GERD / Acid Reflux Disease: Home Remedies
What is Acid Reflux Disease / GERD?
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD is a disease in which a person suffers from heartburn because of the return of food items from the stomach to the food pipe.
When food is chewed and taken in, it is passed through the food pipe, or esophagus and to the stomach. The sphincter or elastic bands that connect the lower esophagus and the stomach entrance permit the food to pass into the stomach. The sphincter shuts so that it doesn’t let the contents return. It mixes the contents with the acidic juices from the stomach and then undergoes digestion.
Incorrect closure or disruption of the sphincter located at the junction between the lower portion of the food pipe and the upper portion of the stomach allows the acidic food mix to flow from the stomach into the esophagus (food pipe). This is the cause of acidity and heartburn.
What Causes Acid Reflux Disease / GERD?
The most common reason for GERD is a poor diet or eating habits that are not consistent.
Certain foods such as chocolates, fried food items, and other foods can cause acid reflux.
Carbonated drinks, sugary drinks, alcohol, coffee and other drinks are all known to trigger reflux.
Smoking cigarettes can relax the lower esophageal and sphincter of the es, permitting the empty food contents from the stomach back to the lower esophagus.
Hiatal hernia can also be thought of as a cause of GERD. This happens when a small portion of the stomach extends towards the chest through an opening within the diaphragm.
Home Remedies for Acid Reflux Disease / GERD
Acid reflux can affect both adults and children. In the present era of hectic lifestyles, irregular eating habits, and grabbing food in a rush, acidity in the stomach is likely to react. There are natural remedies that can serve to treat acid reflux.
Some dietary modifications and tips can be implemented to eliminate the issue.
What Do you think, How do you feel and when to eat: Tip Keep a journal of the food you consume and when.
What:
a. Get more fibre
b. Eliminate foods that can cause acidities, such as citrus fruits and high-fat food items
c. Do not consume sweets and drinks with sugar and chocolates because they trigger digestion in the stomach and stimulate acid production.
How:
a. Eat slowly, taking bites of smaller pieces
b. Take the meal correctly and let it be well mixed with saliva before taking a swallow.
When:
a. Eat at least two hours before the time you go to bed.
b. Eat regularly and eat more often small meals.
Make sure you drink enough water. Consume 3 to 4 Liters of water each day. The water boosts the amount of saliva produced, which neutralizes stomach acidity and lets food be absorbed by the digestive system smoothly.
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Chewing gum: While chewing gum, a large amount of saliva is released and then swallowed. The saliva acts as a neutralizer on the acidity of the stomach. It is essential to select non-sugary gums to chew. Chewing gum following meals will help to reduce acidity.
Herbal tea: Tea made from green with mint, fenugreek gingerroot, or chamomile may assist in soothing stomach acid. Drink them for about at least 30 minutes before eating.
Beware of alcohol and smoking: Smoking is known to cause relaxation on the sphincter, which stops food from being pulled back into the stomach. Alcohol can increase the acidity of the stomach. Beware of these bad habits; they can benefit your health in many ways.
Maintain a healthy weight. The excess weight puts tension on the abdomen and the stomach, causing the contents to push back towards the esophagus. Healthy weight maintenance also includes eating well, which causes less stress on the stomach.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing: When clothes around the waist are tightened, the stomach is squeezed, causing the lower esophageal and sphincter to open improperly upwards. The contents can then be pushed in the opposite way, which can cause stomach acidity and heartburn.
Do not immediately lie down following a meal: Do not lie down for more than two hours following a meal. The food you eat can stay inside the stomach for about 2 hours following the meal. Once the stomach is empty, the stomach is now safe enough to lay down.
Please do not engage in intense physical exercise right after eating: When we eat our meals, blood flow is accelerated toward the abdomen, which helps support peristalsis. The peristaltic motions of the digestive tract push the food down. If we exercise following meals, then the flow of blood to these muscles is decreased, and digestion happens at a slower pace, eventually resulting in acidity.
Sleep with your head in a raised place: Raise the lead in a position of 6 inches while sleeping to prevent stomach acid reflux in the stomach.
Relax and unwind:
Take time to relax with sports, leisure activities, meditation or yoga. Stress can cause heartburn and acidity and trigger stomach indigestion. This may be due to eating too much or not eating enough because of work pressures.
You can sleep on your left. Sleep on your right side increases tension in the stomach, which can trigger reflux and increase GERD symptoms. The left side of the bed can help reduce the pressure.
Foods that help buffer Stomach Acids
What to eat/drink?
Apple or banana
Yellow mustard paste
Almonds
Aloe juice
Baking soda
Apple cider vinegar
Slippery elm
How do I take it?
- A banana or an apple every day helps keep acidity at bay.
- One tablespoon of this during an attack of acid reflux.
- Around four almonds after eating
- Half an aloe-based drink in the morning before meals
- Half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 8 ounces of water in an acid reflux attack. Please do not use this remedy since it may cause nausea.
- Three teaspoons of unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 eight ounces of water. Take it 15 minutes before eating.
- Boil the slippery elm leaves in water, and drink it with you after eating and before bedtime.
Note: These are guidelines Or best practices that are being used and followed by most of us in day-to-day life.
Suggested that, you do take care of yourself and consult a doctor in case of major issues Or feel you are allergic to any homemade remedies.
Be healthy-Be happy.