Acid reflux is a problem that affects many people. The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn, which feels like a burning in the chest and throat areas. Medication can be taken to alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux, but a lot of people prefer not to take medications and opt for natural, or homeopathic, cures instead. There are a few natural cures for acid reflux. One or more of them might work for you.
Our bodies already provide us with the most natural cure for acid reflux. We all naturally produce saliva and many it several times during the day without even realizing it. Swallowing will force the acid back down into the stomach. Saliva produces bicarbonate that will neutralize any acid that is left in the esophagus. Sometimes, however, we don’t produce enough saliva or our saliva doesn’t produce enough bicarbonate to do the job and we need extra help.
A wonderful natural cure for acid reflux that is used by many naturalists is apple cider vinegar. It may seem counteractive to relieve acid reflux with an acidic agent like cider, but so many people claim it works that it is most definitely worth a try. The way to take it is to mix a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into an 8 ounce glass of water. You can adjust the dilution to fit your needs. If this remedy relieves the pain some but not enough, you can try adding 2 tsp of baking soda to it. Start with the lower amount because the baking soda can cause a belly ache until your body adjusts to it.
The magical healing properties of aloe vera can certainly not be ignored when discussing homeopathic remedies. Aloe vera juice is a wonderful, and inexpensive natural cure for acid reflux. Simply mix a little aloe vera juice with water or your favorite juice and let it work its wonders. Take care and start with small amounts because aloe vera can cause loose stools. Aloe vera juice can be found at your local health food store or purchased online.
Many people only need to change their diet or lifestyle in order to relieve symptoms of acid reflux. Figure out what foods are causing you problems and cut them out of your diet. Be sure to replace them with other healthy foods from the same food group so that you don’t lose the nutritional value they provide. Find out what foods cause your symptoms by keeping a daily food diary. Record what you eat and at what times of the day, as well as when you get symptoms of acid reflux. Then compare diet and symptoms and you should soon find out what foods don’t agree with you.
Lifestyle changes can be the most complicated natural cure for acid reflux, but also the most beneficial for your entire body. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol (especially beer) can be an underlying culprit for acid reflux. Cut these out of your daily routine and you will be healthier all over for it, with the side effect of possibly relieving your acid reflux symptoms. Get off your patoot and get some exercise! Exercising can alleviate symptoms of acid reflux by (a) being upright, because the gravity will help keep down the acid, and (b) strengthening the muscles of the stomach that hold down the acid. If none of these things work, talk with your physician about cures for acid reflux.
Ryan helps you understand acid reflux and how to use natural cures for acid reflux.
Filed under Acid Reflux Articles by on Sep 5th, 2010. Comment. 
Do sufferers from acid reflux have to put up endlessly with prescription medication and its side effects just for momentary relief or is there a natural cure for acid reflux? A qualified nutritionist and erstwhile chronic acid reflux sufferer reveals the truth about a natural solution to cure and prevent acid reflux, after 11 years of trying, testing and experimenting.
Heartburn or acid reflux happens when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus to cause a burning pain. This acid reflux, also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), is the result of the one-way valve in the esophagus (called the LES or lower esophageal sphincter) losing its ability to stop food and stomach acid from traveling back up. A characteristic burning feeling, commonly at night, afflicts acid reflux patients in this case.
When this reflux gets to the upper part of the esophagus, the results can be a dry cough, wheezing, hoarseness or a chronic sore. In addition, chronic reflux into the lower esophagus can cause a condition known as Barrett’s esophagus, turning into esophageal cancer in some 0.5% of cases.
Several factors including not only a weak LES but also insufficiency of stomach acid and various genetic tendencies should be addressed as components of a full cure for acid reflux, but remain immediate or local causes of heartburn.
Heartburn is a complex phenomenon caused by more profound factors and co-factors besides the local causes already referred to. Indications are of an additional group of internal factors that produce an environment leading to the formation of heartburn. Any natural remedy for heartburn must first of all deal with these factors.
Even if temporary relief is possible from prescribed medication, intake of these drugs over a period of time will cause numerous side effects, acting as they do only on the immediate causes of acid reflux.
