Combat your acid reflux and GERD the natural way with these remedies to soothe your stomach.
8 Home Remedies for GERD and Heartburn Your Stomach Will Thank You For
Updated on Mar. 02, 2023
Avoid certain foods
One of the most effective home remedies for GERD is simply monitoring what you put into your body. Fatty foods, spicy foods, alcohol, coffee, and fizzy drinks have all been known to contribute to acid reflux, so these items should be consumed in moderation to reduce acid reflux symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. These are other foods to avoid if you have acid reflux symptoms.
Drink or chew on herbs
Certain herbs aid digestion and can provide heartburn relief when consumed after a meal. Chamomile and ginger teas have both been shown to improve digestion, making them ideal home remedies for GERD. You can also chew on fennel, dill, anise, or caraway seeds, or crush the seeds into a soothing tea as a home remedy for heartburn. If you have a ragweed allergy, a Harvard Medical School report recommends skipping chamomile in favor of one of the other herbal remedies.
Drink globe artichoke extract
A studied remedy for GERD symptoms, artichoke extract has been looked at in many clinical studies—including a 2015 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine—and research suggests it may relieve nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, and other symptoms of indigestion. This is because compounds in artichoke leaves called caffeoylquinic acids stimulate the release of bile from the gall bladder. Find out the difference between acid reflux and GERD.
Consider Iberogast
The herbal liquid contains milk thistle, chamomile, caraway, lemon balm, peppermint, licorice, greater celandine, angelica root, and bitter candytuft. Iberogast has been extensively researched and studies indicate that the liquid regulates production of stomach acid and protects the stomach lining, making it among the top home remedies for GERD and acid reflux, according to the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. Iberogast should be mixed with water and taken three times a day.
Use baking soda
Baking soda relieves acid reflux symptoms because it contains carbonate (CO3), which helps restore the acid/alkaline balance in your digestive tract. For temporary heartburn relief from acid reflux symptoms, mix” Look out for these silent signs of acid reflux you might be ignoring.
Take antacid chews
Though you can get them at a drugstore, antacid chews like Tums are actually a natural remedy for GERD symptoms because they’re made up of calcium carbonate, which has been proven to quickly neutralize esophageal acid, says the Cleveland Clinic. Make sure you cut these 12 foods that can make heartburn worse out of your diet.
Chew gum
Chewing gum increases your saliva production, which is a good home remedy for heartburn. Saliva contains bicarbonate, which neutralizes acid. However, be mindful of how much gum you chew, warns the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. Chewing too much of the stuff could result in excessive intestinal gas or diarrhea.
Raise the head of your bed
It’s best to eat at least three hours before you go to bed. When you do sleep, it is recommended that people with acid-reflux raise the head of their beds three to six inches to help cure heartburn, says the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Don’t miss these 8 medical reasons you shouldn’t ignore heartburn.
Sources
- Harvard Medical School: "Remedies for Heartburn."
- Canadian Society of Intestinal Research: "Suffer From Reflux? Chew Gum."
- Mayo Clinic: "Gastroesophageal reflux disease"
- Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine: "The Effect of Ginger and Artichoke Extract Supplementation on Functional Dyspepsia."
- Canadian Society of Intestinal Research: "Functional Gastrointestinal Relief Possible."
- Fisher-Titus Medical Center: "7 Natural GERD Home Remedy Solutions."
- Cleveland Clinic: "Heartburn Treatment."
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology: "Silent Reflux" Symptoms Reduced by Raising the Head of Bed."
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