Heartburn can be very irritating sometimes. A continuous feeling of hiccups and then throat and chest burn can make you feel awful. Heartburn can be occasional or it can even be frequent and can make you feel uncomfortable. Some acidic, fatty and spicy foods can give you the sensation of heartburn.
Here we will see ways to get rid of heartburn but just before we start with our topic, we want to give you some must-have information about the situation you are facing right now, ‘Heartburn’.
Who can get heartburn?
Though, anybody can get heartburn however, there are some cases which can make you a regular patient of heartburn:
- Pregnant women
- Overweight people
- Smokers
- Patients with Hiatal Hernia
What can cause a heartburn:
When you eat anything it passes through your esophagus entering your stomach. There is a muscle called esophageal sphincter (LES) connecting both the esophagus and the upper part of the stomach. This muscle Gate opens the food and S8 flows from the esophagus to the abdomen.
Sometimes, LES opens up too frequently, causing the continued flow of acid and food. This ultimately ends up giving an heartburn.
What can activate a heartburn:
Can activate a heartburn can differ from person to person. Where are the few things that can set off a heartburn:
- Spicy food.
- overeating.
- Stress.
- Going to bed Right after eating.
How to get rid of heartburn
If you are already suffering from heartburn then it is something you would love to get quickly rid of soon. These tips will let you get rid of heartburn as quickly as possible:
1. Ginger:
Ginger is the something that can help you a lot to get rid of heartburn. You try every experiment with ginger to cure heartburn. You can make ginger tea, eat ginger roots, mix ginger in your soup, mix it in your normal meal and whatever comes first in your mind. Though, you should try to avoid ginger ale, as it contains artificial ingredients rather than natural ginger.
2. Drink Pineapple juice:
You just have to sip 4 Oz of pineapple juice after having your food and you will feel some relief from heartburn. Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme responsible for the reduction of hydrochloric acid present in the stomach.
3. Try Baking soda:
The one I am going to share now is the most common cure for heartburn. You just have to take some normal drinking water and add two teaspoons of baking soda to it. Drink the mixture slowly and soon you will see some positive results.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar:
Drinking apple cider vinegar diluted with can also give you some relief from heartburn, it is not a proven fact though. If you want to give it a shot, you just have to mix apple cider vinegar with water and drink it after having your meal.
5. Vegetable juices:
Drinking the juice of veggies alkaline in nature can reduce the amount of stomach acid. Vegetables like cabbage, celery and raw potatoes contain alkaline and thus their juices can reduce heartburn.
6. Try some spices and herbs:
If you are suffering from severe heartburn than you can give a shit to spices and herbs like chamomile, Basil, fennel and cinnamon can help you get quick relief from heartburn:
- Chamomile tea can neutralize the stomach acid.
- You just have to chew 3 to 4 fresh basil leaves and you will get rid of heartburn, gas and nausea.
- Add 2 spoons of fennel seeds into a cup of boiling water, let it steep for 10 minutes, strain the drink and have it warm. It will sooth the heartburn.
- Take one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and add it to a cup of boiled water. Strain and drink. This will give you some relaxation from heartburn.
7. Lay down with elevation:
If you want a cure for heartburn and not in a mood to make some extra effort then laying down with the correct posture can even help you. You just have to elevate your upper-body from head to waist with any support and you are done.
8. Chewing gum:
Chewing gum creates Saliva and thus improves swallowing. If you chew gum after having your food for half an hour it will reduce heartburn. A research performed in the year 2014 proves that chewing gum can clear stomach acid present in the esophagus.
Some good habits to get rid of heartburn:
If it is regular for you to experience discomfort due to heartburn, it is the time for you to make some helpful changes in your routine. These little changes will make you ease heartburn from the core.
1. Maintain a healthy weight:
Maintaining a balanced and healthy weight is good in all aspects and so to keep yourself free from heartburn. The more weight you will gain the more it will apply pressure on your abdomen, ultimately making it releases acid. By having healthy weight or by reducing some weight if you are overweight, you can avoid this uncomfortable situation of heartburn.
2. Loose clothes:
Yes sometimes even tight clothes can give you heartburn. As the clothes start compressing your abdomen the flow of acid shows the upward trend. If you are a fan of too fitted clothes and also suffering from heartburn then it’s time for you to get some loose clothes for yourself.
3. Standing straight:
Somes your posture can even make you suffer from heartburn. The best way to avoid heartburn is rectifying your posture. Standing straight gives a relief to your lower esophageal sphincter by applying less pressure on the same and hence preventing the flow of acids.
4. Avoid food activators of heartburn:
There are some foods which can trigger the heartburn and thus it is always advisable to avoid the same:
- Dairy products
- Fried foods
- Spicy food
- Chocolate
- Food with high fat
- Food with the tomato base
- Garlic
- Acidic food
- Lemon
- Orange
5. Quit smoking:
As already mentioned, smoking can also make you suffer from heartburn. In many cases, it is found that the smokers dealing with the problem of heartburn. You just have to avoid smoking and you will surely get a sound relief from the sensation of heartburn.
6. Heartburn activating liquid:
Just like the food that can set the heartburn off, there are some liquids which can also trigger heartburn.
- Fizzy drinks
- Red wines
- Alcohol
- Lemon and orange juice
- Hot caffeinated drinks
7. Do not lay down right after having your meal:
If you believe in eating a sound amount of meal in your dinner then you even have to develop a habit of taking a regular walk after having your meal. Laying right after having your food increase the amount acid in the stomach and thus giving you discomforting heartburn.
- Have your dinner at least 1 to 2 hours before going to bed.
- Go on a slow walk after meals.
- Simply sit down for a while before going to bed.
OTC Medication:
If nothing is helping you out in the situation and you are feeling your heartburn is getting worse than you can go with the Over The Counter (OTC) Medication for heartburn. There are many OTC medications for heartburn present, which you can easily find:
- H2 Blockers: Reduces the amount of acid secretion from the stomach.
- Antacid: This one neutralizes the acid present in the stomach.
- proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): Reduce heartburn by reducing the amount of stomach acid.
Taking these medicines will give you some quick relief from heartburn. If you have any allergic issues it is always advisable to get it checked with the doctor before going with any medicine.