How To Cure Acid Reflux Naturally and Quickly
Acid reflux is a common condition where you experience a burning sensation in the chest known as heartburn or GERD. This happens when the stomach acid flows back up into your food pipe causing inflammation, pain, burping, soreness, and a lump sensation in the throat. It can be extremely uncomfortable and raises the risk of oesophagal cancer if you have reflux often.
The common medications for acid reflux include PPI’s, H2 Blockers, and Antacids. These are fine to use on a rare occasion but have some dangerous side effects if they are used regularly such as the raised risk of pneumonia, osteoporosis and dementia. The good news is that you can cure the underlying problem naturally and get rid of heartburn and acid reflux for good, by taking the following 10 steps.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar: The very first step to fixing acid reflux is to strengthen the stomach acid, bringing it back down to its normal Ph. level between 1-3. Simply drink 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before each meal, or take it in capsule form. This brings your stomach back down to its normal level of acidity and stops hydrochloric acid from splashing back up into the oesophagus and throat.
2. Junk Foods: The second step is cutting out grains and sugar from the diet, as these are the most common causes of acid reflux. Processed foods are hard to digest and cause stomach acid to become too alkaline, which then weakens the small valve (LES) at the bottom of the food pipe. The valve is no longer tight and allows stomach acid to splash up into the food pipe, especially at night.
3. Fermented Foods: To strengthen the stomach permanently, you can consume fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles on a daily basis. These are rich in minerals and nutrients that keep your stomach healthy and at the right Ph. This effectively keeps the valve closed to prevent acid reflux. Fermented foods also feed friendly bacteria in the gut for better digestion, allowing your body to absorb more nutrients and minerals.
4. Nutrients: There are 5 main nutrients that you need to get into your body in order to fix heartburn or acid reflux permanently. These are Zinc, Iodine, Potassium and Vitamin B3. These nutrients are used to build strong and healthy stomach acid, break down your food properly and keep the valve closed when you aren’t eating. You can get zinc, iodine and sodium from shrimp, sea kelp and sea salt. Potassium is high in leafy greens and avocados, and the best source of B3 (or niacin) is nutritional yeast.
5. Close Sphincter (LES): If you are still feeling acid reflux or heartburn symptoms after following the above steps, then there may be another issue which is making the valve in your food pipe lose its tightness. Cut out Caffeine, Alcohol and Nicotine from the diet. These three chemicals all weaken the lower oesophagal sphincter valve which allows stomach acid to flow up and burn the food pipe. 6. Digestive Enzymes As we get older we tend to lose our stomach acids, which causes the acid reflux and prevents us from absorbing nutrients properly. Luckily you can take natural blends of digestive enzymes in pill form to boost digestion and treat heartburn and indigestion. Look for good digestive enzyme formulae which contain ox bile, betaine HCl or apple cider vinegar.
7. Avoid Antacids to stop acid reflux in body: If you are currently taking antacid drugs you will need to wean yourself off these in order to cure the underlying problem. Antacids neutralise the acid in your food pipe temporarily relieving pain, but they also raise the stomach acid Ph too high, making it too alkaline. This then weakens the valve and causes the acid to once again splash upwards into the food pipe, continuing an endless cycle.
8. Reduce Pressure: Wheakhabaart healing the acid reflux problem you should aim to reduce pressure in the stomach so that less acid is forced upwards. Tight-fitting clothes like belts or girdles can be making the problem worse. If you are overweight then this may also be adding to the problem. We recommend following ‘healthy keto’, the healthiest diet for weight loss and lowering inflammation in the body.
9. Sleep: Stop eating food and liquids at least 2-3 hours before you go to bed at night. When you lay flat in bed the stomach acid is more likely to leak into the throat and oesophagus so we suggest not digesting foods before laying down. Many people raise the head of the bed with some wood slightly so that you are laying at a slight angle. Gravity in this position can help to keep stomach fluids down where they belong.
10. Ginger: Last but not least we offer a simple but effective remedy that you can use through the day. Chew a small piece of fresh ginger from the refrigerator to quickly soothe acid reflux and aid digestion. Ginger contains natural compounds that promote healthy stomach acids, cure gastritis and reduce nausea naturally.
As you can see there are many ways to help stop acid reflux naturally by strengthening the stomach. The common myth is that stomach acids should be neutralised, however, your body needs the stomach to be very acidic in order to be healthy. A strong acidic stomach destroys harmful microbes in your food and breaks down minerals and vitamins so that you can absorb them. The trick is keeping the stomach acid where it belongs, by keeping the lower oesophagal sphincter tight. Following the steps we have outlined today will keep this valve closed when it needs to be, just make sure that you are consuming enough minerals from your diet.