My poor husband has to deal with heartburn on a daily basis. Do any of you know of any natural treatments that can help? Thanks in advance.
Joy from Utah
Try a tablespoon of baking soda mixed in a full glass of water. I learned this from the cook at a restaurant that I worked in back in MT. He always had heartburn, due to the fact the hours we worked. (06/07/2007)
By Jessica from IN
When I was pregnant with my first, an older lady I knew said the best natural thing for heartburn was chewing Spearmint chewing gum. It really does work. Now that I'm older when I deal with bedtime heartburn I get a peppermint and that helps within minutes. I have never been one to waste money on antacids when natural remedies will do the trick. (06/07/2007)
By Sharon from KY
My husband suffers from this problem, too. He finds that a couple of teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda in a glass of warm water works well. It tastes horrible though. (06/07/2007)
A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water with each meal. It sounds crazy, but it helps with the acid production in your stomach. Good luck. (06/07/2007)
By Terri
Raw peanuts soothe the stomach instantly, but you have to keep eating them almost constantly to keep the heartburn at bay. Mustard, plain ole yellow mustard, also works. Use about a teaspoon full. As a nurse, I wouldn't recommend using baking soda for heartburn. Peppermint, spearmint, and ginger are all good for the stomach and digestion.
Prilosec and Pepcid are both over the counter drugs used for this common complaint and work wonders for most people. They are expensive, but work. Store brands are cheaper and work just as well. Check with your Dr. or local pharmacist for the best. (06/08/2007)
By Shelly in AL
If your loved one has persistent heartburn it should be evaluated by a physician (usually requires an endoscopic look at the esophagus) to determine if there is any damage from the acid reflux.
By Diana
Raise the head of the bed on blocks, 4-6 inches. Pillows alone don't do it right. Wait at least 2 hours after eating before laying down. Eat standing, if necessary. Refrain from chocolate, carbonated beverages, and anything else that bothers your stomach.
Use Mylanta type liquid as needed. The tablets are handy when out and about. The store brand is fine, get a flavor you like. (06/08/2007)
By Marge
I've always heard that bananas work to cure heartburn. It doesn't work for my husband (it actually causes him heartburn), but I've heard people who swear by it. (06/08/2007)
By Jessie
My only tip is to eliminate Advil (Ibuprofen) and coffee. I had terrible heartburn for years until a Dr told me to stop the coffee and Advil. It totally worked. Who knew Advil could cause heartburn. (06/08/2007)
By Panks
Heartburn is caused by too little acid when not enough is being produced by the body. It is also caused by too much acid produced by the body.
See a gastroenterologist to have the situation properly diagnosed. Continuous heartburn can cause esophageal cancer in 1/4 of the sufferers. Following a proper diet and taking appropriate medications will help. Prilosec is an otc med you can buy. Take enzymes with heavy meals. Don't ever eat too much nor excessively greasy meals. Sleep with the chest elevated by using a triangular pillow.
Gastroesophageal disease can be controlled, but you have to follow the doc's advice.
(06/08/2007)
By Holly
Some of this heartburn can be caused by dairy or food sensitivities. Try cutting back on dairy and using lactase pills. Or even better, eliminate dairy and see if that helps. Sometimes dairy can produce symptoms hours later. Take Prelief (you can buy at Walgreen's or order from WalMart) before every meal. (06/08/2007)
By Holly
I have heard that several things are great: aloe vera juice, slippery elm, digestive enzymes, and apple cider vinegar.
I do not normally have heartburn, although I am plagued with it when I'm pregnant. I don't like to take meds while pregnant, so the only thing that worked for me was to take a glass or so of milk early in the evening, before the acid could start to accumulate too badly. Also, a midwife told me that the seeds of the chia plant (yes the same Chia of Chia Pet fame) can be very helpful, though hard to find.
Check out this site Earthclinic.com. I've found it to be full of great info. (06/10/2007)
Do not use apple cider vinegar, it makes it worse. Also, bananas are not good either. They came out on a list I received from the doctor when I was first diagnosed. I always have my head elevated on a wedge I lay on. I ordered it from JC Penney several years ago. It makes all the difference in the world. Avoid cinnamon if you can help it, also black pepper and lots of ice in your drinks is also bad. Hope it gets better. If he hasn't seen a gastroenterologist he needs to see one. (06/14/2007)
I can't thank you enough for all your wonderful suggestions. It means a lot to me that so many of you responded. You are really great. Well, my husband has tried several things and has finally come to a conclusion: Chewing gum. He has found that chewing gum (any kind) truly helps to relieve him of the acid reflux. Thank you all again. Hope his discovery helps someone else. (07/11/2007)
By Joy
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