Natural remedies can effectively relieve and prevent heartburn by addressing both its symptoms and root causes.
Gentle approaches such as drinking warm water during symptom flare-ups, chewing slowly and avoiding trigger foods can help reduce bouts of acid reflux in a natural and organic fashion.
Herbal options such as ginger in hot water, chamomile tea, aloe vera extract or slippery elm extract can soothe the oesophagus and support digestion.
Lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress and avoiding late meals can also offer long-term relief.
Natural methods can help deal with mild or occasional symptoms, as well as help you maintain good health if used in conjunction with medicines. However, if you are experiencing persistent or severe or frequent heartburn, please consult your medical advisor so that they can help you identify and treat any potential underlying issues.
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What Causes Heartburn?
Heartburn is caused by stomach acid flowing back (refluxing) into the food pipe (oesophagus). There is normally a ring of muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus called a sphincter. This sphincter behaves like a valve and prevents the unnecessary backflow of food from the stomach into the oesophagus.
When this muscle weakens or relaxes at the wrong time, acid can irritate upwards and irritate the lining of the oesophagus, leading to a burning pain in the chest or throat.
Some common causes and triggers of heartburn include:
- Large or fatty meals, which put extra stress on the stomach
- Lying down or bending over soon after eating
- Smoking
- Medical conditions like “Hiatus Hernia”
- Certain foods and drinks:
- Spicy or greasy foods
- Coffee, chocolate and peppermint
- Alcohol or fizzy drinks
- Certain medications at high doses
Why Consider Natural Remedies Instead of Medicine?
Many people consider natural remedies instead of allopathic medicines as a remedy for heartburn as a way of addressing the root cause of the problem and also preventing a long-term buildup of drug dependence. Some reasons for going with natural remedies instead of medicine include:
- Fewer side effects:
- Medications like Omeprazole or antacids for Heartburn can be very effective, but they can also cause a lot of side effects:
- Bloating, Gas or diarrhoea
- Nutrient deficiencies (like vitamin B12 or magnesium) can arise with long-term use of PPIs
- There may be excess and rebound acid production when you stop taking them.
- Addressing root causes:
- Drugs can suppress or neutralise excess stomach acid, but natural remedies sometimes help manage acid reflux from the source, such as:
- Weak muscle tone at the lower oesophagus
- Poor eating habits (Large meals and late dinners)
- Stress and excess pressure on the abdomen
- Lifestyle changes can address these issues and provide longer-term relief.
- Support in overall digestive health
- Natural approaches such as eating lighter meals, drinking herbal teas, avoiding trigger foods and maintaining a healthy weight can improve overall gut balance, not just stop the burning gut feeling.
- Natural remedies also limit over-reliance on medication
- Some people may use natural remedies alongside or instead of medication. This may especially be the case if the symptoms are mild or occasional instead of severe and persistent. Natural remedies can offer a more gentle first line approach as opposed to moving to stronger drugs.
How to Relieve Heartburn Naturally
There are several natural remedies for heartburn. These can help ease discomfort and prevent symptoms from recurring. This can be achieved through a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes, home remedies for symptom relief and the use of natural remedies to soothe the digestive system.
Lifestyle and Dietary Changes
Some simple lifestyle adjustments are often very effective ways to manage and control heartburn. Good options in lifestyle changes for heartburn include:
- Eat smaller and more frequent meals as opposed to larger and less frequent ones – this puts less pressure on the stomach
- Don’t lie down immediately after eating – wait at least 2-3 hours before lying flat or going to bed
- Elevate head while sleeping with a second pillow to allow acid reflux relief at night
- Maintain a healthy body weight, as extra abdominal pressure due to weight can increase the risk of acid reflux into the oesophagus.
- Quitting smoking – nicotine relaxes the oesophageal sphincter, allowing acid to escape upwards and irritate the oesophagus.
Home Remedies for Heartburn Relief
Home remedies can offer quick, simple and soothing relief options for heartburn at home: Good home remedy options include:
- Warm water and lemon before meals – this encourages proper digestion and balances stomach acidity
- Aloe vera juice – this can soothe oesophageal irritation and support digestive healing
- Chewing sugar free gum – this can stimulate saliva production, which helps wash acid back down into the stomach
- Ginger tea, which reduces inflammation and supports natural digestion, prevents acid buildup.
Natural Remedies for Occasional Symptoms
The following remedies can help with occasional symptom flare-ups when they do occur, and can be a solution for how to stop heartburn without medication.
- A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in warm water can help balance stomach acidity for people with previously low acid levels.
