Are you one of the millions of people suffering from acid reflux? Statistics show that around 50% of Americans will suffer the symptoms of this unfortunate condition! That means the likelihood of you or your family being affected is really high. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 5 all-natural remedies for acid reflux.
But first…
What Is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is a result of stomach acid that has made it’s way up into the esophagus. This part of the body is not designed to have contact with the powerful acid of the stomach and prolonged exposure can lead to damage of the tissue of the esophagus.
Interestingly, acid reflux is not always caused by too much stomach acid, but can also result from the body not producing enough stomach acid and/or digestive enzymes.
Poor dietary choices, over eating, quickly eating, or eating in a stressed state can all contribute to acid reflux. These activities can cause an excess of acid production which may then lead to acid finding its way into the esophagus.
Symptoms Of Acid Reflux
Acid reflux can cause a myriad of symptoms including heartburn, bloating, nausea, and indigestion. Symptoms can be triggered by eating fried foods, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, spicy food, onions, garlic, citrus, soda, and tomatoes.
The chances are that you or a loved one will be dealing with acid reflux at some point in your life. Many people use antacids or other medications to help alleviate the symptoms but these treatments can often have unwanted side effects and don’t always actually treat the underlying cause of the condition.
So before you pay for expensive and often counterproductive medications first try these 5 easy and natural acid reflux remedies:
Chew Your Food
By eating mindfully and chewing each bite of food at least 30 times, not only is the act of masticating mechanically breaking down the food, but this also allows the enzymes of the saliva to begin to digest your food before swallowing. Plus, this gives the stomach adequate time to gauge the proper amount of acid that needs to be produced. Be sure to eat in a relaxed state without too much distraction. When we are relaxed, the nervous system to comes in to parasympathetic dominance which is considered the “rest and digest” state. This will allow your body to utilize adequate resources for the digestion and assimilation of your meal.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 6-8 oz of filtered or spring water. Drink this mixture 10-30 minutes before your meal to help create an environment in the stomach conducive to healthy digestion and balanced stomach acid production. The vinegar will help curb overproduction of acid or will stimulate acid in the case of underproduction.
Ginger
Ginger root can be used as a delicious appetizer to help prepare your stomach for digestion by stimulating the production of stomach acid, enzymes, and bile. Take a small slice of ginger root and marinate it in a bit of lime juice. Top it off with a dash of mineral rich celtic, himalayan, or aztec sea salt. The salt contains chloride which will help stimulate production of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid). Allow the ginger to marinate in this mixture for 1-2 hours. Consume the marinated ginger 10 to 30 minutes before your meal for best results.
Probiotics
The balance of bacteria in our digestive tract is critical to the efficiency of our digestion. By adding a small amount of fermented food such a sauerkraut, kimchi, grass-fed yogurt or kefir, raw grass-fed cheese, or kombucha, you introduce a high number of beneficial bacteria, yeasts, and enzymes that help regulate digestion and balance stomach acid production. Additionally, you can supplement probiotics in a capsule or powder form.
Digestive Enzymes
When the pancreas is not producing adequate digestive enzymes or if the pancreatic ducts are congested and the enzymes can not make their way to the stomach then the food you eat is not broken down entirely and can irritate the stomach causing acid reflux. Raw living foods have naturally occurring enzymes that are wiped out by the cooking of food. To get around this issue you can use a high quality digestive enzyme supplement before meals can help supplement the digestive process allowing your food to digest easier and prevent the overproduction of stomach acid. It is important to only use digestive enzymes intermittently because the goal is to boost your body’s own innate ability to produce enzymes so you are not overly reliant on a supplement.
Digest Like The Best!
These 5 simple tricks can support your body’s balanced production of stomach acid and dramatically reduce the likelihood of experiencing acid reflux. These all natural and effective remedies produce results without turning to
Dr. Don Colbert has formulated a highly efficacious supplement called Fermented Green Supremefood. This collection of fermented grasses and vegetables comes packed with beneficial probiotics, enzymes, and fiber which all help to regulate digestion and alleviate acid reflux.
References
Awesome information. always geared to better our health,
Thank You
Apple cider vinegar water made my heartburn worse when I tried it.
Sherry,
Sorry to hear that! You may want to use a smaller dose of ACV or try some of the other strategies mentioned in the article instead. Good luck!
Thank you for sharing this been on a lot of meds and the side effects are not good will try these…