If you’re ready to ditch your heartburn AND your heartburn medications, there are 3 primary natural heartburn remedies to consider first.
- your body position
- how you eat your food
- Some quick relief solutions found at home
let’s talk about you body position First.
When you feel that feeling we call “heartburn,” it comes from acid in your stomach seeping up into your esophagus (in your chest). In other words, it’s going the wrong way, where it’s not supposed to be. So the last thing you want to do is make it easier for this acid to go upwards, so keep these ideas in mind:
- If you find yourself sitting hunched forward (this is especially important while eating), SIT UP STRAIGHT! (your mom was right!).
- Check your waist line. If your pants/belt are unnecessarily tight, loosen them or change into more comfortable clothing. You have nothing to get that acid out of your stomach.
- Finally, if you usually feel these symptoms at night when you’re lying in bed… you guessed it, you’re making it easy for acid to spill in the wrong place. Try propping your body up with pillows, or even place blocks or large books under the head of your mattress to keep your upper body at an angle and the acid DOWN where it belongs.
Now let’s take a look at EXCUSE ME you eat your food
Believe it or not, saliva is a great natural antacid. It’s also the first step in the digestion process, so it’s important to let it do its job to the best of its ability. What this means is that you need to make sure you chew your food well. Take your time and chew your food before you swallow it; there is no need to swallow it.
Imagine your stomach working to digest food… it will be much easier if you get a partially predigested (well chewed) paste food instead of whole chunks of solid food, right?
Keep this in mind and you will minimize your chances of getting heartburn/indigestion in the first place.
Finally, some quick relief find it in the house, if you need it.
- eraser: Considering that saliva helps avoid/prevent heartburn and indigestion, consider chewing sugar-free gum for about 10 minutes after eating. The extra saliva it produces will help a lot.
- burnt toast: The bread acts like a sponge to absorb excess stomach acid while the ‘burnt’ part contains a lot of carbon. Why is that important? Think of “carbon activated water filters”…the carbon is there to draw out and neutralize the nasty stuff in the water and can help do the same for your stomach.
- Vinegar: A little apple cider vinegar (no more than a tablespoon) mixed with water can be a quick fix for the burn. It works because it can “slam” the valve that separates your stomach and esophagus shut completely if it’s gotten sluggish (making it easier for acid to back up into your throat). It may hurt for a brief moment, but relief usually follows immediately afterward.
