Effective Natural Remedies For Acid Reflux

Acid flux is a very common disease, so common that thousands of cases are reported in hospitals everyday. The disease is also called gastroesophageal reflux disease, more commonly known as GERD.

The disease occurs when the acid from the stomach travels upwards, towards the oesophagus. The oesophagus is a thin tube that runs from the food pipe to the stomach, and helps in transferring the food. Our stomach produces acid everyday to digest food. The walls of the stomach are not damaged by this acid. However when acid reflux takes place this acid travels into the oesophagus; walls of which are not tolerant to this acid. As a result, a burning sensation takes place and the oesophagus becomes thinner. What happens here is that a muscle which is responsible to keep the components of the stomach within the stomach relaxes and then the acid which was to be in the stomach moves up.

The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn. There is a sense of burning in the chest area. The sensation may be felt anywhere from the neck to the stomach. Other symptoms include chest pain, sore throat, bloating, bleeding in cough etc. Often patients also complain of difficulty in swallowing food and talking. Major causes of acid reflux are obesity, large meals and indigestion.

Natural Alternative  For Acid Reflux 

Symptom of acid reflux is a disease whose treatments can be easily found naturally. Here are a set of tips and remedies to cure your problem:

Sleep

Not only is sleeping important but how one sleeps is also very important. Doctors propose that sleeping to your left helps reduce heart burn. For those who cannot do that sleeping with the upper body lifted is another good option. This can be done by using pillows or if available one could also use the beds found in hospitals which have been automated to lift the upper body slightly.

Also avoid sleeping immediately after eating your dinner. Take a stroll and maintain at least a two hour gap before sleeping. Have your dinner at around 7. Since the metabolic rate of the body is least in the evenings, the dinner should be light.

Exercise

It is very important to stay healthy and fit. It will not just reduce the symptoms of acid reflux but will also work on other problems of your body. Make it a point to go for a walk everyday for at least 5 minutes initially and then gradually increase the time. It will increase the immunity of the body.

Lose Weight

Obese people tend to suffer more from the symptom of acid reflux. It is seen that larger fat contributes to greater strain on the stomach leading to higher chances of heartburn. Startlosing weight, gradually the weight will become stable. Try power yoga.

Water

Take water in large quantities. At least 8 glasses of water a day is a must. Drink water after half an hour of having your meal. Water helps dilute the acid of the stomach, thereby increasing the ph of the stomach which reduces the damages of the acid.

Small Meal

Whenever you feel hungry, eat something small and light. Split the day’s meals into 6 small ones. Acid is produced inside the stomach to help in digestion of food, if the food is not taken regularly the acid content in the stomach rises. This creates acidity and increases the risk of acid reflux also. Eat properly and on time, as far as possible.

Garlic

It is easily available in your kitchen and must be consumed regularly. It has properties which help in killing certain specific bacteria present in the stomach and hence helps in reducing acid reflux. It is important to either grind or chew the garlic properly before swallowing, only then will it be active in its action. Also the garlic used must be fresh.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has been proven to be effective home remedy for acid reflux. The consumption of this tea however needs to be extremely slow. Take the essence of the tea while drinking it and try only sipping the tea. Another alternative for chamomile is lavender tea.

Avoid Trigger Foods

Every individual is different and every individual’s body works differently. Different foods may trigger acid reflux in different people. It is important to avoid these foods by all means. Consuming these things will only aggravate your problems.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is basic in nature. When consumed baking soda helps neutralise the excess acid present in the stomach giving relief to the patient. However, baking soda should not be consumed without consulting with a certified health care provider.

Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe Vera juice heals the oesophageal track. It is now available at all grocery stores and may even be prepared at home using the Aloe Vera plant. Consume this juice also increases digestion.

Diet

Foods To Be Taken

No matter what one does, maintaining a proper diet is very important. If your diet isn’t right, it needs to be changed. Avoid oily and fatty foods as much as possible. They are major causes of indigestion. Raw fruits like apple and banana are a must in everyone’s diet. Most fruit juices are safe. Veggies like carrots, cabbage are also good for this diet.  On must include dairy products and grains also in their diet.

Foods To Be Avoided

Avoid foodstuff that contains acid like tomato, lemon etc. Citrus fruits like orange must be avoided since they add citric acid to your stomach. Other substances that are better when avoided include fries, potato, chocolate, alcohol etc.

Acid reflux may affect anyone unbiased, from the youngest to the oldest. Most of you reading this article may have had it at least once in your life. The severity of the disease is unknown to most and often gets neglected. Most people are ignorant about acid reflux. However, acid reflux can be very a very severe disease.  It may seem like just another problem now but in order to avoid any serious medical treatments later in life try working now. If you have been suffering from this problem since quite some time then consult your physician as soon as possible.