Acid reflux – a condition where stomach acid backs up into the esophagus – is a growing problem.? With the number of acid reflux sufferers on the rise, many people are searching for a more natural solution to frequent heartburn.? Taking medication every day for the rest of their lives is not appealing to some, so here are some things that may help relieve frequent heartburn in a more holistic way.

Chewing gum encourages you to swallow.? The excess saliva in your stomach acts as water flushing things through your system, not allowing pressure to build and backups to occur.

Apple cider vinegar can be used during a heartburn attack or to help prevent one.? If heartburn has already settled in, try 2 to 3 tablespoons of undiluted apple cider vinegar.? Or dilute the same amount in warm water about 20 minutes before eating to help prevent the onset of heartburn.

Aloe Vera juice may also help.? It has been widely used in Europe for years as an agent that soothes heartburn.? Try drinking about a quarter of a cup before meals to prevent reflux.? However, use caution.? If you own an aloe plant, do not consume the gel inside the leaves.? They contain a powerful laxative.? Only buy Aloe Vera juice, meant for drinking.

Ginger is a powerful digestive aid that’s been used for centuries to settle an upset stomach.? It can help with everything from sea sickness to heartburn.? In pill form, 1 to 2 pills taken 20 minutes before eating may help.? You can also consume it in tea or candied form if you prefer.

An amino acid called glutamine may also help in the long term.? It promotes healing and disposes of damaged cells in the esophagus, helping repair damage and prevent further episodes of reflux.

Chamomile or fennel tea has also been found to help soothe heartburn.? However, to be effective it should be sipped at a warm temperature, not drank too quickly when very hot.

Papaya enzymes may help some people, however those with latex allergies should use caution as a similar reaction has happened in a few people.? Papaya contains digestive enzymes that help break down food.

The natural oils found in almonds have also been found to help relieve symptoms of acid reflux.? Try a handful after meals, chewed completely, to help soothe heartburn.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!? Some people have found with just a few slices of apple heartburn symptoms can be alleviated.

Unflavored yogurt contains helpful bacteria that have been shown to tighten stomach walls, preventing acid from getting where it doesn’t belong.

If all else fails, drink a glass of water.? The liquid will help dilute the stomach contents and flush irritants through the system.

For more natural remedies, read our Reflux Remedy Report.

Acid reflux, sometimes called heartburn, happens when stomach acid is allowed to flow up into the lower esophagus.? This can cause discomfort and pain for the sufferer.? Although there is no one sure and fast cure for heartburn, there are many ways to alleviate its symptoms.

Medicine

• Over the counter medications like Tums or Mylanta may help by neutralizing stomach acid. However, they can also have some nasty side effects, like constipation or diarrhea when over used.

• Prescription medicines can help attack heartburn in many ways.? Some, called foaming agents, help prevent heartburn by coating the stomach.? Others, known as H2 blockers (like Pepcid and Zantac) and proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec and Nexium), prevent production of acid in the first place.? Prokinetics (like Reglan) can help strengthen the muscle that prevents acid from moving into the esophagus (called the lower esophageal sphincter), as well as help push food through the system faster ? preventing pressure buildup and reducing acid reflux.

Natural Remedies

• Apple cider vinegar has been found to be very helpful in relieving and preventing heartburn.? As little as 2 to 3 tablespoons can help relieve acid reflux, and when added to a cup of water, can help prevent future attacks.

• Ginger is also a widely used remedy.? It can be found in many forms ? pill, candied and tea ? and, like apple cider vinegar, can help alleviate heartburn, or prevent it when taken before a meal.

• Among the helpful bacteria in yogurt, unflavored yogurt is said to contain the kind that helps tighten stomach walls.? This in effect, prevents acid from backing up into the esophagus.

• Drinking chamomile or fennel tea may also help.? However, it should be sipped at a warm temperature, not gulped while hot.

• If nothing else works, drink a glass of water.? It will help flush the system and dilute the acid in the stomach.

Daily changes

• Smoking has been shown to aggravate acid reflux.? Quitting may help soothe symptoms.

• Wear loose fitting clothes.? Wearing tight clothes puts pressure on the abdomen causing acid to back up.

• Sleep with a few pillows under your head, and take naps in a more vertical position, like in a chair.

• Eat smaller meals more often.? Also, avoid eating right before going to bed.

• Extra weight can put pressure on the stomach, so overweight people may try losing a few pounds.

• Monitor consumption of over the counter pain medications and supplements.? Some NSAIDS ? like aspirin and ibuprofen ? as well as vitamins ? iron, calcium and potassium for example ? have been shown to exacerbate heartburn and acid reflux.

Surgery

Generally, surgery is not necessary and used as a last resort.? However, if dietary changes and medications are not helpful, a procedure called fundoplication may be necessary.? It involves wrapping part of the stomach around the lower esophagus, tightening the muscles there and preventing acid backups.? The procedure can be done laparoscopically as well as through an open incision in the abdomen.

