Heartburn home remedies

What home remedies are there for heartburn?

A self-treatment of heartburn (Reflux) using Home remedies is only recommended if it is a easy and not regulary occurring symptoms, because otherwise one must assume that the heartburn is based on an organic disorder that must be treated appropriately by a doctor.

As a guideline, one can take that one at lasting more than two days Complaints should consult a doctor.

First of all, you should ask yourself whether you eat a lot of sweet or greasy foods, whether you eat your food too hot or too cold, drink a lot of alcohol, consume too large amounts at once, eat something just before going to bed, are overweight and / or smokes. If you have to answer “yes” to one or more of these questions, treatment for heartburn should begin with eliminating the risk factor in question.

Read more about this under: Heartburn Causes

In addition, there are various home remedies that can be used very effectively for treating heartburn. These include above all herbal extracts. However, you should not take it lightly and always stick to the dosages on the package insert.

Chamomile and ginger prove to be very helpful, which will be discussed in more detail in the following sections of text as remedies for heartburn.
Caraway seeds can also be consumed as tea or as a spice in food.
Flax seeds, on the other hand, are ground and then made into a pulp with water. Flaxseeds contain a lot of mucilage that practically forms a protective layer in the stomach and is therefore able to alleviate the typical symptoms.
Other substances that contain mucilage include mallow flowers and marshmallow root, which can therefore be used in the same way as flaxseed.

Other remedies that are used are also the healing earth and a base mixture that contains sodium, potassium and calcium.

Further information can be found here: Heartburn what to do

tea

Various teas can provide relief for mild heartburn. On the one hand, special gastrointestinal teas have proven themselves. On the other hand, teas with ingredients such as chamomile, fennel, anise or caraway can calm the stomach and alleviate heartburn symptoms.

Chamomile tea in particular has a calming effect on the lining of the stomach and esophagus. The tea has an anti-inflammatory effect and can soothe the mucous membrane damaged by stomach acid. Chamomile tea also contains so-called mucous substances, which protect the mucous membranes of the stomach and esophagus and thus protect them from further acid attacks. Another ingredient in chamomile flowers is the so-called bisabolol. Bisabolol has an inhibitory effect on the digestive hormone pepsin, which increases gastric acid production. As a result, less acid is produced in the stomach.

Caraway seeds, fennel and anise are more likely to relieve gas and thus lower the pressure on the stomach and esophagus. As a result, less acid is pushed from the stomach into the esophagus. These three teas also increase digestive activity and move food from the stomach to the intestinal tract faster. This also means that the stomach is distended less and the reflux is reduced.

ginger

The regular consumption of fresh ginger in various dishes, pure or as a tea preparation can help prevent heartburn. Ginger inhibits the production of stomach acid and so calms the stomach lining. In addition, the pungent substances contained in ginger stimulate the gastric passage. This means that the food is transported out of the stomach faster, which in turn reduces the production of gastric acid. In some people - for no proven reason - ginger can provoke heartburn. In this case, the consumption of ginger should be avoided.

Ginger is available in the form of ready-made preparations; you can alternatively take fresh ginger and add it to chicken broth, for example, which has an additional calming effect on the stomach.

Turmeric

Turmeric belongs to the ginger family and, like ginger, also helps against ailments such as heartburn. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory effects and stimulates digestion. Turmeric can be swallowed as a capsule or drunk as a tea. To use it as a tea, cut the curcuma tuber into slices and pour hot water over them. The tea should be covered for 15 minutes and drunk three times a day.

Healing earth

Healing earth is a mineral powder made from loess - a type of clay. Healing clay ensures that excess stomach acid is absorbed in the stomach. In the case of acute complaints, it is advisable to drink the powder, as it will take effect more quickly. For this purpose, 1-2 teaspoons of the healing earth powder are dissolved in a glass of water, stirred well and drunk. To prevent heartburn, healing clay can also be taken in the form of capsules. It should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning after getting up, regardless of the form in which the healing earth is consumed.

potato

Potatoes - raw or cooked - can also prevent heartburn and treat acute complaints. The potato contains bases which buffer the stomach acid and thus neutralize it. As a result, it can no longer attack the mucous membranes and the symptoms are reduced. In the case of acute complaints, a raw potato (peeled) can be eaten. If you don't want to eat raw potatoes, you can also drink potato juice, which is either freshly squeezed or can be bought in health food stores. To prevent recurring heartburn, a glass of potato juice can be drunk in the morning and in the evening. Symptoms should improve after a few days. The potato juice can also be used against heartburn during pregnancy.

zwieback

Rusks are recommended for many gastrointestinal complaints. It improves the symptoms of heartburn, as the dry rusk absorbs and binds excess stomach acid. This is ensured by the starchy flour contained in the rusk. In addition, the rusk is easy to digest and the stomach, which may have been attacked by the heartburn, is not further burdened. How much rusks should be eaten so that there is an improvement must be tested individually. How exactly the rusk works has also not been scientifically proven. It should also be borne in mind that rusks contain ingredients such as sugar and milk, which in turn could cause heartburn or other digestive problems.

mustard

Heartburn arises because of too much acid in the stomach. To counteract heartburn, eating alkaline foods can be helpful. The exact effects of mustard have not yet been clarified, but heard mustard to the alkaline foods and can help to neutralize the excess acids and the PH value increase in the stomach. It is also assumed that the vinegar contained in mustard, in small quantities, helps to reduce acid production in the stomach.

