Acid reflux is a painful, embarrassing condition that can make you want to give up. But with the right precautions and remedies, you can manage acid reflux symptoms and prevent them from interfering with your life.
On top of this, acid reflux may also be very uncomfortable. This is because stomach acids get flushed back up the esophagus and into the throat, causing a burning sensation in the chest. It isn’t just food that travels up – just as stomach acids in the stomach can cause a burning feeling in the chest, you can expect to feel similar discomfort when they’re also free of charge in the throat as well.
The most troubling part is that repeated bouts of acid reflux can actually be very dangerous to your health over time. Acid reflux, especially if it occurs frequently or continues for an extended period of time, can cause serious damage to your esophagus and in some cases even increase your risk for cancer.
For this reason, it’s important to get your problem resolved as soon as possible. Here are some home remedies that can assist with your problem.
1. Water
The best way to relieve acid reflux is to drink more water. The digestive enzymes present in the stomach break down food and help it pass through the digestive tract without being regurgitated. Individuals with acid reflux can reduce reflux symptoms by drinking more water.
There are many things you can eat to improve your digestive system but nothing works quite as quickly and efficiently as plain water. Drinking water in a painful digestive tract can provide immediate relief and at the same time, wash the offending acids from the area that cause the burning sensation.
2. Chew More
Some of the best ways to prevent acid reflux are completely unrelated to what you eat. Burping, for example, is an effective way to relieve acid reflux and indigestion. Foods that are high in fiber do help the intestines to move along more smoothly. But it’s not enough to just chew the food well. You also have to chew it long enough and at the right place. Chewing thoroughly often leads to too much stomach-churning, acid reflux, and heartburn.
Chewing more helps your body break down the food even further and produces more saliva at the same time. As saliva is very important in helping your body absorb nutrients, chew more and digest food faster.
3. Baking Soda
Now you’re getting into the realm of what people can buy off the shelf. People have a tendency to look for a cure using something around their house that they have at hand, like baking soda. Seeing as this is what you’re experiencing, it makes sense that using an antacid – something that is naturally able to neutralize acid – will resolve the problem.
Baking soda is a great go-to for many home remedies and even if it can’t fix the actual cause of the problem, it can make you feel a little better.
Here are some hacks to improve your daily life.
4. Banana
Perhaps the most effective way to soothe and calm a reflux condition is by eating foods that are high in potassium that many people have recommended over the years for combating reflux and it works very well. Bananas are one of the most alkaline foods on the planet, so they not only make great-tasting snacks for people with acid reflux, but they can also help to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Bananas can function as a great natural bulk laxative, and they can also be added in small amounts to help protect the stomach during periods of high acid.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
To employ a little shock value, I wanted to include this next one.
You’ve just seen how taking antacids can help you with acid reflux, so why not also take an acidic ingredient – such as apple cider vinegar?
The answer to indigestion is that there are numerous things that can cause it. One less obvious cause of indigestion is the presence of too much bulky food in the stomach. The other cause is that you aren’t producing the enzymes you need to break down food properly, which leads to large amounts of undigested food in the stomach and intestines.
This may sound strange, but drinking something acidic may help fight the issue.
6. Yogurt
One of the most miraculous features of apple cider vinegar is something that it shares with yogurt. Both are excellent sources of friendly bacteria, and a source of probiotics aiding digestion and creating a protective colony in the intestine.
While that might sound awful, they actually play a very important role in helping you to break down food and absorb nutrients.
Not only will these supplements help you feel great, but they’ll also ensure that you maintain a healthy intestinal tract and can ward off bad bacteria in your body. They also contain the neurotransmitters and hormones that will make you feel better, more active, and alert.
before we continue, remember to read this article about the 6 signs of acid reflux that you might be ignoring and learn how to fix it.
7. Eat More Slowly
We’ve seen that eating more increases saliva production, which enhances the breakdown of food and assists in the production of saliva and enzymes.
But in general, eating more slowly is also highly important. That’s because eating too fast can lead to feeling dizzy and lightheaded, not to mention that you won’t be able to take in enough oxygen. Not to mention that you will be less likely to get hiccups and a lot less likely to have digestive issues.
8. Eliminate Items From Your Diet
Certain things in your diet could be causing your indigestion. Depending on the cause, you might need to avoid certain foods altogether. If you are suffering from stomach problems due to a sensitivity or allergy, you may want to consider avoiding certain foods that are known to cause these issues. Perhaps you are a Celiac? Maybe you’re lactose intolerant?
In some people, acid reflux can occur when eating certain foods. Keeping a diary of your symptoms over time may let you determine which foods trigger your reflux. Keep a food journal to see exactly what you’ve been eating and see if any of them is causing the issue.
9. Stay Upright
Do you suffer from acid reflux or indigestion?
Then answer this: do you have dinner on the couch?
To the surprise of many, this little factoid about our posture is actually true. In a 2007 study by Columbia researchers, it was shown that it takes around 20 minutes for the food to digest and make its way through our digestive system. This means that when we eat on our couch, we are leaving food in the stomach for longer than usual, and rather than digesting properly, we are still feeding bacteria and germs.
The result will be that food will travel the wrong way up the pipe and cause reflux and heartburn.
Try sitting up straighter and you might find the problem goes away.
10. Aloe Juice
Finally, one last thing to try is aloe vera. Aloe vera is an anti-inflammatory that’s antibacterial and that’s why it can be used for skin irritations and rashes. It will work also well at reducing inflammation and pain. These two things work equally well internally as they do externally.
Try using a little of each to help relieve pain and inflammation. If nothing else, it will help to soothe the discomfort and alleviate some of the inflammation and angriness.