Heartburn Home Remedies
Heartburn can be a painful experience for many people, effecting about 1 in 18 Americans daily. That's about 15 million people per day. The term "heartburn" is actually a misnomer. Heartburn is not, in fact, a burning of the heart, but of the esophagus or chest, and is caused by the reflux of stomach acid into the esophageal tract. Stomach acid is very important to the human body because it helps to break down the foods we eat for easier digestion. When we swallow food, a sphincter between the stomach and esophagus keeps the gastric acid in our stomach from harming the sensitive lining of the esophagus. When the muscles of the sphincter are weakened or defective in some way, usually caused by scarring from ulcers or pressure from a distended stomach from overeating, obesity or pregnancy, stomach acid can splash back into the esophagus. This is known as acid reflux and is a leading cause of heartburn.
While heartburn can be lessened, or even cured, by many over the counter antacid treatments or through surgery, there are many natural Heartburn Home Remedies that can prove just as effective. The easiest heartburn home remedies have to do with prevention, so that you may fix the problem before any medication is necessary. For example, eating smaller meals more frequently, enables the stomach to produce less acid, and is easier on the sphincter that protects the esophagus. In addition, staying away from foods that require a greater production of gastric acid should prevent heartburn from occurring. These foods include such items as onions, acidic juice, chocolate, coffee, and anything highly spiced.
There are many other modifications you can make to you environment and behavior to aid in the prevention of heartburn. For example, raising the head of your bed about six inches will ensure that gravity keeps your stomach acid where it's supposed to be. In addition to that, make sure you wait at least two to three hours after you eat before you take a nap or go to bed for the night. Waiting until the digestion process is well underway should ensure that any excess stomach acid stays put when you're ready to get in bed. Also, stay away from alcohol, cigarettes, soda, and Aspirin, all of which can either relax the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach or irritate the lining of the stomach and esophagus. When prevention is just not solving your heartburn troubles, a natural home remedies for heartburn may be the solution to your problem. Chewable papaya tablets may ease the pain of heartburn and drinking aloe vera juice can help heal the intestinal tract. Both of these items can be found in health stores. Try drinking chamomile tea to relieve irritation, or ingesting about 500 mg of ginger with a meal to reduce suffering and stomach upset. Drinking more water and adding more fiber to your diet will help the body to absorb more acid and will help the body flush toxins more rapidly, resulting in less acid production, and less prevalence of heartburn.
The importance of home remedies for heartburn is most apparent when it comes to members of our society who generally cannot take doctor prescribed or over the counter medications, such as infants and pregnant women. There are, however, many preventative remedies for heartburn that can be used on both infants and pregnant women. For infants, breastfeeding is best, but if breastfeeding seems to lead to heartburn, a mother can try changing up her diet every couple of weeks, reducing those foods that lead to heartburn until she finds a diet that works for her baby. In addition, diapers or swaddling that are too tight can lead to pressure on the stomach, which can cause heartburn in infants. Avoid placing infants squarely on their back to sleep, avoid smoky environments, and make sure the infant is burped well before placing down for a nap.
Pregnant women are encouraged to take over the counter antacids, such as Tums, for heartburn. However, if the chemical composition of these tablets is a discouragement during the growth of your baby, try chewing spearmint gum or mixing teaspoon of baking soda in a warm glass of water. In addition, a glass of cold milk may aid in the relief of heartburn symptoms. Heartburn is an irritating and uncomfortable problem for many members of our society, but with these tips, even those people that are the most sensitive to traditional remedies and medications can find the relief they need from the burning and pain that is caused by acid reflux and heartburn.