natural cure for acid reflux

Lost another kilo on the diet this week, which is great as you do not feel like you are actually dieting. In fact I can eat as much as I want as long as it is the correct food for that day. It is still working well for my acid reflux and I am not taking much medication at all. I really only take the acid reflux medication if I know I am going out for a drink or a meal, which is doing something different to my diet. That’s when I know I will get heartburn if I do not take precautions.

Heartburn medication stops the natural function of the stomach. By reducing the acid it can affect your health in the long term.

Anyway I have found some more naturals remedies for acid reflux to help rebalance the stomach to the way nature intended.

Grapefruit: - using only organic grapefruit. Grate the rind and spread it onto a flat tray using all of the skin and allow it to dry. Place it in a storage jar. When you feel the first signs of acid reflux, eat a few strands of the grapefruit rind. Test how much you need to settle your stomach.

Cinnamon: - Cinnamon has been used throughout the ages for a variety of medical conditions because of its antiseptic effect. It is used in remedies for colds and flu and it has the ability to combat an acidic stomach. Toast and butter some raisin bread, sprinkle cinnamon on the bread, and add a touch of cardamom. One way to fight acid reflux starts the digestion process in the mouth so chew the bread slowly. Let the digestive juices in the mouth do their work in breaking down the food before it reaches the stomach.

Another natural cure uses slippery elm, mace and nutmeg: - these three items are notorious in fighting stomach complaints.

Slippery Elm bark can be found in most health food shops and is one of the most effective herbs for reducing stomach pain and irritation it protects, and coats the mucus membranes of the stomach and intestinal tract. Not only does it help to absorb excess stomach acid and help it mix better with food, it soothes and heals irritation along the entire digestive tract.

Use a pinch of nutmeg and mace with one teaspoon of slippery elm. Mix with water to make a paste. Boil 11/2 pints of water and add it to the paste. Mix and let cool. Drink about ½ a cup at a time.

Natural remedies can give you relief from heartburn pain when take correctly.

I have not tried any of these remedies but they are definitely on my list to try so that I can completely stop my prescription heartburn medication.

Heartburn symptoms

This week I have not been doing so well with the diet. The good news is that I have not put on any weight. I have not lost any but that was to be expected. The bad news is that because I have not been very strict with the dieting my heartburn symptoms have come back quite quickly.

Yesterday I had a couple of beers and because I have not been taking my acid reflux medication I had heartburn ½ hour later. I compounded the problem because I could not be bothered to have any proper food and warmed a tin of tomato soup to eat. The problem is tomatoes are very acidic and that intensified the problem and made the acid reflux twice as bad. Determined not to take any medicine I drank water instead and suffered for about four hours before it finally started to abate.

Because I am trying to wean myself off the tablets I am going to have to experiment with different natural remedies for acid reflux in the hope that I find something that will do the same type of job as my medication, but without the side effects. Because of the damage the stomach acid does to my esophagus and also because acid reflux disease can lead to cancer of the esophagus something has to be done.

If you have the same problem then sometimes you have to give in and take the medication. This morning I decided to take my Omeprazole. This is one of the most powerful types of acid reflux medicine. It is one of a type of drug called a Proton Pump Inhibitor which stops the formation of acid in the stomach. After researching it I have found that it can be quite dangerous when taken over a long period of time as the balance of your stomach is such that it is supposed to produce acid. When this is stopped it upsets the whole function of the stomach and digestion.

I always have in the house another type of drug, Zantac, which is not quite so strong but the effects can last up to 12 hours when taken. Zantac is from a type of drug called a histamine antagonist of H2 antagonist. They are quite powerful but should still not be taken frequently over a long period of time.

The third option I keep handy are antacids which are an over the counter medicine which you can take for heartburn. They neutralize the acid in your stomach. They work very fast but the effects do not last long. So you have to take a lot more if you have acid reflux on a regular basis. They are made usually from calcium carbonate or Aluminium hydroxide but both again have side effects if taken over a long period of time.

If you want to maintain the chemical balance in your body it is best to look for a natural cure which has fewer or no side effects. There are many types of natural remedy and different foods that will combat your acid reflux but still maintain you in good health. I just have not found the one I want yet. It’s too convenient for me just to take my normal medication. When I find the one I want I’ll let anyone interested know what it is here on my blog.