Preventing Heartburn
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 11:33AMIf you suffer from frequent heartburn - twice a week or more - you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. This condition occurs in people whose lower esophageal sphincter doesn't close properly, allowing stomach acid to backflow into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest and neck areas. It can also cause nausea, coughing, belching, a bitter taste, and respiratory problems, including aggravating asthma. Diet, stress, smoking and pregnancy can all trigger or worsen symptoms.
If you think you have GERD, see a doctor to rule out other concerns, such as angina, which has similar symptoms. Discuss any medications you are taking: some can trigger reflux. If you want to treat GERD naturally, try the following:
- Keep a food and beverage journal. It can help you track and avoid triggers.
- Eat small, frequent meals.
- Wear loose clothing and maintain a healthy weight. Both can prevent stomach constriction and help reduce GERD.
- Avoiding lying down after eating.
- Practice relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises.
- Sip chamomile tea. It can help soothe inflamed tissue in the esophagus.
- Try sleeping on your left side. This may help move acid away from the entrance of the esophagus.
- Experiment with DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice), a supplement proven to be effective against GERD.
Reader Comments (8)
There is a much better and inexpensive as well as effective method to cure heartburn after any irritating food or drink product you may have ingested. Take a few cut up stalks of celery and sprinkle Lawry's Seasned Salt on them. The turmeric in Lawry's puts out the fire within minutes without having to subjecting your body to any type of dangerous drugs or waiting for some antiacid pill, powder or liquid to begin working. I seldom get heartburn any more and can honestly say I owe it all to incorporating a little turmeric into my varied diet every day.
cannot get off prilosec--have had rebound effect twice have dgl chamomille and ginger ready to start again--need a routine to avoid the pain which is 10xs worse than i had
Dr. Weil has suggested to others:
Instead of long-term use of these drugs, I urge you to make the following lifestyle changes, which can help eliminate the need for medication all together:
* Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption.
* Stop smoking.
* Avoid coffee and decaffeinated coffee. Drink chamomile tea instead.
* Pay attention to the foods that make your stomach unhappy and avoid eating them.
* Don't eat within two to three hours of bedtime, and avoid lying down after meals.
* Put your bed on a slant by placing four to six inch wooden blocks under the bedposts at the head of the bed. Or use a foam wedge to lift your body from waist up. (Using pillows to prop yourself up won't help elevate your digestive tract.)
* Learn and practice an effective stress reduction technique, such as breathing exercises, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, or biofeedback.
* Lose weight. Excess weight can put pressure on your abdomen, which can push stomach acid upward. Losing even a few pounds can help.
* Take deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) to soothe the esophageal lining. Chew two tablets slowly before each meal or between meals, or take one-half teaspoon of the powder before meals. Use DGL as long as you have symptoms.
Andrew Weil, M.D.
After 10 years of Nexium for gerd and heital hernia, I decided to get off of the med. I am taking a teaspoon of organic vinegar and a teaspoon of magnesium citrate powder daily. I also take an enzyme capsule with each meal. I feel better, a lot less bloated. I elevated my body with a wedge. I drink fresh ginger tea, chamomile and sweeten with honey. Am concerned that I may do damage to my esophagus so I will schedule a visit to have a down scope in the next 4 months or so. I had some pain initially, then read that magnesium relaxes the gut. This has really helped. I know that Magnesium can be a laxative so I plan to rub Magnesium oil or gel on my skin if I stop tolerating the powder. Dr. Weil posted somewhere that a lack of magnesium might have something to do with this type of hernia. I plan to add dgl licorice today. Would appreciate any helpful insight.
After 10 years of Nexium, I decided to get off of the med. I am taking a teaspoon of organic vinegar and a teaspoon of magnesium citrate daily. I also take an enzyme capsule with each meal. I feel better, a lot less bloated. I elevated my body with a wedge. I drink fresh ginger tea, chamomile and sweeten with honey. Am concerned that I may do damage to my esophagus so I will schedule a visit to have a down scope in the next 4 months or so.
I am one week into quitting Prilosec and I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm taking DGL, getting exercise, doing yoga and meditation, sleeping on my left side, eating smaller meals more frequently and trying to watch what I eat during this adjustment phase for my body.
I'd like to hear from anybody who has been able to stop these meds and return to eating a careful but not overly examined diet. I'd also like to know if anybody has been able to take multivitamins again. I think I just got some cheap ones with binders that may aggravate GERD symptoms. If you've had success taking multivitamins, I'd like to know the brand.
Is it reasonable to expect my body to go through an adjustment of sorts and to eventually figure out what to do with acid in my stomach again?
Thanks for any light you can shed on this for me.
Jeff
An important factor in eliminating GERD is eliminating all caffiene. I am unable to take medication for GERD because as I get such bad side effects from them all. I am now on a natural herb recoemmend by my Dr called Iberorgast. This is a liquid which is put in hot water - 20 drops before meals and seems to have helped the heartburn, gas and bloating. This can be purchase at Amazon. Hope this can help those we don't want to say on prescription meds.
Patty
I have been taking Nexium for 6 months. I am 47 years old and all of a sudden have been experiencing joint pain in various joints. I am trying to get off it and deal naturally with my Gerd. Very difficult so far.