Heartburn Remedy Tips

Heartburn is a common digestive complaint which affects an estimated 15 million Americans every day, and 60 million once a month. Relief of mild heartburn is typically achieved through diet and lifestyle changes, although medication (eg. antacids) is usually necessary if the heartburn is caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

What is Heartburn? What Are The Symptoms?

Heartburn is a digestive problem: it has nothing to do with your heart. It occurs when small amounts of stomach acid accidentally rise up the esophagus (the food canal running from the mouth to the stomach) causing symptoms like a burning pain in the chest which rises towards the throat. Sufferers may even taste the fluid in the back of the mouth, and this is called acid indigestion. In many cases the pain and burning sensation is relatively mild, but sometimes is so severe that patients think they are experiencing a heart attack.

What Are The Causes Of Heartburn?

In general, the immediate cause of heartburn is the acidic digestive juices which leave the stomach and rise up the esophagus. The acid burns the tissue of the esophagus causing inflammation and pain – a condition called esophagitis. Heartburn may also occur in pregnancy when the baby is pressing up against the underside of the diaphragm and squeezing the stomach. An occasional episode of acid-regurgitation or indigestion is quite normal. But persistent heartburn (eg. twice a week), is usually a sign of something more serious. The two most common underlying causes of heartburn symptoms are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hiatal hernia.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

GERD is characterized by a failure of the muscular valve, known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is located at the bottom of the esophagus. The function of this valve is to keep acid in the stomach and prevent it leaking back up the esophagus. When this valve doesn’t work properly, reflux (leak-back) and heartburn can occur. Factors that contribute to gastroesophageal reflux disease include obesity, pregnancy, smoking and, in particular, hiatal hernia.

Hiatal Hernia

Hiatus or hiatal hernia is a condition in which part of the stomach herniates (protrudes) upwards into the chest through the hiatus (opening) in the diaphragm normally only occupied by the esophagus. This puts extra pressure on the LES valve preventing it from closing properly. As a result, stomach acid leaks into the esophagus causing heartburn. The underlying cause of hiatal hernia is unknown. Contributory factors include: obesity, pregnancy, constipation, abdominal muscle strain, and smoking.

Dietary Treatment For Heartburn

In cases of persistent heartburn, dietary improvements are not sufficient. So as well as advocating a digestion-friendly diet, your doctor is likely to recommend one or more of the following types of medication. Antacids to neutralize the acid in your stomach; H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors to reduce acid production; or prokinetics to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter and expedite stomach-emptying. However, if heartburn symptoms are mild and occur only from time to time, usually you will be advised to make the following changes to your diet.

If Overweight, Switch To A Healthy Weight Loss Diet

Obesity, especially excess fat on the chest and abdomen, is a common contributory factor to GERD and hiatal hernia, and therefore to heartburn. So if you are obese (BMI > 30), take steps to normalize your weight and thus reduce your risk or symptoms of heartburn. Choose a healthy calorie-controlled diet and customize it by following the eating tips below.

Stop Eating Large Meals

A big meal distends the stomach and causes a rise in the production of stomach acid. Both these factors lead to an increased risk of heartburn. So opt for 4-6 small meals or snacks, and allow a maximum of 3 hours between eating. In addition, choose foods that are “easier on the stomach” and more more easily digested.

Avoid Acidic Food

Reduce your intake of very acidic foods by avoiding items such as: tomatoes, tomato-based sauces, citrus fruits, rhubarb, gooseberries, unripe fruit, vinegar and acidic pickles or relishes.

Cut Down On Fatty and Spicy Food

Fried or very fatty foods, including candy, encourage indigestion and should be avoided or eaten sparingly. So go easy on butter, mayo, sausages, salami, pate, meat pies, and full-fat cheese. The same applies to very spicy food such as: black pepper, chili peppers, curry, mustard and other hot spices, as well as raw onions and garlic.

Avoid Carbonated Drinks

Fizzy or carbonated soft drinks cause belching and upward pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), increasing the likelihood of heartburn. The best drinks include: water, herbal teas or diluted non-citrus fruit juices. Please also note that some soft drinks (eg. cocoa, coffee, orange juice) are not helpful for heartburn as they can over-relax the LES, thus encouraging the backward flow of acid from the stomach.

Eat More Fiber, Especially Soluble Fiber

Constipation can lead to extra strain on abdominal muscles and increase the risk of heartburn. To prevent constipation, eat more high-fiber foods such as: oats, apples, pears, dried apricots and vegetables. When increasing fiber intake it’s also important to increase your water intake by at least 40 fl oz a day.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is not helpful to heartburn for several reasons. So take steps to reduce your intake to one unit a day, or avoid it altogether. Alcohol is also a source of non-nutritious calories and can contribute to overweight.

Other Digestive Tips

For digestive disorders like heartburn, some dietitians and alternative health experts recommend patients to eat (or cook with) digestion-friendly aromatic herbs like basil, camomile, caraway, dill, fennel, rosemary and thyme. They also recommend that you end each meal with a glass of herbal tea (eg. camomile, fennel) to reduce acidity and wind.

Lifestyle Improvements To Reduce Heartburn

There are several lifestyle changes that can help to reduce the symptoms of heartburn. One obvious one is to stop smoking, as tobacco smoke increases acidity in the stomach. Other recommended changes include:

Avoid placing extra strain on your abdomen or chest. Wear loose-fitting clothes, and do not overstretch or lift heavy weights.

