Natural Remedies for Heartburn

Do you have heartburn? Do you know how to prevent it? I myself have suffered heartburn many times. I sometimes don't know how to deal with it. I usually take zantac, tums or prilosec. How about you? Do you know that there are some home remedies for heartburn?

1) Diet

Avoid heartburn triggers. Keeping a food diary may help you identify problem foods. Foods and drinks that commonly trigger heartburn include:
Citrus fruits, Chocolate, Peppermint, Spearmint, Tomatoes, Raw onions, Garlic, Black pepper, Vinegar, Fatty foods, Spicy foods, Coffee, Citrus juice, Carbonated beverages, Alcoholic beverages.

Don’t go to bed after eating.
Eat your last meal at least two to three hours before lying down.

Eat smaller portion sizes.

Take time to eat.
Try practicing mindfulness while eating. Eliminate all distractions and savor, rather than inhale, your food. Pay full attention to what the food looks like on your plate, how it smells, how it tastes. Chew slowly.

2) Stress Reduction

A survey by the National Heartburn Alliance revealed that 58 percent of frequent heartburn sufferers identify a hectic lifestyle as a factor that contributes to their heartburn and 52 percent say work-related stress makes their symptoms worse.

3) Quit Smoking

Nicotine, an ingredient in cigarettes, can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, a band of muscle at the end of the esophagus, that closes off the esophagus and prevents the acidic stomach contents from entering the esophagus.

4) Chewable DGL

DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) is a folk remedy used for heartburn. It is a form of the herb licorice that has had the glycyrrhizin component removed to reduce the risk of glycyrrhizin-related side effects such as high blood pressure and water retention.

5) Aloe Vera Juice

The juice from the aloe vera plant is another natural home remedy that is used to soothe an irritated esophagus. Although there isn’t any scientific evidence that it might help, aloe vera juice has a long history of use in Europe as a natural home remedy to relive heartburn.

Typically, approximately 1/4 cup of aloe vera juice is taken (by adults) approximately 20 minutes before a meal.

6) Slippery Elm

Slippery elm was once a popular drugstore remedy for sore throats in North America. The herb was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia, a compendium of drug standards, until 1960.

7) Marshmallow

Like slippery elm, the herb marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) contains mucilage, which is thought to coat and soothe the lining of the esophagus. It is another folk remedy that is used for heartburn.