Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Lifestyle Changes
• Part 2 of 3: Using home remedies
• Part 3 of 3: Using Medicines
• Tips

The acid in the stomach (known as hydrochloric acid) helps break down foods naturally so that the body receives the nutrients it needs to keep it functioning properly. Patients experiencing acid reflux (heartburn) may suffer from damage to the esophagus, accompanied by irritation, inflammation, and pain. And taking antacid (acidity-lowering) agents can slow down acid production, increasing the alkaline balance and thus causing more problems afterwards. Therefore, while antacids relieve symptoms, it will be wise to focus on long-term treatment of the esophagus, starting with the first step below.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Lifestyle Changes

1. 1 Eat a healthy diet (on a regular basis). Fried drinks, fatty drinks, alcoholic drinks, tomatoes, and caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee and sodas increase stomach acid levels. Try to eliminate these foods from your diet to improve your esophagus health.
   • Unfortunately, the list goes on. Also, dairy products should be avoided: whole milk, cheese, butter, sour cream. And also products containing green and peppermint. There are several fruits that should not be consumed. These include oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and pineapples.
   • If you have to consume these foods for any reason, try to drink plenty of water and eat permitted foods to neutralize their acidic properties.
2. 2 Eat small meals often. Break your meal into 5-7 portions throughout the day and do not eat later than 2-3 hours before bedtime. The esophageal sphincter relaxes when the stomach fills and hydrochloric acid rises up the walls of the esophagus. In other words, if you eat a lot, your esophagus will let you know. The best way to avoid this is to eat small amounts of food frequently.
   • Most of us experience this problem while eating in restaurants. Not everything is so bad at home, but in a restaurant it is simply difficult not to eat the entire portion in front of you (which is often too large). To avoid an impending disaster, pack half of the serving in the box from the beginning. You can take it home later - and even save your wallet a little from additional expenses!
3. 3 Incorporate healthy food into your daily diet! There are several foods you should eat every day to combat heartburn. Here is a list of them:
   • Oatmeal... Oatmeal gives you a feeling of fullness and does not cause heartburn. It also absorbs acid from fruits when added in small amounts. This will be of great help in reducing acidity in the stomach.
   • Ginger... Ginger contains anti-inflammatory substances that help with a variety of gastrointestinal problems. Grate or chop ginger root and add it to your favorite meals.
   • Green vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are low in calories and contain no saturated fat at all. This is the most recommended diet for heartburn patients. Just try to stay away from tomatoes, onions, cheese, and fatty salad dressings. Also, eat asparagus, cauliflower, parsley, and other green vegetables.
   • White meat. Red meats like beef and pork are hard to digest, so opt for chicken or turkey instead. Eat poultry boiled or grilled, avoid fried.
   • Seafood. Just like game, fish, shrimp and other seafood can help prevent heartburn. Just don't fry them. Seafood is easy to digest and low in fat and therefore helps prevent heartburn and belching.
4. 4 Drink plenty of water. You should drink 8-12 glasses of water daily to prevent dehydration. This will help neutralize the acid in your stomach and make it less acidic. Also, it will have a beneficial effect on your hair, skin, nails and other organs!
   • Let's not forget that if you start to exercise more often, you should drink more water. Thus, your new training program should always be accompanied by a bottle of water.
5. 5 Keep fit and healthy. Obesity and being overweight are the main risk factors for heartburn. However, it is important to remember that losing weight does not mean eating less. Just eat less high-calorie foods! You don't have to starve.
   • Determine your body mass index and start losing weight. The normal body mass index (BMI) is in the range of 18.5-24.9. This will help you determine if your current weight is out of range. You can manually calculate BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared, or simply by reading the related article here on wikihow and using a calculator.
   • Calculate your daily calorie requirements and monitor everything you eat. Only 3,500 calories is equivalent to 0.5 kg of body weight. So, if you want to lose 0.5 kg per week, you must reduce your daily intake by 500 calories.
6. 6 Start exercising. Simple exercise can help burn calories.A 30-minute walk in the park can burn up to 100 calories. By adhering to an active lifestyle, you can fight heart disease, diabetes and a number of other health problems.
   • Focus on active leisure activities such as dancing, horse riding, or golf. It's fun to burn calories while doing what you love to do.
   • Use online calorie counting programs and food diaries. There are great tools out there to help you lose weight online, such as Myfitnesspal.
7. 7 Quit smoking and avoid alcohol. Smoking irritates the lining of the esophagus and increases inflammation and pain. If you are unable to quit smoking, you should gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day. If your overall health isn't a good enough reason to quit smoking, do it every day to relieve heartburn.
   • Drinking beer and other carbonated drinks can also damage the lining of the esophagus and stomach. It is best to completely abstain from smoking and alcohol.
8. 8 Raise the head of your bed when you sleep. You should raise it with wooden blocks or pillows 15-20 cm. When the upper body is elevated, this helps to solve the problem of worsening symptoms. This prevents acid or other stomach contents from draining out during sleep. Thanks to the force of gravity, acid reflux will not occur - on the contrary, the esophagus will be cleared in an elevated position.
   • While you are suffering from this, try to get good sleep. Having enough time to rest and sleep will allow your body to relax, repair, and strengthen damaged tissues and muscles in your body. Tissue and muscle regeneration occurs at rest or during sleep. Healthy sleep is at least 7-8 hours a day.

