Let Nature Help - A Natural Cure for Heartburn

For some people, every meal seems to lead to painful heartburn and for others, only certain foods bring the agony. Still others only suffer when they fail to abide by reasonable portion sizes. However, there are many times soon after a great meal that you don’t really feel that great anymore and it has nothing to do with the host but just that you may be experiencing severe heartburn and indigestion Heartburn occurs when the stomach acids used to digest foods are backed up into the esophagus, causing pain and inflammation. It all starts with a few episodes of heartburn and if left untreated, in no time it escalates to chronic heartburn.

Simple heartburn is common and simple enough to treat, and most stores carry something to help. If you prefer a natural cure for heartburn over something wrapped in aluminum foil, there is hope for you.

How Heartburn Happens

When you eat, food travels down your esophagus through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the stomach where it is bathed in gastric acid. The muscles of the LES open the sphincter to admit the food and close to keep the acid where it belongs. If the muscles of the sphincter relax too much, you can experience acid reflux. When acid comes in contact with the esophagus, the result is a burning sensation. For minor pain, the problem may be corrected by increasing your saliva with chewing gum. A glass of water may be enough to quiet the burning.

When eating too fast, eating too much, eating the wrong foods or just plain eating has resulted in that familiar burning sensation, you know it’s time for help. Finding heartburn information is easy - there is a lot of help available on the internet, too many stories from your friends and family and much too much in magazines and home remedy books. If that sphincter does not function properly, the acids will indeed back up into the esophagus.

Ginger, Water and Herbal Tea

One natural cure for heartburn is ginger. You can add it to food, drink it in tea or take it as a capsule. Digestion can be aided by enzymes like those found in papaya. Chewable capsules taken with water after a meal have been successful for many sufferers. Fiber absorbs excess acid. If your problem is caused by excess acid, fiber can be added to you diet through foods, fiber pills or beverages.

The most natural cure for heartburn is plain water. Water dilutes the stomach acid, washes away small amounts of acid in the esophagus and helps the digestion. Baking soda is also a natural antacid. A few tablespoons of vinegar in a glass of water adds acid which can strengthen the muscle reaction of the LES. Many sufferers swear by green tea after a meal. Green tea aids digestion and soothes the stomach. Herbal teas with peppermint, chamomile, ginger, licorice root or catnip can strengthen the stomach. A cup of such herbal tea after dinner is the natural cure for heartburn that many swear by.

There are several remedies to try and alleviate the discomfort, and one way some people try and lessen their heartburn is by drinking milk. However, it just may have the opposite effect! It’s been shown that calcium in dairy products actually triggers the production of stomach acid. You can run to the drug store for something chewable or to the medicine cabinet for something awful-tasting or to the list of grandma’s favorite home remedies. It is very common to get occasional heartburn. Heartburn occurs when the stomach acids used to digest foods are backed up into the esophagus, causing pain and inflammation.

If the first natural cure for heartburn that you try disappoints you, don’t give up. Some aids attack heartburn in one way while others help in another. With patience, you can find the natural cure for heartburn that works for you.