Tuesday 3 March 2009

Natural Remedies to Alleviate Heartburns

By William Lagadyn

Heartburn is a common disturbance or ailment that occurs to people and yet they consider it as minor. What these people don't know are the dangers posed by chronic or advanced heartburn towards human health. Heartburn can be termed as a manifestation of acid reflux, which in other words is the backing up of acids from the stomach into the esophagus. A different medical term that can be used is Gastro esophageal Reflux Disease, or in short GERD. An advanced heartburn can result in the esophagus walls being infected by ulcers.

In normal circumstances, heartburns have always been treated using the industrial chemical drugs. However, recent research has questioned the effectiveness of some of these drugs. The reason is that the drugs have been made to suppress the stomach acids, thereby leaving the stomach with not enough essential acids that aid in the break down of food during digestion. This therefore means that the best option is to use the natural cures. The natural remedies have been found to have no side effect when used properly as they are simple to use and understand. It is even simpler because the natural cure has been around and it is found in the foods that we eat in our daily lives.

For start, ensure that you take lots of water all day. The water must be very clean and filtered so as to help in stabilizing the pH level in the stomach thereby keeping the amount of acid at a required level. The other types of natural cure for heartburn are the use of ginger and peppermint. You can take ginger as it is, but it is recommended that you take it with other foods in measured amounts for better results. Peppermint on the other hand can be mixed with drinks before being taken. It has the ability to neutralize all stomachs acids which help eliminating acid reflux and heartburns.

Apple cider vinegar taken in beverage form has also been found to be an effective way to deal with heartburn. Others prefer to take roasted unsalted almonds as a cure for heartburn and they are said to be doing the trick. As they say prevention is better then cure therefore its prudent that one takes preventative rather than curative measures. The kinds of foods that you consume are of much importance and one should be cautious when it comes to this. Avoid spicy foods as much as possible.

Before you start onto any program or diet to help you deal with heartburn, it is very advisable that you get expert medical advice from a medical practitioner. This is because the possibility and reality of quacks out there is so very real and it is prudent to be right and sure from the very start.

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