Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Heartburn


This condition is often characterized by a burning, wavelike sensation in the esophagus and upper chest area. It usually occurs shortly after eating. Heartburn if serious enough can feel like a heart attack but it is typically fleeting and not serious in nature.

Antacid medications, over the counter is usually what is recommended. While this does provide some temporary relief, they can cause their own set of issues if used over a long period of time. They will upset the balance for proper digestion and create issues with the body's internal pH. Extended use will result in over-acidity even though it is a medication to neutralize excess acidity. And when the pH is too acid it becomes a breeding ground for parasites, bacteria, viruses and fungi.

A word of Caution: Even though this condition is usually harmless, recurring episodes could indicate a more serious condition, such as hiatal hernia, enzyme imbalances, so if this is happening a lot, get diagnosed and make sure that what you are dealing with really is just heartburn.

The most common cause of heartburn are eating foods that are predominantly acid-forming and over eating. Also eating a lot of unhealthy fats, and commercially processed foods. And if your hydrochloric acid levels are too low this can also create heartburn.

Other causes are poor digestion, food allergies, or even combining too many different types of foods at the same time; drinking a lot while eating, too much stress, and constipation.

The essential oil of cardamom may help to relieve heartburn symptoms.

To avoid heartburn avoid commercially processed foods, refined carbohydrates, spicy foods, unhealthy fats, sugars, commercial teas, grapefruit and orange juice, alcohol, tomato products, foods that contain peppermint or spearmint, chocolate, sodas, and caffeine and coffee products.

Transform you diet to one that is rich in organic whole foods, green vegetable drinks, organic fresh green vegetables, wild-caught fish, organic meats and poultry that are free-range and drink plenty of pure filtered water.

Avoid eating late in the evening and eat food that is alkalizing in nature, especially organic green vegetables.

Have meals that include fresh leafy green salads, with organic steamed vegetables, or grilled or baked, and grilled protein as well. Use virgin coconut butter or oil, lignin flax seed oil or extra virgin olive oil are the best options for oil. Try to avoid hydrogenated fats and oils as well as fried foods. Also raw almond butter is better than peanut butter and great on apple slices. Coconut water, organic, is also really good for you and an alkalizing agent.

Foods that can offer immediate relieve are raw cucumbers (peeled), walnuts, apples and brown rice. Also sipping water with a couple of teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar or baking soda will neutralize the attack.

Helpful herbs are aloe vera, fennel agrimony, angelica, gentian, garlic, marshmallow root, slippery elm, goldenseal, parsley and licorice root.

Some Homeopathy: For heartburn caused by sour foods or fats use Nux vomica. Heartburn caused by anxiety, abdominal cramping or thirst, use Arsenicu album. And if caused by overeating and accompanied by burping in the evening and diarrhea in the morning use Sulfur.

And a quick fix is fresh squeezed cucumber juice - this often quickly resolves heartburn symptoms.

When eating allow at least 3 hours between meals, unless there are blood sugar issues then eat smaller more frequent meals.

The nutritional supplements that will specifically help are: digestive enzymes taken with every meal and 600 mg of calcium carbonate every 2 to 3 hours until symptoms subside.

The probiotics Bifidobacteria and acidophilus, fructo-oligosaccharides, and soil-based organisms are also helpful. The soil-based organism FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides), is an all-natural carbohydrate microorganism that serves as a fertilizing agent and enables Bifidobacteria to flourish is the large intestine, where it helps to protect against harmful bacteria.

When taking the soil-based organisms as a supplement they help to detoxify the gastrointestinal tract and eliminate molds, fungi, viruses, parasites and yeasts. They also help to improve nutrient absorption and helps to boost immune and cell function, as well as acting as natural antioxidants.

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