Getting Rid Of Heartburn Without Drugs

By Author: Steven Johnson
Total Articles: 490
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Heartburn is definitely an annoying thing to deal with. The unpleasant burning sensation in the chest can make any tasty meal feel not so pleasant and give you a bad mood. Heartburn is mainly caused by increased acidity in the stomach and reflux of food back into the esophagus. There are different medications that help you minimize the chance of such a reflux. But not always synthetic medications are well tolerated on their own and you need an effective yet natural solution for heartburn. Fortunately, there are several ways you can calm down the fire in your chest without needing any medications. Here are some tips you will definitely find helpful:

1. Diet

It's evident that the things you eat directly affect the acidity in your stomach and can cause the esophagus to flare up if you've eating something wrong. There are foods that are known to provoke acidity and heartburn more than others, and these foods include citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate, coffee (and caffeine drinks), salty foods, saturated fats, processed foods, alcohol and hot sauce. Keeping these foods to a minimum in your regimen will significantly ...
... reduce the likelihood of dealing with heartburn.

2. The way you eat

Besides the actual food you consume, the way you eat it is also very important. First of all, you should avoid eating large portions if you're prone to having heartburn. Eat less food but more often, if you feel hungry throughout the day, in order to avoid too much food filling up the stomach and making a part of it to reflux into the esophagus.

The timing is also important. If you're looking forward to exercising, leave at least a 2 hour window between your meal and physical activity in order to avoid reflux. And don't eat in less than three hours before going to bed, otherwise you risk having your sleep disturbed by heartburn.

3. Water

Heartburn may be a sign of dehydration, especially after exercising. So make sure to consume an adequate amount of clean water every day - about 8 glasses. If you have heavy physical activity then your water intake should be increased. However, make sure that you're drinking water not soft drinks. Drinks high on sugar and caffeine may increase your energy for some time but they will surely provoke heartburn.

4. Garlic

Garlic is certainly not a good choice when it comes to good breath but it sure is effective for heartburn. Moreover, if you have problems with the stomach flora and are prone to ulcer, garlic's antiseptic and antibacterial abilities will help you minimize the chance of suffering from serious stomach conditions. So you get Nexium and antibiotics in one natural package with a small amount of fresh garlic every day.

5. Oxygen

In many cases heartburn is caused by a weak LES (lower esophageal sphincter) - the muscle connecting the stomach and the esophagus and preventing the food from flowing back up from the stomach. And like with any muscle, the way it gets its oxygen is very important for keeping it in a good shape. Sometimes heartburn can be caused by improper breathing that doesn't give your body the oxygen it needs. So try to breathe slowly and deeply in order to give all your muscles the oxygen required for normal functioning. It sure is a good alternative to pills like Nexium.Nexium is sure an effective way to get rid of heartburn no matter how severe it may be. Still, sometimes you may want to try the natural alternatives instead of using such potent drugs as Nexium.