Part 2 of 3: Using home remedies

1. 1 Try apple cider vinegar. Are you skeptical? How can apple cider help with heartburn symptoms if it contains acid, given that acidic foods are highly discouraged? It turns out that acetic acid, which is the main ingredient in apple cider vinegar, is weaker than the hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach. This tends to balance acid production and maintain a neutral acidity level.
   • Apple cider vinegar is available in many stores and supermarkets. Mix 1-2 tablespoons in a glass of water before meals. Also, you can add a teaspoon of honey to improve the taste. Apple cider vinegar also enhances the flavor of a salad when added as a dressing.
2. 2 Drink water mixed with baking soda. Mixing half a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water creates a natural antacid. Knowing that baking soda is essential, it can help neutralize acidity in the stomach.
   • Be careful when using baking soda, however. it has a very high sodium content. Too much sodium is definitely not good, especially for acid reflux.
3. 3 Try aloe vera juice. Juice can be made from its leaves. Aloe contains glycoprotein, which is the main medicinal property for reducing irritation of the esophagus, and polysaccharides that promote tissue repair. Aloe is one of the FDA approved medicinal plants in case you are concerned about its safety!
   • Drink 50-80 gr. aloe juice on an empty stomach or 20 minutes before meals to prevent heartburn.
   • Be careful with this remedy, do not use too much a lot - it is known to be a good laxative.
4. 4 Drink ginger tea with honey. Ginger contains natural anti-inflammatory substances, and honey coats the walls of the esophagus, preventing inflammation of the cells. Add 2-4 gr. of ginger powder in hot water to make tea. Or, you can cut a medium-sized ginger into slices and bring to a boil.Either way, add a teaspoon of honey for flavor.
   • Make sure it's not too hot! You don't want to burn your esophagus on top of everything else.
5. 5 Chew sugar-free gum. This increases the production of saliva and helps neutralize stomach acid. In addition, due to the large amount of saliva absorbed, acid will be excreted from the intestines.
6. 6 Try licorice. For centuries, the root of the licorice plant has been used in cooking and medicine. In the National Medical Database, licorice has been recognized as a possibly effective remedy for relieving heartburn symptoms. Well worth a try!
   • Licorice increases the number of mucus-secreting cells in the stomach and also prolongs the life of intestinal cells. Moreover, it improves microcirculation in the gastrointestinal tract.
7. 7 Try rusty elm as a herbal medicine. This herb has been used for many generations in the treatment of certain diseases, and it can also be used for heartburn. It makes the gastric mucus more viscous and thus creates a protective layer on the inner walls of the esophagus and stomach. If Western medicine doesn't seem attractive, give it a try.
   • You can mix 2 tablespoons in a glass of water and drink before meals and before bed. You can add a teaspoon of honey if you care about the taste.

Part 3 of 3: Using Medicines

1. 1 Start taking antacids. They neutralize stomach acid. They also help produce mucus and bicarbonate, which in turn raise the pH of the stomach (make it less acidic). Tums and Gaviscon are well-known brands of antacids.
   • They are more supportive than anything, and do not relieve heartburn forever. As long as they are good here and now, you should look for other treatments and should not always rely on antacids alone.
2. 2 Talk to your doctor about histamine H2 blockers. H2 blockers prevent histamine at H2 receptors, thereby reducing gastric acid secretion. Zantac, tagamet and pepsid are some examples of H2 receptor blockers.
   • Famotidine (pepsid) is available in dosages of 20 mg and 40 mg. You can take 20 mg 2 times a day for 6 weeks.
   • Nizatidine (Axid) is available in dosages of 150 mg and 300 mg. You can take 150 mg 2 times a day.
   • Ranitidine (Zantac) is available in dosages of 150 mg and 300 mg. You can take 150 mg 2 times a day.
3. 3 Consider proton pump blockers. No, not surgery - just another type of drug. Omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, and other proton pump blockers reduce acid production by blocking an enzyme in the stomach wall that produces acid.
   • Lansoprazole (Prevacid) is available over the counter and is available in dosages of 15 mg and 30 mg. You can take 15 mg once a day for 8 weeks.
   • Esomeprazole (Nexium) requires a prescription. Your doctor will determine the course of treatment.
   • Omeprazole (prilosec) is available over the counter and is available in dosages of 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg. You can take 20 mg once a day for 4 weeks.
   • Pantoprazole (Protonix) - you also need a doctor's prescription.
4. 4 Consider prokinetics if deemed appropriate by your doctor. You can take them to empty your stomach more quickly. These include the following drugs:
   • Betanechol (Urecholine)
   • Domperidone (motilium)
   • Metoclopramide (raglan)
     • However, they are all prescription drugs. Your doctor will be able to give you more information if he / she thinks the drug is appropriate for your case.
5. 5 Consider surgical treatment. Surgical intervention is used when medications and medical treatments do not help to cope with acid reflux. A surgical procedure called the Nissen fundoplication is used. The operation involves completely wrapping the esophageal sphincter with a part of the fundus of the stomach.Again, only your doctor will be able to determine for sure if this is acceptable in your circumstances.

Tips

• Wear loose-fitting clothing. Avoid wearing belts, skinny jeans, and shirts. Tight clothing puts pressure on the stomach and possibly raises the risk of gastric acid reflux and even, how to put it, its contents.