For more information on finding relief for acid reflux, please read our Reflux Remedy Report.

I’ve been successfully helping people with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) for going on 4 years now and the natural remedies I suggest have been helping everyone I know of who has tried them.

Lately I’ve noticed there are a lot of people who are interested in any kind of exercise to help rejuvenate and strengthen their Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), which is the flap in your throat that’s supposed to keep stomach acid down below.

Unfortunately once acid reflux becomes chronic GERD, that esophageal sphincter has been quite damaged by all the gastric acid pushed up against it and through it.

In spite of the fact that natural remedies and lifestyle changes do help people and do promote their own healing processes, once this flap has been burned by GERD, it needs special nurturing.

So I started studying how people who have been on feeding tubes are rehabilitated, I thought this might give us some clues. Fact is feeding tubes are very helpful for people who have difficulty swallowing, but sometimes after a long treatment they have to relearn how to switch back to eating orally, like normal.

It was here I found some exercises that may help people recovering from Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

There is a study that proved swallowing pudding helped patients who had difficulty with the upper esophageal sphincter (UES), which is the flap that keeps air from getting into the stomach. Something about the simple act of swallowing seems to have natural strengthening benefits.

The difference with the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is its designed to keep the gastric acid away from the throat. It only makes sense to consider any advancement in this area because there isn’t a whole ton of info on the subject.

Additional exercises for GERD would be to walk after eating, chew food for extremely long periods of time and learn to breathe deeply while in any position.

Another suggestion would be to swallow tablespoons of pure aloe vera gel. You can’t really exercise the lower esophageal sphincter, but strengthening the upper flap is a start and the aloe vera will accelerate the healing of chemical burns that have inflicted the lower flap.

That’s what GERD does, it attacks that lower flap and because it can’t be exercised per se, like the upper flap, it can be nurtured in several other ways.

So keeping the digestive system at an optimum level will be the best exercise you can do to help rehabilitate this lower flap.

Keep eating less than what fills you up, supplement with living enzymes and probiotics and I suggest juicing celery, cucumbers and apples will also help. The trick with apples when you juice them is to peel the skin and eat that first. The apple skin contains natural enzymes that digest the malic acid and sugars in the apple. If you just juice the apple, most juicers will discard the skin, which is unfortunate if you don’t know to eat it first.

You can also get expensive cold-pressing juicers that don’t separate the fibers necessary for proper health and digestion.

So exercises for GERD would be stretching, deep breathing and walking. A good therapy is to swallow healthy food sources with a dense or gelatinous quality, such as clear gelatin, pudding and aloe vera gel.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist

Acid Reflux Disease happens when the sufferer has heartburn more than twice a week, or chronically.? There are a number of ways to approach finding relief for this painful problem.? Most people will immediately go for medication, be it over the counter antacids or prescription medications.? However, there are a surprising amount of natural remedies that can prevent ever needing to reach for a bottle of pills.

• Changing your eating habits can be the first step, and easiest way, to alleviate heart burn. Eating smaller more frequent meals can prevent overloading the stomach all at once and causing a buildup of pressure and acid. Also, eating 2 to 3 hours before bed can help prevent that night time heartburn from creeping up.
• Smokers should quit smoking, as it has been shown to worsen acid reflux.
• People who are overweight can try losing a few pounds. The extra weight puts added pressure on the chest and abdomen, causing reflux.
• Tight clothing should also be avoided. Similarly to extra weight, it puts pressure on the abdomen.
• Drinking a glass of chamomile or fennel tea can help soothe an irritated esophagus when sipped slowly at a warm temperature.
• A few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar can help during heartburn, and when diluted in a cup of water before meals can help prevent future reflux.
• Aloe Vera juice can help when consumed before meals. However, the gel from an aloe plant will not. It’s a powerful laxative and shouldn’t be consumed to relieve heart burn. Only drink Aloe Vera juice.
• Ginger has been found to help with many stomach problems, including acid reflux. It can be taken in pill form, drank in tea, or consumed in candied form. When taken before meals it acts as a preventative, and can help soothe when taken during heartburn.
• Almonds contain natural oils found to help alleviate heartburn. A handful is all it takes to calm an upset stomach.
• Papaya contains an enzyme that has a digestive enzyme to help break down foods and prevent pressure build up. When taken before meals it can help prevent the onset of acid reflux.
• For long term prevention and healing damage done to the esophagus by chronic heart burn, the amino acid glutamine can help. It promotes healing and eliminates damaged cells in the esophagus.
• Unflavored yogurt has helpful bacteria that promote healing in the esophagus and tightening of the muscles, preventing future onsets.
• Some people have even found eating an apple helps rid them of heartburn.
• Drinking a glass of milk – some recommend skim, some recommend whole – may help relieve acid reflux.
• Something as simple as drinking a glass of water can help. By diluting the stomach acids and flushing the system faster it can be an excellent way to soothe heart burn.

The Reflux Remedy Report contains even more ideas for getting rid of acid reflux disease.? Check it out!