Today, in this article, we will discuss how to cure acid reflux naturally at home because summer is the season of chilled fruit punches with scorching heat and heartburn.
Most of us experience gastroesophageal reflux during the hot summer noon.
The stomach starts to feel heavy, and there is unavoidable discomfort in the chest. With a massive drop in appetite, you tend to rely on sugar-packed ice-cold drinks to find comfort.
While there may not be ways to avoid going out in the heat, you can surely avoid the consequences.
Natural remedies can help in easing out the discomfort caused due to acid reflux and bring you back to your normal self.
Well, then what are these remedies? Fret not, we have you covered! In our discussion today, let us talk all about this gut issue and what you can do to enjoy your sunny summer days.
Let’s dive straight in and find out how to cure acid reflux permanently.
Understanding Acid Reflux and Its Treatment
It is a condition associated with abdominal discomfort. It is a digestive illness wherein the acid accumulates in the esophagus.
The increase in bile juices leads to irritation in the food pipe. Acid reflux is a common condition during hot days, but its recurrence twice or thrice a week can lead to GERD.
This may often cause discomfort like a burning sensation in the chest, nausea, and discomfort in the abdomen.
It may further cause bloating, bloody stools, vomiting, weight loss, and regurgitation.
GERD essentially affects the esophagus, causing the deposition of acid and subsequent physiological changes in the cells.
While summer strokes can trigger its causes, other conditions act as catalysts. Some of these causes include:
- Low esophageal sphincter function
- Obesity
- Aging
- Medications
- Low stomach acid
- Your Diet
Controlling these causes can help get rid of acid reflux and its consequences.
While acid reflux is a common condition, let’s move further and understand how to save yourself from getting affected.
8 Ways to Cure Acid Reflux Naturally at Home
Having understood acid reflux and its reasons, let us find out the treatments.
Some natural treatments can give you long-term relief.
Let us discuss some of these home remedies for curing heartburn and its causes.
1. Control Your Weight
Obesity is a major cause of acid reflux. The extra body weight tends to put increased stress on your stomach, affecting the digestion process.
It often leads to the secretion of more acid and increases the chances of its escape to the esophagus lining.
Maintaining a healthy weight helps in smooth functioning, decreasing the risk of disruption in the gut.
With almost 72% of higher-weight people suffering from GERD, getting to a healthy BMI can be step 1 in its treatment.
2. Quit Smoking and Alcohol
People who indulge in excessive smoking and drinking have a high chance of experiencing acid reflux.
The presence of nicotine and alcohol disrupts natural juices and weakens the stomach lining.
They further loosen the valve separating the stomach and esophagus, allowing bile to escape.
Unregulated amounts of these habits can increase the chances of acid reflux, resulting in pain, diarrhea, and other consequences.
Due to these downsides of alcoholic drinks, many people nowadays choose to go for nonalcoholic beers.
This inevitably helps prevent damage to the stomach lining and is better for your gut. However, like any other thing, there may be pros and cons of non alcoholic beer too.
This is why talking to a health expert before putting anything into your body is a smart choice.
But it can be said definitively that avoiding alcoholic drinks and nicotine altogether is a wise decision.
3. Switch to Better Beverages
Ginger tea is a great way to prevent stomach acid from penetrating through the esophagus. It gives instant relief from irritation and brings down inflammation.
Further, chamomile tea balances acid levels, giving you relief from the burning. Similarly, adding aloe juice to your diet can help in treating heartburn.
It aids digestion, reduces inflammation, and gives relief from irritation in the stomach.
4. Change Your Food Patterns
Your food habits have a constant role to play in your health. Switching to better food items that help with reducing acid reflux is a great natural remedy.
Let us look at some food items that neutralize stomach acid immediately:
- Apple cider vinegar – Lowers stomach pH and aids digestion.
- Vegetables – Green beans, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, and cucumber help in lowering acidity.
- Oatmeal – Rich in fiber, it absorbs stomach acid and reduces GERD.
- Proteins – Increase amino acid intake, providing better muscle function.
- Healthy fats – Avocadoes, flax seeds, and olive oil reduce the chances of GERD.
- Fresh fruits – Rich in antioxidants, fruits bring down irritation and inflammation.
- Egg whites – It’s low in fats and protein, which helps digestion.
Incorporate two or more items from the above list into your everyday diet plan.
5. Sleep in an Inclined Position
This sleep pattern helps in the uniform distribution of stomach acid. It can help in keeping the acid from flowing through the esophagus wall by restricting its passage.
This habit of sleeping in an inclined position will do wonders for your health.
That is the reason why many health experts suggest having a good sleeping mattress for extra cushioning and proper sleep.
A comfortable mattress will allow you to stay in the same incline position while you are sleeping, which, as a result, will prevent acid reflux issues.
6. Avoid Spicy Foods
Food items like hot pepper, wasabi, and cayenne enhance flavor but also increase acidity. They irritate the stomach, making your abdomen feel heavy.
Causing an increase in the flow of bile juices to the esophagus, they damage the esophagus lining.
It increases the probability of Acid reflux and GERD, which should be avoided.
7. Include Probiotics
There are numerous benefits of taking probiotics, but they are mainly known for their properties of restoring gut microbiota, which plays an important role in reducing acid reflux.
Consuming probiotics helps in improving gut health and aids smooth digestion.
They have proven to be effective in lowering GERD and providing relief for heartburn and abdominal pain.
Reducing gas buildup in the stomach further prevents gastrointestinal concerns. Fermented foods like kimchi further aid the process.
8. Avoid Tight-Fitting Clothes
Wearing clothes that are cinched at your waist can be a cause of constant discomfort.
Not only do they irritate during summer but also squeeze the stomach, causing acid to rise.
This is why doctors recommend wearing loose-fitting clothes, especially for pregnant women as they may experience heartburn because of fitting clothes.
There may be numerous natural remedies for heartburn during pregnancy, but wearing clothes that give your stomach space to breathe is the easiest and most important.
Loose clothes also help in the easy passage of food and juices in the body, leading to reduced acidity.
So, these were the 8 tips to cure acid reflux naturally at home. Furthermore, as we discussed earlier, one should always consult a health expert before making changes to their diet or lifestyle.
Final Note
The above tips are simple yet effective home remedies that can help in reducing the effects of acid reflux and GERD.
These slight lifestyle changes can give instant and long-term relief from acid reflux.
As this list is not exhaustive, you can add other methods to suit your condition.
These may include – chewing gums, eating almonds, choosing smaller meals, and sipping on alkaline water.
Keeping track of your trigger points and preventing them can be another great way to reduce GERD.
This is extremely crucial for pregnant women because acid reflux or heartburn are pretty common in this condition.
Furthermore, a balanced diet and regular physical activity are also important to aid your digestive function and lower acid production.
While a lot of your daily activities might not be alterable, these small changes can bring great comfort to your tummy.
So, if you love summer and want to ward off gut discomfort, following these simple tips to cure acid reflux naturally at home can offer relief.