Antacids used over a long period of time for example can make the problem worse, because stomach acid is needed for reasons of good digestion and immunity. Temporary relief may come from blockers such as PPIs and H2, but these may also lead to osteoporosis.
Dietary habits, lifestyle and patterns of behavior all figure as suspects in recent researches and can worsen an acid reflux condition that already exists, suggesting a holistic, natural solution is to be preferred.
Observing the holistic approach after a correct diagnosis of your problem, using specific supplements based on herbs and vitamins, together with a full set of dietary principles and Candida control protocols (which figure as an important element in acid reflux) can provide a natural cure and prevent recurrence in a safe and effective way.
Jeff Martin is an author of the best-selling e-book, “Heartburn No More- Open The Door To an Acid Reflux Free Life”. To Learn More About His Unique 5-Step Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Heartburn No More. For further information visit: Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Filed under Acid Reflux Articles by on Sep 3rd, 2010. Comment.
Obesity and a high body mass index (BMI) are major contributors to the symptoms of acid reflux syndrome. Therefore, it is only logical that weight loss can be an important part of your acid reflux treatment plan if you are overweight. Carrying excess fat puts pressure on your stomach, causing your stomach contents to rise, making it more likely that the Lower Esophageal Sphincter will not be able to stop stomach acids from refluxing into the esophagus. Additional fat in the area of the face, neck, and chest also puts more pressure on the esophagus, restricting it and weakening the ’seal’ between itself and the stomach.
It is therefore easy to see how losing weight will generally lead to decreasing acid reflux syndrome symptoms. By reducing the fat around your stomach and esophagus, you can minimize or even eliminate many of your symptoms. To accomplish this, lifestyle changes are required. This includes a change in diet and activity level.
Here is some weight loss and lifestyle changes that can make a positive difference to your acid reflux syndrome symptoms:
- Increase the amount of water-soluble fiber foods in your diet. Water-soluble fiber can be found in raw, fresh vegetables and fruits. These are foods that are generally easily digested by your body and ensure that you remain regular so that you don’t end up bloated and avoid a toxic buildup in your digestive tract.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Try not to eat a meal that is bigger than the size of your fist in one sitting and increase the frequency of meals to about five times a day. This not only helps your metabolism effectively digest the food you’re eating, but it also reduces the chance of over eating, helping to keep your stomach acid levels consistent.
- Try not to lie down within three hours of eating a meal. This will help your stomach acids stay where they are supposed to be (because of gravity) allowing them to do their job of breaking down food more effectively so that you’ll receive more nutrition from everything you eat.
- Avoid carbonated and acidic drinks. Not only do these kick acid reflux syndrome symptoms into gear, but also the average person could lose up to 20 pounds per year just by cutting them out of their diet.
- Eat an apple a day. The old phrase says that it keeps the doctor away, and it was right. Eating apples for many help to clear up acid reflux attacks and are healthy, weight loss-friendly sweet treats.
- If you’re feeling hungry think before you eat. Often this can because the body is dehydrated rather than needing food. Ensure you always have some water to hand to sip throughout the day and aim to have 8 – 10 8oz glasses. This helps avoid unnecessary food consumption, hydrates the body and also ‘washes’ any lingering refluxed acid out of the esophagus.
- Avoid activity that involves bending over straight after eating, as this action can place additional pressure to the LES and cause acid reflux.
Avoid falling into the trap of using commercial diet programs to lose weight for acid reflux syndrome. Though they may be effective for losing weight, they don’t necessarily help you to build the right kind of lifestyle, nor do they have acid reflux syndrome in mind in the foods that they select.
It’s important that you get to know the kinds of foods that should make up the bulk of your diet, those you can eat on occasion, and those that you should avoid altogether, not only for your waistline, but also for your acid reflux syndrome. Though this may seem like a lot of information at first, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you learn about what is right and what is wrong for your digestive system.
Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker’s brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help relieve the symptoms of acid reflux syndrome bringing you fast acid reflux relief.
Filed under Acid Reflux Articles by on Sep 1st, 2010. Comment.