Do not lie down after eating, and try not to eat anything for at least three hours before going to bed. The less there is in your stomach when you come to lie down, the lower the risk of heartburn.

To minimize night-time discomfort, raise the head end of your bed by about 3 inches by using bed-blocks or by placing a solid object under the bed-legs. This helps to prevent stomach acid from leaking backwards into the esophagus. Do not use extra pillows – you simply end up with a stiff neck as well as heartburn!

Heartburn symptoms can be caused by certain over-the-counter drugs, such as aspirin, or other pain-killers or anti-inflammatories. So if you take this type of medication regularly, check with your doctor or pharmacist that it’s safe to continue.

Heartburn, contrary to its name, has nothing to do with the heart. The pain caused by heartburn is however generally centered in the chest, so it is no surprise how the condition got its name. It is not a disease, though it can be a symptom of one, but rather a dietary condition that many people experience periodically. Most people who experience heartburn can trace it to certain foods that they believe triggered it. But often there are also underlying problems that are the real cause of the heartburn. Often just changing habits is a natural remedy all on its own.

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn is a condition where the acids of the stomach enter upward into the esophagus and cause a burning sensation. The stomach is the only organ in the body lined with tissue strong enough to withstand the powerful acids used to break down foods. Both ends of the stomach have a muscle called a sphincter which keeps the stomach ‘closed’ while the acid does its work. The Lower Esophageal Sphincter normally keeps these acids out of the esophagus, but occasionally acid splashed up into it, and that is when we experience heartburn. If the condition is persistent, it is often called Acid Reflux Disease, and sometimes Gastroesophagal Reflux Disease.

What Causes Heartburn?

There are three main factors that contribute to heartburn: The foods we eat, the way we eat it, and the overall health of our bodies. People who follow a healthy diet full of vegetables and high-fibre foods, drink plenty of water, get plenty of exercise, eat smaller meals spaced throughout the day, and get a good night’s sleep do not get heartburn very often, if at all.

Some foods have been linked to the potential to cause heartburn. This does not mean you will necessarily experience heartburn when you eat these foods, just that the potential exists. Here is a list of common heartburn triggering foods:

* carbonated drinks

* alcohol

* coffee

* garlic

* tomatoes

* onions

* mint

* chocolate

* dairy products

* citrus fruits and juices

* processed meats

* spicy foods

* very fatty foods

Natural Remedy for Heartburn: Steps to Follow

The best natural remedy for heartburn that is caused by certain foods is to simply avoid eating those foods. Occasional heartburn can be fairly easily traced to certain foods, just by reviewing what you have eaten that day. Keeping notes on your eating habits for a few weeks will also reveal patterns of foods that are causing the condition. If your heartburn is more persistent, than other factors may be at work.

Stress can be a significant factor in creating heartburn. Exercise is the best stress relief there is, and of course it contributes to overall health. Meditation is also an excellent stress relief, and can be practiced pretty much anywhere you can get some quiet time alone.

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is also an important measure that can control heartburn. Do not, however, drink a lot of water during and immediately after eating. This dilutes the acids and enzymes used to breakdown food in the stomach, and can lead to digestion problems.

Eat smaller meals that are easily digested. Do not eat to the point of feeling uncomfortable. Also, eat well before bedtime, and do not lie down after eating. It is important to keep the esophagus in an upright position while food is being digested. If you are sitting, sit up straight. Do not slouch on a chair or couch after eating.

Natural Remedy for Heartburn: Folk Remedies

Folk remedies are ideas that have been handed down for generations. Sometimes they are called ‘Old Wives’ Tales’ in an attempt to discredit them, but many of these solutions have been effective for hundreds of years. Simply experiment with them and see what works for you

* Drink a glass of water with a few tablespoons of vinegar in it before eating. The vinegar strengthens the muscles of the lower esophageal sphincter.

* Pineapple juice and slices neutralizes the stomachs acids

* A glass of water with lemon will also increase alkalinity (even though it is citrus)

* Cottage cheese is supposed to help

* A raw potato, shredded with a cheese grater, then eaten, is also supposed to help

* A bowl of oatmeal has an absorptive quality that will soak up excess acid

* Marshmallow root tea is also reported to be a good natural remedy for heartburn

* Papaya fruit is also supposed to boost alkalinity thus neutralizing acids

* Bicarbonate of soda – the main ingredient in antacids – can be dissolved in a glass of water and is very effective in treating the symptoms of heartburn.

It is important to remember that these methods treat the symptoms of heartburn, and not the underlying cause. Follow the steps above and you may never need to use any of these natural remedies for heartburn at all.

The need for a natural remedy for heartburn is strong: millions of people around the world suffer from heartburn. The truth is, however, that in most cases the condition is caused by poor eating habits and can be easily avoided. Unfortunately, most people do not want to change their habits.

There is a commercial running on television in North America that shows a man who gets the latest antacid pill and can now go back to eating all the junk food he “loves”. This is typical of the attitude of most westerners: Give me a pill that solves my problem but don’t ask me to change any of my habits. But sometimes a change of habit is exactly what is needed to solve a problem. That is certainly the case when it comes to a natural remedy for heartburn.