Heartburn and heartburn: natural remedies to relieve discomfort

Heartburn

Heartburn, also known as heartburn, is the most frequent symptom of gastric reflux problems: it affects more than half of patients. It is characterized by a stinging, burning, or “fire” sensation retrosternal or epigastric which usually radiates to the neck, jaws and mouth.

Intensifies after meals especially if they are copious and rich in fat or accompanied by alcohol, coffee, soft drinks, fruit juices or tobacco.

also increases with certain postures, such as recumbent or by increasing abdominal pressure, laughing, having a bowel movement or simply bending over.

On the contrary, usually relieved by standing up, drinking water and, above all, when ingesting alkaline remedies, almost immediately but temporarily.

Burning can be a symptom of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer, hiatal hernia and, above all, gastroesophageal reflux, dyspepsia or a tendency to poor digestion without physical problems.

Heartburn

acid regurgitation or heartburn is a very specific symptom, less frequent than heartburn, although they can be associated. It happens when gastric or esophageal content passes effortlessly into the mouthwhich differentiates it from vomiting.

It indicates intense reflux and usually appears when leaning forward or adopting a horizontal posture. During the night there are frequent regurgitations that stain the pillow.

Causes of heartburn

They usually arise when the muscle responsible for holding food in the stomach (the lower esophageal sphincter) is weakened and lets gastric acids pass into the esophagus, which is not prepared to live with them.

He weakening of that muscle may be due to a hiatal hernia, but sometimes it is just if the cardia, the opening that connects the stomach and esophagus, is under a lot of pressure: for abundant and greasy meals or that produce fermentationdue to tight clothes or on highly pressed stomachs as happens during the pregnancy.

in anger, in stressful situations or discussions may also occur hyperchlorhydria reactions -an excess of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice- and mucosal changes.

There is also a theory that in some cases the problem is due to the stomach not secreting enough acids; that makes the sphincter not work enough and heartburn arises. In these cases, paradoxically, it would be advisable to increase the consumption of acidic foods.

How is heartburn and heartburn diagnosed?

Heartburn and acid regurgitation may be enough to advise a diet and a change in lifestyle, as well as a pharmacological treatment.

However, they will often require additional examinations to make a diagnosis correct. Among these, the endoscopy and the esophageal pH-metry They are the most used and the ones with the highest diagnostic performance.

What foods cause heartburn?

Since heartburn affects the digestive system, the first thing that comes to mind is how diet influences it. The food that enters the digestive system has a lot to say about its alterations: what is eaten and how.

It seems that alcohol and coffee reduce the muscle tone of the esophageal sphincter.

Other foods that are often blamed are: chocolate, acidic foods, carbonated drinks, spicy, fried and heated fat, mint, or mixtures of acids and heated fat such as tomato, especially fried. In other people they are foods that create sensitivity.

In some they can become bread and milkalthough other times it is precisely these foods that that are recommended as treatment. The paradox arises that these foods are recommended in Mayr’s cure.

Milk is considered a protector of the intestinal mucosa and inhibits the formation of hydrochloric acid, but since it is alkalizing it could cause a rebound effect. and prompt the stomach to release more acids.

In complex carbohydratess, although cellulose is protective, the greater mobility of the food bolus also could be irritating.

The orange peelrich in d-limonene, is believed to help, because could act on the esophageal sphincter or promote intestinal transit.

Tobacco is another of the enemies of the intestine. Tobacco and nicotine paralyze movement produced by action of the intrinsic nervous system of the Meisner and Auerbach plexuses. This irregular and complex movement is the What makes Exner’s enteric reflex possible? a contractile and localized reaction to which the walls of the intestine resort to defend themselves from irritating or poorly chewed substances.

How to naturally treat heartburn

Conventional medicine uses mucosal protectors, anti-H2 and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and prokinetics.

All these medicines, although they fulfill their function, are only a supplement to hygienic-dietary standards which is important to follow:

Avoid compression factorssuch as girdles or belts that increase intra-abdominal pressure and facilitate reflux.Do not eat copious meals, chew well and avoid foods that produce a lot of acidity, such as animal proteins and fats; as well as spicy, irritating or flatulent foods.Eliminate chocolate, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol. Follow one hypocaloric diet, preferably ovo-lacto-vegetarian. This also combats possible obesity, which increases intra-abdominal pressure. Consume wholemeal breadwhich reduces hyperchlorination, but chewing it very well to avoid possible rebound effects. Increase the consumption of vitamins A and group Bwhich protect the mucous membranes. It also helps sitting or upright during digestion, or take a quiet walk after eating. When going to sleep, you can raise the head of the bed about 10 or 15 centimeters placing wedges under the legs.

Lacto-vegetarian diet for heartburn

To reduce the burning sensation a daily menu similar to the one offered in this table can be followed for one or two weeksas long as improvement is perceived, or up to two months in the most serious cases.

