

By remaining upright, you can enlist the aid of gravity to keep the contents of your stomach where they belong. Even if you have an upset stomach, just sit down instead of lying down.

Some people put blocks under the head of the bed so it elevates the bed, providing them relief when they experience heartburn at night.

Certain herbal remedies can help you deal with an attack of indigestion. For example, ginger root has been used as a treatment for heartburn for thousands of years. Grate some ginger and add it to some boiling water to make tea. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes and then drink it. It is also an effective remedy for nausea and motion sickness.

Other herbal teas can also be of assistance, including anise and fennel seed. Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons in boiling water and then strain out the seeds before drinking. Try having a cup before you eat as a preventative measure.

Antacids can help to neutralize your stomach acid but only use short-term. Various brands are available over the counter at your pharmacy. Chew a tablet or two after your meal to help stave off indigestion. Baking soda mixed with water can also be helpful.

Apple cider vinegar helps relieve it instantly. This is because when you get heartburn, it’s usually from a lack of acid in your stomach. Many people think they have too much but the lack of acid is what causes most heartburn.

Use the raw, organic apple cider vinegar with mother on a daily basis to help digestion. Just be sure to mix with water so the acid doesn’t destroy the enamel on your teeth.

Try not to eat too much at a meal. The fuller that your stomach is, the more likely you will be to experience trouble. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. If you gulp down your food, you can easily overeat and give yourself indigestion.

Knowing the best heartburn home remedies will help you get your condition under control. The next time that your stomach is upset, give some of these methods a try. You may be pleasantly surprised at how useful they can be.

Stop Your Heartburn with a Healthy Acid Reflux Diet

By Mikael G.J.

If you have a burning pain after eating that moves up into your throat, you could have an acid reflux attack problem.

Food can be salvation to a starving man, but it can also cause serious problems when the wrong foods are eaten of an extended period of time. If you have heartburn, you can heal it with a sensible acid reflux diet.

When your doctor diagnoses a disease, he frequently will give you a list of foods you should not eat. This is certainly true if you suffer with heartburn, which is also referred to as acid reflux or GERD.

Acid reflux is caused when your stomach acids come back up into your esophagus due to the esophageal sphincter not functioning properly. If this condition goes untreated it can cause serious health complications over time.

You can tell if you have heartburn by a burning sensation in your throat, chest or upper stomach. The burning is usually worse in the back of your throat and it literally feels like there is acid present. An attack of acid reflux can result in labored breathing, belching and difficulty in swallowing.

If you are familiar with these symptoms, then there is a good chance that you have acid reflux. The first thing you should do is get a professional diagnosis from your family doctor and let him or her know how severe the symptoms are.

Your doctor will probably suggest a healthy diet. But first he may tell you which foods you should avoid. These include foods that are high in fat, acid, salt, sugar and spices.

On the list will be chocolate, coffee, alcohol, citric fruit juices, fatty and fried foods, extremely spicy foods and soda. Pin your list of prohibited foods on your refrigerator.

Some of the foods that you will want to include in your diet include oatmeal, ginger, aloe vera, green salads, bananas, melons, fennel, lean chicken, turkey and fish (not fried), root and green vegetables, celery, parsley, couscous and rice.

Some of these are easily attainable at your grocery store. Some, like aloe vera and ginger may be have to be taken in the form of supplements. It is also important to begin eating several small meals each day as opposed to two or three large meals.

Naturally your new diet and way of life will take some time to be effective. But you will find as you change your diet that your reflux problem will go away. Self discipline is important to make sure you stay on your diet.

While many people deal with heartburn by taking antacids or prescription medications, a natural acid reflux diet is the way to get rid of your heartburn for good. Yes, there are medications available that will help but only temporarily. The long term solution will depend almost entirely upon the foods that you choose to eat.

Your new diet may seem restrictive at first but you will soon get used to your it. And what a relief it will be to no longer have acid reflux attacks!

Acid Reflux Symptoms in Babies to Watch For

By Mikael G.J.

Most parents expect some sleepless nights after they bring home a new baby, but things usually settle down once a routine begins to form. There is less fussing, crying and discomfort as parents learn the cues for what their baby needs.

However, there are babies that continue to fuss, cry and appear to be in pain long after those first few weeks are over. If your baby seems to be suffering or uncomfortable, he may be suffering from acid reflux which is also known as gastroesophageal reflux.

Acid reflux symptoms in babies can make life miserable for both you and your baby. Therefore, it is vital to understand this disease in order to properly deal with it.

Symptoms of Acid Reflux in Babies

There are several common symptoms of acid reflux in babies, but not every baby will experience all of them. Common symptoms are:

Fussiness from one feeding to another
Spitting up more than the usual, expected amount
Projectile vomiting
Little interest in eating
Obvious misery (crying, arching the back and frequent waking during sleep)

Causes of Acid Reflux in Babies

In a normal baby, there is a circular band of muscle, the lower esophageal sphincter or LES that keeps the stomach separate from the esophagus. As food enters into the stomach, this band contracts like a one-way valve keeping the contents of the stomach and acids from being regurgitated into the esophagus.

If a baby has an immature LES, the acids and contents of the stomach can be regurgitated causing the same type of pain that adults call heartburn. This condition is usually temporary, however, there are ways to lessen the pain and make baby feel more comfortable until the LES matures and the acid reflux resolves itself.

How to Help a Baby With Acid Reflux

Acid reflux in babies is usually outgrown by six to nine months of age. However in severe cases, there are medications that will keep stomach acid production to a minimum. Some tips for keeping baby more comfortable include:

Keeping your baby in an upright position after feeding. Gravity will help to keep the stomach contents from refluxing, reducing discomfort and pain. It is best to keep him in the upright position for approximately thirty minutes.

Feed frequent, smaller meals. Smaller meals are digested more quickly, leaving less time to be regurgitated. A good idea is to feed baby half the usual amount, but cut the time between meals in half.

Watch what you feed your baby. Breast milk is the best milk for a baby, so it should be continued if at all possible. Breast milk helps by digesting more quickly than formula and contains enzymes that aid in digestion. Also, babies can be allergic to formulas which aggravate acid reflux.

Make your baby comfortable for sleep. Lying flat can cause stomach contents to reflux, so if your baby is waking frequently or seems to be in pain, raising the head of his crib about thirty degrees can help gravity to keep stomach contents down.

Get some support. There are support groups dedicated to the families of babies who suffer from acid reflux. Ask a pediatrician for advice on where to look for local groups. Support can help to lessen the stress and frustration of dealing with this condition.

As you can see, babies with acid reflux suffer just like adults and we know that can be quite painful. Keeping in close contact with a pediatrician, as well as using these tips to comfort your baby will ensure he is getting the best comfort and care that he needs.