It is recommended about a teaspoon mild or medium hot mustard after eating to be consumed, up to two teaspoons as needed. He can get rid of the heartburn within a few minutes. However, you should try out beforehand whether mustard actually helps and whether you can tolerate it well. Some people cannot consume mustard this way, and in some cases mustard can make the discomfort worse.

Pregnant women can also try to consume a teaspoon of mustard after a meal if they have heartburn. As a natural home remedy, it has no side effects for the baby or mother.

Further information can be found here: Diet for heartburn

Soda / baking powder

A popular home remedy for heartburn is baking soda. Soda is available as a baking ingredient in the supermarket or over the counter at the pharmacy. Soda, also known as sodium hydrogen carbonate, has a strong alkaline effect and is able to neutralize the excess acid in the stomach. However, baking soda has the unpleasant side effect that it has a driving effect and can cause flatulence in the stomach, which in turn can increase heartburn. In addition, baking soda can neutralize stomach acid too quickly, so that the stomach produces even more stomach acid in response, which can worsen the symptoms.

If you ingest too much baking soda, this can lead to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and in severe cases even to chemical burns in the gastrointestinal tract.
In the long term, regular consumption of baking soda can lead to a calcium deficiency, with bone damage as a result, but it can also change the pH of the urine and cause kidney stones. Sodium bicarbonate should therefore only be taken with caution and in acute cases, not for long-term treatment of heartburn.

Baking powder itself shouldn't be used. Baking powder also contains baking soda, but also often other additives, for example acids, which can further intensify heartburn.

Milk / yogurt

Milk is a popular and well-known home remedy for heartburn. Milk has been shown to soothe the throat after heartburn. The pH of milk is around 6.5 and is slightly acidic. However, compared to gastric acid (pH between 1.5-4.5) it has a neutralizing effect, so milk can help with heartburn. However, low-fat milk should be preferred here.
Unsweetened yogurt or quark can also help with heartburn.

Read more about this: Milk for heartburn- does it really help?

Home remedies for heartburn during pregnancy

Is heartburn in pregnancy very often and usually no cause for alarm. The most common cause of heartburn is the growing baby, which puts pressure on the stomach and can lead to stomach acid belching. But the hormonal changes, especially progesterone, lead to a relaxation of the muscles in the uterus, but also in the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to heartburn more quickly than usual.

The best home remedies for heartburn during pregnancy are dry oatmeal or Rice cakesthat should be chewed until they are completely softened by the saliva and only then swallowed. Also Water, milk or fennel tea can have a calming effect on the stomach.
It is important that in the moments when heartburn occurs, do not lie down, but rather sit down. If possible, you should avoid stress, coffee, alcohol, spicy, spicy foods and lots of sugar.

It also helps at night With raised upper body sleep and eat several small meals instead of three large ones so as not to overstretch the stomach. Heartburn during pregnancy is harmless in itself, but you should always see a doctor if you are too concerned about heartburn.

Home remedies for heartburn from alcohol

On the one hand, high-percentage alcohol has an irritant effect on the gastric mucous membrane, which increases the production of stomach acid. On the other hand, the alcohol causes a reduced contraction (tension) of the sphincter muscle (sphincter) between the esophagus and stomach, so that gastric juice can more easily get into the esophagus and cause heartburn there.

The relaxation of the sphincter can also be triggered by low-percentage alcohol. In order to prevent recurring heartburn, alcohol should be avoided so that the stomach lining can calm down. Teas such as chamomile blossom tea can calm the lining of the stomach and reduce pain. In addition, you should generally drink a lot so that the gastric juice is diluted and thus no longer acts so aggressively on the mucous membranes. Lavender tea also has a calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Care should be taken to ensure that the tea is not too hot so that the mucous membrane, which has been attacked anyway, is not additionally irritated.

Flaxseed is another home remedy for reducing heartburn symptoms after consuming alcohol. To do this, the flaxseed is soaked in water. Then the swelling slime is poured off and the remaining liquid is drunk. This then creates a protective layer of mucus on the mucous membrane and alleviates the symptoms.