First daySecond dayThird dayOn an empty stomachOrange juice (200 g) Tangerine juice (200 g) Grapefruit juice (200 g)Breakfast

Fresh cheese (150 g)
Skimmed yogurt (125 g)
Almond milk (a glass)

Semi-fat cheese (100g)
Skimmed yogurt (125 g)
Almond milk (a glass) Semi-fat cheese (75 g)
Kefir (100g)
Almond milk (a glass)MealHalf a cup of flan.
Salad: carrot (100 g), red beetroot (100 g), cabbage (100 g), olive oil (30 g) and lemon.
Cooked potato (250 g), cooked spinach (250 g), olive oil (25 g) and garlic
Apple (200 g), almonds (50 g), almond milk (a glass).
After two hours, if you’re hungry, have a cup of flan.Half a cup of flan.
Salad: carrot (100 g), red beetroot (200 g), olive oil (30 g) and lemon.
Cooked potato (300g), cooked borage (200g), olive oil (25g) and garlic.
Apple (200 g). almonds (50 g), almond milk (a glass).
After two hours, if you’re hungry, have a cup of flan.Half a cup of flan.
Salad: celery (100 g), cabbage (100 g), carrot (100 g), olive oil (25 g) and lemon.
Cooked potato (250 g), cooked onion (250 g), cooked spinach (200 g), olive oil (25 g) and garlic.
After two hours, if you’re hungry, have a cup of flan.SnackA cup of flan, orange (200 g), plums (200 g) and coconut (100 g). A cup of flan, two bananas (300 g) and plums (200 g). A cup of flan, two bananas (300 g) and coconut (100g).at half an hourFresh cheese (100 g), oat flake porridge (50 g), almond milk.

Fresh cheese (100 g), oat flake porridge (50 g), almond milk.

Fresh cheese (100 g), oat flake porridge (50 g), almond milk.

Nutritional valueCalories: 2995 Protein: 17% Carbohydrates: 52% Fat: 31% Vitamin A: 3.4mgVitamin E: 24mgVitamin B1: 1mgVitamin B2: 1.5mgVitamin B3: 12mgVitamin B6: 0.6mgVitamin C: 386mgCalories: 2855Protein: 19%; Carbohydrates: 55.7%Fat: 25.3%Vitamin A: 1.9mgVitamin E: 25mgVitamin B1: 0.8mgVitamin B2: 1mgVitamin B3: 12mgVitamin B6: 1.6mgVitamin C: 207mgCalories: 2,930Protein: 16.4%Carbohydrates: 56.3%Fat: 30%Vitamin A: 2.2mgVitamin E: 22.4mgVitamin B1: 1mgVitamin B2: 1.5mgVitamin B3: 12mgVitamin B6 : 0.9 mgVitamin C: 252 mg.

Medicinal plants for heartburn

against heartburn, two granucoloids can be used: agar-agar, which is obtained from red marine algae and it is deposited on the mucosa as a protective film, isolating it and calming the pain; and alginic acid and alginates, derived from brown algae and that are specific for the treatment of reflux.

After meals, you can prepare a infusion based on licorice, mint, anise, oregano, yarrow and calendula in a combination of antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, healing, sedative and emollient action.

Other useful plants are: dandelion, thyme, chamomile and lemon balm.

He raw potato juice or the cabbage juice three times a day is also another formula that can be used.

homeopathy against heartburn

For the treatment of heartburn and reflux homeopathy proposes:

sulfuric acid 4 CH: 4 granules three times a day against heartburn, gastralgia and belching, bad breath and abundant salivation.calcarea carbonica 4 CH: against burning pains in the stomach that spread to the throat, acid regurgitation one hour after meals, acid belching and dyspepsia in children.Robinia Pseudoacacia 4 CH: three granules every 15-30 minutes for a burning sensation in the stomach and between the shoulders, heartburn, heartburn and vomiting of acid water, heartburn at night when going to bed, belching and acid vomiting at night.argentum nitricum 4 CH: in case of acidity associated with a diet rich in sugars. Others: Nux vomica, Mercurius solubilis, Pulsatilla, Magnesia album.

Other proposals of natural medicine

Hydrotherapy and reflex therapy may also be helpful:

Hydrotherapy:The calcium and trace metal bicarbonated waters neutralize acids. It may help to give yourself hot hand and foot baths 20 minutes before lunch and dinner; foot baths and foot baths of 7-10 minutes are suitable if you have cold hands and feet, since this does not predispose to good digestion. heartburn pain digestive can be used warm compresses or poultices of hay flowersfor a half hour.foot reflex therapy: it is convenient to influence the reflex areas of the solar plexus, diaphragm, chest and lung, esophagus and stomach, dorsal vertebrae, adrenal glands or on the plantar areas that are more sensitive.

Reflux in babies, can it be treated?

Reflux and heartburn are very common in infantswho usually suffer from them due to its maturation process of the cardia.

When a baby from one to four months cries more than three hours a day and in an irrepressible way, you have to…