Tons of people have heartburn attacks, if just occasionally. To say that heartburn is uncomfortable is an understatement. Not everyone has anti-heartburn medicine stored in the medicine cabinet when the need arises. Being aware of home remedies for heartburn can be the difference between misery and relief.
Health.com via msn healthy living provided a list of heartburn home remedies that I am posting here today. Take a look.
Chewing gum
Besides eliminating garlic breath, chewing gum after a meal might have other advantages, research suggests.
In a small study from the Journal of Dental Research, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms experienced heartburn relief when they chewed a piece of sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal.
"Chewing gum stimulates the salivary flow rate," says study author Rebecca Moazzez, DPhil, clinical lecturer in King's College London's department of restorative dentistry. "Any acid that accumulates in the gut is washed away and cleared more quickly. The clearance of acid improves GERD symptoms."
Baking soda
Old wives' tales will tell you the best way to beat heartburn is with a little sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
"Baking soda is OK for most people with heartburn," says Jacqueline Wolf, MD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "Because it's a base, it helps neutralize [stomach] acid."
Dr. Wolf, author of "A Woman's Guide to a Healthy Stomach," recommends mixing between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water. But avoid making baking soda your go-to remedy if you regularly have heartburn — it is high in salt and could cause side effects like swelling and nausea.
Licorice
Although research is limited, licorice could ease heartburn and get to the source of the problem, says Susan Blum, MD, founder and director of the Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, N.Y.
"The contents of your stomach are supposed to be acidic…which is why antacids are not the solution," Dr. Blum says. Instead, she says, licorice has natural stomach healing properties. Eating a lot of licorice, however, can also have serious side effects like high blood pressure, so look for DGL licorice. (It does not contain the potentially dangerous glycyrrhizic acid.)
Aloe
Aloe, a plant usually used to soothe burns, could do the same thing for stomachs, says Victor Sierpina MD, professor of integrative and family medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston, and author of "The Healthy Gut Workbook."
Aloe vera juice reduces inflammation so "it quiets down any inflammation that is in the esophagus as well as the stomach," Dr. Sierpina says.
He recommends drinking 1/2 cup before meals, but warns that the juice can be a laxative. Look for brands that say the laxative component has been removed, such as Aloe Vera Power.
Ginger
Ginger can help curb heartburn, but only when consumed in moderation. (Eating more than 2 to 4 grams per day can actually make heartburn worse, so watch your intake carefully.)
Ginger root has been used throughout history as an anti-inflammatory and as a treatment for gastrointestinal conditions. It can easily be peeled, sliced, diced, or shaved using a grater. Use it while cooking (it's a staple of Asian cuisine), or add it to smoothies.
Bananas
Bananas make a nutritious snack for anyone, but they provide an added bonus for people with heartburn. The fruit acts as a kind of natural antacid, by spurring the stomach lining to produce a protective coating of mucus.
There's a catch, though: Roughly 1% of people who experience acid reflux find that their condition is worsened by bananas. So keep in mind that what works for most people may not work for you.
I hope that some of these will work for you when that nasty heartburn attacks.
Meanwhile .... keep it simple and make it real.
Jeanne
P.S. Today is CH's birthday. I think he prefers to ignore it.
Health.com via msn healthy living provided a list of heartburn home remedies that I am posting here today. Take a look.
Chewing gum
Besides eliminating garlic breath, chewing gum after a meal might have other advantages, research suggests.
In a small study from the Journal of Dental Research, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms experienced heartburn relief when they chewed a piece of sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal.
"Chewing gum stimulates the salivary flow rate," says study author Rebecca Moazzez, DPhil, clinical lecturer in King's College London's department of restorative dentistry. "Any acid that accumulates in the gut is washed away and cleared more quickly. The clearance of acid improves GERD symptoms."
Baking soda
Old wives' tales will tell you the best way to beat heartburn is with a little sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
"Baking soda is OK for most people with heartburn," says Jacqueline Wolf, MD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "Because it's a base, it helps neutralize [stomach] acid."
Dr. Wolf, author of "A Woman's Guide to a Healthy Stomach," recommends mixing between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water. But avoid making baking soda your go-to remedy if you regularly have heartburn — it is high in salt and could cause side effects like swelling and nausea.
Licorice
Although research is limited, licorice could ease heartburn and get to the source of the problem, says Susan Blum, MD, founder and director of the Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, N.Y.
"The contents of your stomach are supposed to be acidic…which is why antacids are not the solution," Dr. Blum says. Instead, she says, licorice has natural stomach healing properties. Eating a lot of licorice, however, can also have serious side effects like high blood pressure, so look for DGL licorice. (It does not contain the potentially dangerous glycyrrhizic acid.)
Aloe
Aloe, a plant usually used to soothe burns, could do the same thing for stomachs, says Victor Sierpina MD, professor of integrative and family medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston, and author of "The Healthy Gut Workbook."
Aloe vera juice reduces inflammation so "it quiets down any inflammation that is in the esophagus as well as the stomach," Dr. Sierpina says.
He recommends drinking 1/2 cup before meals, but warns that the juice can be a laxative. Look for brands that say the laxative component has been removed, such as Aloe Vera Power.
Ginger
Ginger can help curb heartburn, but only when consumed in moderation. (Eating more than 2 to 4 grams per day can actually make heartburn worse, so watch your intake carefully.)
Ginger root has been used throughout history as an anti-inflammatory and as a treatment for gastrointestinal conditions. It can easily be peeled, sliced, diced, or shaved using a grater. Use it while cooking (it's a staple of Asian cuisine), or add it to smoothies.
Bananas
Bananas make a nutritious snack for anyone, but they provide an added bonus for people with heartburn. The fruit acts as a kind of natural antacid, by spurring the stomach lining to produce a protective coating of mucus.
There's a catch, though: Roughly 1% of people who experience acid reflux find that their condition is worsened by bananas. So keep in mind that what works for most people may not work for you.
I hope that some of these will work for you when that nasty heartburn attacks.
Meanwhile .... keep it simple and make it real.
Jeanne
P.S. Today is CH's birthday. I think he prefers to ignore it.
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