Hearturn and other digestive issues

I suffer dreadful heartburn on a regular basis; it can come on all of a sudden, and last for up to a week in some cases. My GP has forbidden me to take any further over the counter antacids as these can allegedly exacerbate the condition, and cause more problems in the long run.

Home remedies seem to be becoming more popular, but I've yet to come across one that works for heartburn. If anyone here has any tips and tricks to treat this beast, I would be most grateful!

 

I've been fortunate and have never experienced heartburn myself. I have a friend who gets it all the time and stopped eating many of his favorite foods just to avoid it. He told me that the feeling is so awful, he'd rather not even risk it.

He tried a bunch of all-natural remedies. He tried drinking baking soda and water before meals but that just made him lose his appetite. He tried to chew gum after meals and took ginger tablets. Unfortunately, he still found no relief.

One day he called me up and was the most excited I think I've ever heard him. He finally found something that helped - Apple cider vinegar. He now takes a spoonful before each meal and at bedtime if he feels he needs it. He still gets heartburn from time to time but says it's nothing like it used to be.

 

Hi ClaraBell, it might be a good idea to start exploring the roots of your heartburn. Using antacids should only ever be considered as a short time solution, as you are only treating the symptoms of heartburn and not the causes. It might be the case that you are allergic to certain foods or to the additives and preservatives contained in the food that you eat. Also, coffee, tea and fizzy drinks can cause heartburn.
Maybe you might want to consider talking to an alternative health practitioner about your symptoms. An experienced herbalist or acupuncturist could shed new light onto your discomfort and help you find natural, long term solutions. I believe, that adopting a holistic approach to getting your health back into balance, is a really good way to go.

 

This is a great option. I found that for mine I can also use a tablespoon of mustard and it works almost immediately. I'm a sufferer too and tend to want to shy away from the remedies that involve pills and such. However, like Artisina said above, you may want to start figuring out what else you can do to address the base problems. Once I started exercising every few days I lost a couple pounds and my heartburn is no longer nearly as bad as was before. It's a terrible condition to have in your life but watching what you eat, exercising, and watching out for triggers will help you along the way.

Good luck!

 

Maybe you should be seeing a specialist! I have heartburn a lot, too, and I finally went to a Gastroenterologist and had some tests done. It was not fun having the tests, but it is certainly nice to rule out the bad stuff, and have someone diagnose your actual problem. Heartburn can be caused by many things, and actually knowing which it is will enable the doctor to fix it. Mine was gastritis, and after about a month on the medicines, it went away. Definitely worth it!

 

Clara to be on the safe side I think you should go for a doctors visit. A couple months ago I was suffering from terrible heartburn on visiting a specialist I was informed that this was due to me suffering from stress and high blood pressure. I was told by the specialist that it could be the offset of a heart attack.
I have been on medications ever since and my heartburn have lessen drastically. I have found drinking a chilled glass of milk or soda water to be effective in alleviating heartburn.

 

Drinking a glass of chilled milk can be very effective in treating heartburn and the effects are almost immediate. Make sure to have a chilled glass of milk, warm milk may act in an opposite manner and further worsen the condition. Try eating at least 3- 4 hours before time. Avoid lying down right after eating. Chew your food properly and eat in a calm and peaceful environment.

 

Hello ClaraBell. I suffer from frequent heartburn. I have tried nearly every "medical" treatment out there. I finally found relief by taking a tablespoon full of raw honey the moment I feel the onset of heartburn. At first I was using this three times daily. Recently I've been able to decrease to only once daily. Honey also has many natural healing qualities. I've been sick less frequently. On the occasion I do become ill my illness is much shorter than before. I hope this will work for you.