When you speak of heartburn, you speak of a digestive condition that is very uncomfortable because of that burning sensation in the area of the chest. This is just called a “heartâ€burn because it happens in the upper area of the stomach. It is not influenced by your heart. It is caused by the reflux of stomach acid.
Heartburn could be an indicator of GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. If dismissed or ignored, this could lead to esophageal ulcers, which are very painful to deal with. Relief will be obtained if heartburn is properly understood. Anyone could experience heartburn. It’s just a matter of dealing with it the right way. There are prescribed treatments recommended for heartburn. Here are some pointers to remember when you use the natural heartburn treatment:
1. No overeating
One very important pointer in your natural heartburn treatment is not to overeat. This over expands your stomach. You should not eat too fast either. A meal should be a means of relaxation for you. If you already formed this eating habit, you should learn to take time in having your meal. You should chew very thoroughly and completely. You should aim to satisfy your hunger and not overstuff your body.
2. Avoid triggers
Heartburn, like any other disorder, has triggers. Some of the triggers are spicy foods, chocolate, vinegar, caffeine, garlic, onions, carbonated drinks, and juices of citrus fruits. You should also avoid alcoholic beverages and fatty foods as well. Your natural heartburn treatment will be more effective when you avoid such initiators of the disorder.
3. Don’t lie down
It is very difficult to stick to new eating practices especially if you are used to lying on your back after eating. You should already avoid doing this if you are already suffering from heartburn. This could easily make the stomach acids to move into your esophagus that will lead to a heartburn episode. Just sit in a sofa or a comfortable chair if you are already exhausted after eating. You should let two hours pass first before you lie down. Just give your stomach enough time to digest the food and get emptied. This will make your natural heartburn treatment more effective.
4. Lose weight
To help in your natural heartburn treatment, you should lose weight. If you are overweight or obese, there will be additional pressure on your stomach and this will make the stomach acids rise up to the esophagus, resulting too the occurrence of heartburn. You could ask your doctor or dietitian in coming up with a diet plan that you could follow to help you lose the excess pounds.
5. Chew gum
One helpful additional natural heartburn treatment is chewing gum. This helps you produce saliva. Saliva is alkaline so it protects your oral cavity and esophagus from acidic effects. This stimulates the swallowing reflex that enables the saliva to enter the stomach and neutralize the acidic environment.
6. Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a natural heartburn treatment that really helps your condition. Aloe vera juice soothes the esophageal lining. You could drink one fourth cup of the aloe vera juice before you eat. Make sure that the form of aloe vera that you drink is intended for ingestion.
7. No smoking
Smoking aggravates heartburn because it inhibits the cardiac sphincter that make the acids stay in the stomach. It could really help your natural heartburn treatment if you stop smoking.
8. Marshmallow herb
Another natural heartburn treatment that could help you is ingesting the marshmallow herb. This conveniently coats the esophageal lining. You could steep one tablespoon of the herb in about eight ounces of boiling water for ten minutes. Everyday, you could drink three cups of this to help your heartburn.
9. Stay active
Exercise relieves stress. You should continue your active lifestyle even if you are diagnosed with heartburn because stress contributes to the onset of this condition. The more stress-free your life is, the easier you could deal with your heartburn. Many people avoid exercise because they are afraid that this might just trigger their heartburn.
Heartburn is a digestive disorder that needs to be given attention already. If not, this would give way to much more complicated diseases. You should immediately let your doctor know if you are experiencing any kind of discomfort in your digestion. This could make the natural heartburn treatment to be accomplished much more easily. Then, the positive results of relief will be experienced much faster. These are important pointers to follow so make sure that you discuss them with your doctor as well.