- Chamomile tea – calms the digestive tract and relieves discomfort caused by acid reflux
- Liquorice root – DGL liquorice (liquorice root) can soothe the oesophageal lining without the side effects of regular liquorice.
Best Natural Remedies for Heartburn
Some of the best natural remedies for heartburn can offer gentle yet effective relief from heartburn symptoms, especially when used in combination with healthy eating and lifestyle habits. These include:
- Aloe vera juice
- Aloe vera has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Drinking small amounts of pure and unsweetened aloe vera juice before meals can help reduce oesophageal irritation and reduce inflammation caused by reflux.
- Liquorice root (DGL)
- Deglycyrrhizinated liquorice (DGL) helps to increase mucus production. Eating some before food can protect the stomach lining and is often used before meals to prevent discomfort.
- Ginger
- Taking fresh ginger tea in small amounts before or with food can help with reflux, nausea and bloating
- Diluted apple cider vinegar for heartburn
- For people with low stomach acid as the cause of reflux, diluted apple cider vinegar can help with symptoms.
- Chamomile tea
- Chamomile tea can help relax digestive muscles and relieve stress – both of these effects help relieve heartburn.
- Baking soda remedy
- You can occasionally (only a few times) – try a baking soda remedy for heartburn. This involves mixing half a teaspoon of baking soda in water and sipping slowly – this can help neutralise stomach acid.
- Please use this option sparingly, as it encourages high sodium intake and is not suitable for frequent use.
These natural remedies often show the best results when paired with effective lifestyle changes such as:
- Eating smaller meals
- Avoiding lying down after eating
- Managing stress
- Maintaining a healthy weight.
When to Seek Medical Help
While occasional heartburn is common and usually not serious, persistent or severe symptoms can indicate a more serious underlying issue such as GORD, oesophagitis (inflammation) or ulcers. Hence, it is important to know when to stop self-treating and seek a doctor.
You must consider seeing a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Recurrent heartburn occurring more than twice a week
- Difficulty swallowing or feeling food is stuck in the throat
- Pain when swallowing
- Persistent sore throat
- Vomiting (especially blood-stained)
- Chest pain, tightness or pressure – especially that which spreads to the arms, jaws and back
Medical help matters because frequent reflux can lead to things like oesophagitis, oesophageal ulcers or Barrett’s oesophagus. Intervening at the right time can lead to the proper investigations and if need be, medical treatment to provide strong cures for heartburn and its causes.
Prevention Tips for Long-Term Relief
You can prevent acid reflux and heartburn long-term by slowly incorporating changes into your lifestyle that reduce acid buildup and reflux, as well as promote smooth digestion. These changes can be smooth and consistent, allowing you to prevent symptoms without relying too heavily on medications. Some tips for long-term prevention include:
- Eating mindfully
- Eating smaller and more frequent meals as opposed to larger and infrequent ones, which would stretch the stomach
- Chewing food slowly and deliberately to aid digestion
- Avoid eating within 2-3 hours before bedtime to reduce nighttime reflux.
- Choose neutral, non-agitating foods
- Avoiding spicy and fatty foods alongside chocolate, caffeine and alcohol
- Eat more whole grains, vegetables, lean proteins and citrus-based foods
- Stay hydrated during the day
- Sip small amounts of water during meals rather than large amounts during the day
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Excess pressure on the abdomen can push stomach acid upwards, hence reducing even small amounts of weight can significantly reduce reflux episodes.
- Quit smoking
- Nicotine weakens the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) muscle and prevents the acid from backing up into the oesophagus. Quitting smoking strengthens this barrier and improves overall digestion.
Alternatives If Natural Remedies Don’t Work
If natural remedies and lifestyle changes do not fully relieve your heartburn. There are several safe and effective acid reflux medication options available to treat the condition.
Persistent symptoms might mean you have stronger reflux or an underlying condition that needs to be addressed.
Some good medical remedies to use if natural alternatives don’t work out include:
- Antacids – which can provide short-term heartburn relief by neutralising stomach acids
- H2 blockers (like famotidine or Ranitidine), can reduce acid production and provide longer-lasting relief than antacids. These are best taken before meals or bedtime to prevent symptoms
- Alginates – these form a protective layer on top of stomach contents and prevent them from flowing back into the oesophagus.
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) – these block acid production in the stomach and are usually taken once daily for several weeks to heal the oesophagus and reduce irritation.
Please speak to your medical advisor if you feel that you have persistent reflux that does not resolve with natural remedies, lifestyle changes and over-the-counter (OTC) medication. This may mean you will require some tests and investigations to understand your underlying cause before treating it effectively.
