It was my intention to post a different Blog, however, someone asked me about ways to treat acid reflux naturally and I decided to write a post addressing that issue. There are effective ways to treat acid reflux without using antacids over the counter or prescribed. Antacids are effective, but you have to use them daily. Before I talk about natural remedies, the cause of the reflux needs to be identified.
Acid reflux is caused by not enough acid in the stomach acid. Not enough acid delays the emptying of food in the stomach. The longer the food sits, the increase of irritation to the stomach occurs, which results in heartburn. Needless to say, acid reflux can occur when there is a high level of acid in the stomach as well. Either way taking antacids reduces the acid level and can make the heartburn worse.
Apple cider vinegar is one way to reduce acid reflux, be sure to use apple cider vinegar with the mother. The mother will look cloudy in the bottom of the bottle. I recommend Braggs ACV; it is a gentle acid-producing drink that will increase acid production if your levels are low. Mix 1 tablespoon with 4-6 ounces of water before each meal. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (squeeze from a lemon), to boost the effectiveness of ACV. If you start to experience reflux halfway through a meal drink more of the mixture halfway through the meal to help break down your food.
Enzymes are also important for food breakdown. No matter if your digestive enzymes are low or you need to take digestive enzymes to help apple cider vinegar rebuild low stomach acid, they are a good short-term solution. Most people don’t need to take digestive enzymes for the rest of their lives. Please get digestive enzymes from a quality source, not your local supermarket. My recommendation would be to order from a reliable source, like Herbs Direct.
HCL (hydrochloric acid) is an acid naturally occurring in your stomach to break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats. When taking antacids over a long period of time you may have low levels of HCL. Take heed if you have a stomach infection like H-pylori, more acid can make it worse. Do not take without consulting your medical provider.
A sign that the HCL is working is you feel a warm sensation in your stomach. If you don’t feel a warm sensation, increase your dose a little until you feel the warmness but don’t increase more than that. HCL should be used for a short period of time as your body should be able to produce appropriate levels on its own.
Eating large amounts of food, as we tend to do during holiday meals, makes it hard for your digestive tract to keep up. Portion control is an essential factor when you don’t have enough acid and enzymes to break down your food. At home eat smaller meals, use smaller plates or fill your plate with an amount of food equal to your fist. You may think “I’m going to starve to death”, trust me you won’t. That portion of food is the amount your body can handle when your digestive system is out of whack.
Another consideration is to eat small meals throughout the day. Have breakfast, a mid-morning snack, small lunch, mid-afternoon snack, and a small dinner. Spreading out your meals allows your body to fully digest the food as it should.
If you have acid reflux, I have no doubt you are aware that spicy foods increase heartburn. Jalapenos, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce all improve the flavor of food but will not sit well in your digestive system. While you work to rebalance your acid levels stay away from spicy foods. Try replacing spicy foods with spices like cumin, black pepper and turmeric. Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory ingredient that can help reduce acid influx.
Stay away from inflammatory and irritating foods like wheat gluten, pasteurized dairy, and refined sugar. Foods that have been heavily processed can cause stomach upset and acid reflux. Eat foods that are whole, like fruits and vegetables. Other foods to avoid are alcohol, carbonated beverages, fatty and fried foods, garlic, onions, mints, tomatoes, and oranges.
Soothing foods to add to your diet are kefir, bone broth, fermented vegetables, kombucha, dark leafy vegetables, artichokes, asparagus, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, wild caught fish, and healthy fats like avocados, almonds, and honey. These non-spicy and anti-inflammatory foods will keep acid reflux from flaring up and help calm the digestive system to help promote healing.
To this day, I am a slow eater and take the time to chew my food, because my mother instilled that in me when I was a child. Digestion starts in the mouth, it’s important to chew your food thoroughly to signal your body to produce more acid and enzymes. Avoid stressing out your system by chewing, for every bite you eat chew it 30 times. Saliva production has key enzymes that begin to break down the food you eat to start the digestive process.
Put out the fire by drinking more water. Water helps dilute too much stomach acid and helps push acid and food along the digestive tract which reduces acid reflux. Drinking 72 ounces of water a day, not only reduces acid reflux but relieves constipation, rehydrates you after a diarrhea episode and keeps you sharp mentally.
Considering the state of our country these days many of us are experiencing an increase in stress. Stress can have a great impact on our digestive systems as it signals our bodies to enter the fight or flight mode. This can cause gastric emptying including acid. Your system may produce either too much or too little acid, both produce acid reflux. Practice meditation do deep breathing exercises, or yoga to reduce stress. Taking a walk in nature also reduces stress.
Combat acid reflux with aloe juice, it is healing and can soothe the cell lining of your digestive tract from acid damage or inflammation. Drink 1/4 – 1/2 cup of organic aloe juice before a meal or when you experience acid reflux. Read the label to find a brand without any sugar or additives.
Do not eat late at night. Have you ever felt a burning sensation after eating a bedtime snack and lying down? The culprit is the food and acid still in your stomach, when you lay horizontally, it causes it to rise up near your esophagus. Do not go to bed sooner than two hours after eating as that is the time it takes for food to leave your stomach and enter the intestines.
Try using these herbs to soothe and cool your digestive system from acid burn. Slippery elm, marshmallow root, chamomile and licorice root can be taken in capsules, tinctures, or herbal tea form. They are easy to find and consume and have great digestive benefits. Again, I recommend ordering from Herbs Direct for quality products.
For fast relief try baking soda, it is a base not an acid and has numerous health benefits. As well it helps neutralize stomach acid, however, you should it sparingly because it lowers stomach acid. Mix 1/2 teaspoon in 1/4 cup of water, if you still have a burning sensation, repeat this drink until the feeling is gone. Note, do this if you are working on boosting normal acid levels. Baking soda is a healthy alternative to heavy antacid medications.
To start your healing journey use one or two of the remedies mentioned in this post. They are all powerful and you only need one or two of them to make a big difference. Over time these changes will help restore function in your digestive tract. These remedies can also resolve other digestive health concerns too. I wish you luck!
Until next time,
Peace, Love, and Blessings ❤️
