1) Store some chewing gum at home. Whenever you are having heartburn or acid reflux, you can quickly chew it, it can generate more saliva and relieve the effect.
2) Take raw ginger. Some people find it very useful by taking raw ginger while having heartburn.
3) Apple Cider Vinegar. Although Vinegar contain acid, it surprisingly aids heartburn very much for many people as vinegar might be able to stop stomach from producing more acid. Have some slices of apple when you are taking apple cider vinegar can strengthen the effect.
4) Take celery. Many doctors advice heartburn patients to take more celery. Celery is the best alkaline food to fight heartburn. Celery juice has the same effect as well, you can make a juice blend with 30% celery, 30% cucumber, 30% leafy greens, and 10% carrot. This blend can not only relieve the heartburn, it can provide your body with every nutrient and amino acid your body needs.
By Juliette Aiyana, LAc
I may be developing acid reflux disease. Every few months, I experience heartburn but refuse to pop antacids or those OTC acid blockers. Can I prevent acid reflux and treat my bouts of heartburn naturally?
The symptoms of acid reflux can cause discomfort and embarrassment. And if left untreated, acid reflux can damage the esophagus. In Chinese medicine we classify acid reflux as a heat disorder commonly affecting the stomach and/or liver energy systems. Heat and fire flare upward bringing the acid into the throat. Acupuncture, dietary changes, and Chinese herbs can quickly relieve your symptoms. To find relief, consult a TCM herbalist who will devise an herbal formula for you based on your unique signs and symptoms. You should not have to take herbs long term if you eat an energetically balanced diet. The Chinese herbal formula Chai Hu Shu Gan Tang (“bupleurum powder to spread the liver”) alleviates symptoms in many people within about one to two weeks, but it should not be taken for an extended period of time.
Poor digestion results in damp heat accumulation in the stomach, leading to acid regurgitation. Foods such as mung bean, tofu, soybeans, wheat, dairy, aloe, banana, cucumber, lettuce, olives, seaweed, summer squash, tomato, and melons, can help cool the stomach and heal energetic imbalances. Foods to help prevent food retention include orange peel, fennel, potato, rhubarb (in moderation), bamboo shoot, pineapple, lemon, barley, hawthorn berry, and malt.
Liver qi is responsible for the smooth flow of energy throughout the entire body. Excessive heat will cause it to move upward and invade the stomach, creating heat there. Try eating dark leafy greens, bitter greens, leeks, quinoa, anise, ginger, basil, turkey, and ocean fish, which help cool and circulate the flow of liver qi.
In all cases, avoid spicy, greasy, fried and oily foods, processed foods, high-fat meats, sugar, and more than two servings of caffeine a day. Reduce your stress and anger, and don’t eat if you are angry or upset. Avoid overeating and drink alcohol in moderation—alcohol generates the heat that leads to acid reflux. I recommend that my heartburn patients abstain from alcohol completely for two to three months and, afterwards, imbibe fewer than four drinks a week.
Juliette Aiyana, LAc, has been a natural health practitioner since 1992. In 2001, she founded Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs in New York City (www.amazinghealing.com).
The apple cider vinegar is known as the most effective treatment for acid flux. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one glass of water and you can drink this in your every meal. Having this kind of treatment will help your stomach have a calming effect and lessen the quantity of digestive fluids it produces.
Aside from this, fresh apples, bananas and other fruits are helpful in curing your acid reflux. Fruits that are rich in enzyme such as pineapple and papaya can also be included in your meal as they help in the easy digestion of the food we eat.
