You are very wise in seeking out natural remedies for acid reflux instead of prescribed medications for many reasons, including some you may not even know about.
Prescribed drugs have many unwanted side effects
Most medications are not intended for long term use, only until you implement the much needed dietary and lifestyle changes.
Of course, the drug companies are not going to readily reveal this information to you because they would lose out on billions of dollars at your expense. It is a shame that people and companies are only concerned with their "bottom line", but that is the subject of an entirely different article.
There are also manyherbal remedies for acid reflux documented. Herbalists base their opinions on their knowledge of both traditional medicine and medicinal plants. Some of these include common food herbs, and not dangerous even if used long term. Their effectiveness as natural cures for acid reflux has not been proven, so we will not go into any detail here. They do fall under the category of natural remedies for acid reflux, which is the reason for mentioning them.
It is highly suggested, however, that even if you have decided to use natural remedies for acid reflux, that you see a doctor to make sure that you actually do have acid reflux. Let your physician know that you are planning to use a natural treatment as opposed to prescription medication.
Don't take acid reflux lightly either, as advanced stages can lead to more serious conditions, including esophageal cancer.
There is also a rarely discussed condition called "silent acid reflux", which affects the vocal cords and voice box. Its symptoms include but are not limited to:
Hoarseness in the morning.
Suddenly developing a cough without cold or flu symptoms.
A need to clear your throat frequently.
Oddly enough, silent acid reflux symptoms do not include heartburn, interesting, huh? Be sure to see your physician if these symptoms suddenly occur or if you already have them.
There are many natural remedies for acid reflux, but we will be concerning ourselves in this article with only a few.
Common sense:
This is perhaps the most important remedy of all! If you know that if you eat that pizza with everything but the kitchen sink on it at 11 pm and go to bed at midnight you will be up all night with heartburn, don't do it!
Reduce smoking:
If you smoke more than a pack a day, slow down a bit. Tests have shown that excessive smoking relaxes the LES valve (the valve that lets food into the stomach but is supposed to keep the acid in as well) and slows the formation of saliva, which helps in the digestive process.
Reduce your consumption of alcohol:
Alcohol increases stomach acid, so easy does it, especially before going to bed.
Keep a food diary:
Take a note of what you eat (yes, even that candy bar out of the vending machine) and if your heartburn "pops-up" as a result. Those things that give you heartburn, stop eating for awhile until your acid reflux is under control.
Change your eating habits:
Do you eat a large meal less than two or three hours before you go to bed? If you do, then you already know the heartburn that keeps you awake and makes you cough. What happens is that the stomach does not have enough time to properly digest the food, and if your LES valve does not work properly, that excess acid is pumping right up into your throat. Try to eat earlier if possible and not quite as much.
Weight loss:
If you are carrying around that "spare tire", meaning 20 or more pounds of extra weight, consider losing a few pounds. There are foods that you should and should not be eating when suffering from acid reflux and oddly enough, will help you lose weight as well.
Raise the head of your bed at least 4 to 6 inches:
What this does is give gravity a helping hand, and will allow the natural flow of your saliva into your stomach, which aids the digestive process and also helps keep the acid where it belongs, in your stomach.
There are a lot more natural remedies for acid reflux, but this will give you a good start. Everyone is different, so what works for one person may not work for you. Experiment with these and then pick out what works best in your unique situation.
God Bless!
Suffering from acid reflux and heartburn is not a fun thing! Make it a point to be on a quest to solve the mystery of your heartburn, gerd, and acid reflux. Your quest for natural remedies for acid reflux continues when you click here.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
tweet this!