Picture yourself out at your favorite restaurant. Maybe it’s your birthday or maybe you just feel like having a night out. You enjoy great food and good company before heading home.
But sometime after dinner, it hits you. You feel the burning in your chest. You have difficulty swallowing. You get the hiccups and burps and maybe even a little regurgitation and suddenly a fun night turns uncomfortable.
You’ve been hit with Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux.
If you suffer from this, you’re not alone. It’s estimated to affect up to 1 in 5 adult American men and women. It’s an awful feeling and can make you downright uncomfortable. There are any number of over-the-counter medications you take take to relief symptoms of acid reflux, but if you’re looking for natural home remedies, there are also plenty of options for natural GERD relief.
Some of the options for natural GERD symptom relief include:
- Don’t overeat:If you’re starving when dinner hits, you might be tempted to stuff yourself. This is a big mistake. Large meals can make an acid reflux problem worse and your lower esophageal sphincter, the muscle that opens when you swallow, vomit or burp has a hard time staying closed and keeping out acid.
- Don’t lie down: It’s all too easy to feel like you need a nap after a big meal. You might catch up on sleep, but this isn’t a great idea. When you lie down, the contents of your stomach (think: the meal you just ate) can be pushed back up and cause GERD. When you’re upright, gravity helps you keep food down. If you absolutely have to lie down, make sure you’re elevated and prop a pillow underneath for a little more elevation.
- Chew gum: An easy way to gain natural GERD relief is to chew gum after a meal. You may not know it, but chewing gum stimulates your salivary glands. When saliva is produced, it helps wash away any acid. If you want to be healthy about it, grab a piece of sugar-free gum.
- Grab some fruit: Another good way to cure yourself of GERD or prevent a GERD flare-up is to grab an apple or a banana. These have natural antacid properties that counter the affects of acid reflux and will save you from grabbing a handful of Tums.
- Mustard: Believe it or not, mustard can be an incredible source of natural GERD relief. It’s full of vinegar and the alkaline in it neutralizes the acid that comes back up when you have GERD.
- Drink some tea: If you’re looking for natural GERD relief, you have a couple of different options when it comes to drinking tea.
Ginger tea is one option because it acts as a cure for GERD and can also help you relieve some other common stomach aliments. Drinking ginger tea before a meal can give you a good head start to stopping GERD.
Another beverage option is chamomile tea. This helps balance the level of acidity in your stomach and also helps reduce any stress you have. If you want a comfortable night’s sleep, try drinking a cup of chamomile tea about half an hour before bed. - Baking soda: Baking soda is great for many things related to health and relief of acid reflux symptoms is no exception. A teaspoon of baking soda mixed into water and consumed can neutralize the acid in your stomach and can take the burn away in case something does come up.
It’s estimated that more than 40% of American experience heartburn at least once a month and it’s a safe bet the number is just that high for acid reflex. If you know that certain foods trigger heartburn or acid reflux in your body, using some of the above natural treatment for GERD and natural treatment for heartburn can help neutralize the debilitating effects. Rather than suffering through a night of discomfort, having some tea, chewing some gum or adding some mustard to your meal can make a world of difference and help you avoid acid reflux.