The most common heartburn symptom is burning pain in the upper chest and esophagus, which can come in waves and be extremely painful at times. Belching can also accompany heartburn.
The most common causes of heartburn are overeating, and eating meals that are predominantly acid-forming and abundant in unhealthy fats, spices, and commercially processed foods. Heartburn can also be caused by low levels of hydrochloric acid (HCl), deficiencies in the body’s production of enzymes, poor adrenal and/or spleen function, and/or diminished liver function due to toxicity. Hiatal hernia, stress, or smoking, can cause heartburn, as well.
In addition, food allergies lead to poor digestion which can also contribute to heartburn, as can combining too many different types of foods at the same meal. Heartburn can be brought on by drinking excess fluids during mealtime, eating too fast, or eating in a stressed environment. Heartburn can also be connected to constipation, similar to a backed up septic system. In this case, the body can have a difficult time digesting and processing the food coming in, if the previous meal is not going down and being eliminated properly.
Avoid all commercially processed foods, spicy foods, sugars, refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, coffee and other caffeine products, chocolate, sodas, commercial non-herbal teas, alcohol, orange and grapefruit juice, tomato products, milk and dairy products, and foods containing peppermint and spearmint. Also have yourself screened for potential food allergies and sensitivities and avoid those foods for which you test positive.
Emphasize a diet rich in organic whole foods, especially organic fresh green vegetables and green vegetable drinks. Free-range organic meats and poultry, and wild-caught fish are also recommended. In addition, be sure to drink plenty of pure filtered water throughout the day.
Avoid overeating and eating meals late in the evening. As a general rule of thumb, in order to prevent and reverse heartburn symptoms, eat meals that are predominantly alkalizing in nature, especially green vegetables. (For more information about how to eat alkalizing foods, see pH.) Meals should ideally consist of generous portions of fresh leafy green salads, bare or lightly dressed, with an equally generous portion of lightly steamed vegetables and a fist sized portion of steamed, baked, broiled or carefully grilled protein. Organically produced foods, and carefully chosen oils, such as raw virgin coconut butter/oil, extra virgin olive oil and high lignan flax seed oil are your safest options. Avoid all fried foods, and all hydrogenated fats and oils. Choose raw, rather than roasted nuts and seeds, both in whole and butter form. Raw almond butter is a better option than peanut butter, and is a great snack when spread on apple slices.
Minimize your intake of both coffee and black tea, as well as alcoholic beverages. This is essential if heartburn is an issue.
Foods that can often quickly resolve heartburn problems are apples, raw cucumbers (peeled), brown rice, and walnuts. Sipping a glass of pure, filtered water with a couple of teaspoons of raw organic apple cider vinegar or baking soda (one teaspoon to eight ounces of water) can also quickly neutralize heartburn attacks.
The most useful nutritional supplements for treating and preventing heartburn are digestive enzymes (taken with every meal) and calcium carbonate (take 600 mg in liquid or chewable form every two to three hours until symptoms subside).
Probiotics such as acidophilus and Bifidobacteria, can also be helpful, as can fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and soil-based organisms. FOS is an all-natural carbohydrate microorganism that has been shown by researchers to serve as a fertilizing agent that enables Bifidobacteria to thrive in the large intestine, where it helps to protect against harmful bacteria.
Soil-based organisms are beneficial microbes found in soil. Taken as a supplement, they go to work to detoxify the gastrointestinal tract while eliminating fungi, molds, parasites, viruses, and yeasts. They also help to improve absorption of nutrients and boost both immune and overall cell function, including the production of RNA and DNA. In addition, they act as natural antioxidants.
Prescription and non-prescription medication:
What non-prescription and prescription drugs are you taking? Your non-prescription and prescription are partially the reason that you have this illness or disease – you need to get off these medications but do so only under the guidance of a licensed health care practitioner.
Stress reduction techniques are often helpful in relieving heartburn caused or exacerbated by stress and unresolved emotions, such as anger, anxiety, depression, and irritability. Holistic health practitioners help their patients accomplish stress reduction through the use of various mind/body medicine techniques, such as biofeedback, hypnotherapy, and relaxation exercises. We know that when the body is out of balance, energy doesn’t flow, leading blockages and eventually dis-ease. Here are some things you can do to combat stress and restore balance:
- Go to a Dr Morter BEST (Bio-Energetic Synchronisation Technique) Practitioner.
