The ways to cure heartburn are either natural or with the use of medication. Medications prescribed for treating heartburn are antacids, or products that counteract gastric secretions. It is better to cure heartburn with natural methods. Natural cures may be bought over the counter but medications for heartburn require prescription from a doctor. Here are some cures for heartburn.
Simple heartburn cures:
Heartburn can be cured by doing some simple things that can reduce factors favoring heartburn occurrence. The secretions of the stomach have to be controlled, and for this to happen, you need to stick to your diet. Avoid eating spicy and fried meals. Such food items can be digested only with your stomach secreting a lot of gastric juices, which causes heartburn. The gastric secretions can be reduced either by avoiding such foods or by taking some simple food items along with those foods.
Chewing gum:
Chewing gum is considered to be a simple cure for heartburn. Gum, when chewed, can produce a lot of saliva. The increase in the amount of saliva can reduce the effect of heartburn. The gastric secretions are calmed down by the increased salivary secretions. Some food manufacturers have recognized this practical solution, so Spearmint has come up with gum that’s particularly useful in providing relief for heartburn. It can help neutralize stomach acids and control the flow of acids.
Milk:
Milk is commonly considered to be a soothing agent but it is not a perfect remedy for everyone. Those who are allergic to dairy products should avoid drinking milk after a heavy meal, but for others, the effect is different. The lactic acid in milk and milk products is said to be a key substance for the prevention of heartburn. It is better to first test if milk indeed helps you avoid heartburn, or worsens it. This is because milk brings about various reactions in different people.
Peppermint:
People used to take peppermint for the relief of heartburn, but it was found recently in studies that it needs to be avoided by heartburn sufferers. It was found that peppermint had a corrosive effect on the esophageal sphincter, thus, weakening it.
To prevent heartburn, you need to eat natural foods and stay in an upright position after eating. Shifting to an uncomfortable position immediately after having a heavy meal can easily cause the backflow of swallowed food, triggering heartburn. Drink enough water after a heavy meal to help the food to settle.
The food we consume should also have sufficient fibre. Eat lot of fresh and organic products rather than processed and preserved products. Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking, which can aggravate heartburn and may even cause chronic digestive conditions.
Lastly, avoid stress, which has been found to create a reaction of increasing acidity in the stomach, which in turn causes heartburn.