- Sign up for Energetic Re-Balancing: 2 practitioners to consider are:
- Consider using Mary Millers Iching System Products – ichingsystemsinstruments.com
- Reiki healing is very powerful in releasing stress and emotional baggage. Find a practitioner here.
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has had remarkable results in dissolving stress. Find a local practitioner here (link) or go towww.thetappingsolution.com or www.tftrx.com
- Try Hypnotherapy to relax the mind. Find a practitioner here.
- Meditation is another form of stress management that can be highly effective. There are many ways to meditate. One of the easiest is simply to sit comfortably in a chair with your eyes closed as you focus on your breathing. Do this for five to ten minutes twice a day and gradually extend each session to 20 to 30 minutes. To enhance your efforts, concentrate on mentally repeating a peaceful phrase each time that you inhale and exhale, allowing all other thoughts to rise and pass without becoming involved in them. At first, this may seem difficult, but with committed practice you will eventually find yourself able to do so while experiencing greater degrees of calm and peace.
Zinc and acid reflux: www.livestrong.com/article/417871-new-research-done-on-zinc-for-acid-reflux/
Natural remedies for heartburn: www.naturalnews.com/032156_bloating_natural_remedies.html
Acid reflux: natural Remedies www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bokf72-cfc
Acid Reflux Cured Naturally www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NlzrB5pHCw
Ayurvedic treatment for acid reflux: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYUsx55L7Zc
Acid Reflux – Home treatment (Ayurveda): www.youtube.com/watch?v=toWNEQuvIi4
Precipitating causes of heartburn and acid reflux – GUT, International Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology:gut.bmj.com/content/36/4/505
Patterns of Gas and Acid Reflux – GUT, International Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology:gut.bmj.com/content/44/1/47.abstract
No link between hearttburn and shorter survival rates study funds www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080103182902.htm
Acid Reflux medicines do more harm than good: www.naturalnews.com/019756_heartburn_antacids.html
Further Information (links and books)
Gastrointestinal Health, Steven Perkin MD; Eating Right For A Bad Gut, James Scala
David Reavely [email protected] – food intolerance, nutrition, exercise
Andrea Butje | Aromahead [email protected] – aromatherapy
Carrie Vitt [email protected] – organic food recipes.
David Spector-NSR/USA [email protected] – meditation, stress
Judith Hoad [email protected] – herbalist.
Kath May [email protected]k.net – reiki, tai chi.
Lillian Bridges [email protected] – Chinese medicine, living naturally.
Monika [email protected] – aromatherapy.
Rakesh [email protected] – Ayurvedic Practitioner.
- Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. This fights bacteria, detoxifies and encourages healthy digestion. To prevent acid reflux and subsequent heartburn, take 1 tbsp. of raw apple cider vinegar before each meal.
- Digestive Enzymes www.throppsnutrition.com
- Acid Reducer, Acid Reflux www.herbsmd.com
- Probiotics Jarrowdophilius + FOS www.jarrow.com
- Viable Herbal Solutions, Botanical SafeGuard www.herbal-solutions.com
- Unrefined, Organic, Virgin Coconut Oil – take one tablespoon in the morning and one tablespoon in the late afternoon.
- Cinnamon and Ginger – cinnamon is another natural remedy for digestive problems. It works in part by reducing stomach acid, but it also has antibiotic and antifungal properties which facilitate digestion. Other folk traditions rely on ginger for acid reflux since it helps calm stomach acid and relax the muscles of the oesophagus. Try sipping a tea made with fresh ginger root and a pinch of cinnamon as a restful way to relieve symptoms. Alternatively enjoy an interesting Korean remedy made from cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger root, sugar and dried persimmons.
- Licorice – Licorice, or Glycyrrhiza glabra, is a legume and member of the Fabaceae, or pea family. It has been used for over 3,000 years to treat a variety of ailments. Currently, medical studies support the use of licorice for the treatment of inflamed intestinal tissues
- Chamomile Tea
- KT Daily Supplements
- Aromatherapy oils
- Rebound Air – mini trampoline
- Clean well – Natural Cleaning Products
- EMF necklace – blocker and stress reducing pendant
- Dr Callaghan Techniques
- Water filter
- Candida plan
- Herbal and homeopathic remedies
- Neutralize electromagnetic chaos