13 Best Home Remedies For Acidity and Heartburn

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All of us have suffered from acidity at some point or other. Severe pain in the stomach, burning, bloating, hiccupping, flatulence and acid reflux are the common symptoms. If you suffer from these problems time and again, we suggest you opt for home remedies for acidity and heartburn.

While our immediate and natural response is to reach for that antacid when suffering from acidity, it will not give you long-term relief. Instead, these kitchen treasures can cure and control acidity and boost your overall stomach health. We give you the most effective home remedies for heartburn, acidity, and indigestion. Read on!

Symptoms Of Heartburn and Acidity
What Causes
Healthy Habits
Low-Carb Diet
How To Treat
Eat A Ripe Banana
Avoid Trigger Foods
Avoid Late Meals, Snacking
Sleep Position
Reduce Stress
Limit High Fat Foods
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Symptoms Of Heartburn and Acidity

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Acidity is a medical condition that refers to the excess production of stomach acid. This acid is produced by the stomach glands and helps in digesting food. Excess acid can cause acidity or acid reflux, i.e. acid rising up from the stomach into the throat. Acid reflux can also cause heartburn, which is a burning sensation or pain in the lower chest area.

Check out this infographic to understand acidity symptoms.


Tip: Acidity and its symptoms shouldn't be taken lightly as they can cause serious problems over time.

What Causes

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Eating a heavy meal and lying on your back immediately after that or bending over at the waist or even snacking close to your bedtime can cause acidity. Additionally, certain foods such as citrus, tomato, garlic or spicy food and certain beverages like alcohol, carbonated drinks, and coffee can cause heartburn and acidity.

Healthy Habits

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Acidity and heartburn can be prevented by indulging in some healthy habits as listed below.

1. Don't Overeat: A large meal often triggers acidity more often than not. What happens if when your stomach is full, there is a greater chance that the stomach acids can be pushed back up the esophagus which will trigger reflux, indigestion, stomach spasms and discomfort. Instead, eat smaller portions but at regular intervals to prevent acidity. This is a good tip also because staying hungry for too long or having long-time gaps between your meals can also cause acidity.
2. Alcohol Intake: Drinking alcohol is associated with acid reflux. Alcohol and alcoholic drinks can also make the stomach produce more acid than usual. Over time, this can cause the stomach lining to wear away, leading to pain and inflammation, also called gastritis.
3. Chew Gum: It’s really that simple! The digestive process actually begins in our mouth. Gum stimulates the flow of saliva, which in turn keeps the acid levels down and balances your pH levels. After your meal, chew on some gum for ten minutes as one of the home remedies for indigestion.
4. Don’t Sleep on Your Right Side: When you hit the bed, turn onto your left side and sleep. This position prevents acid reflux as it does not allow corrosive stomach acids to enter the esophagus.

Tip: Turn to healthy eating and lifestyle habits and you'll see the results.

Low-Carb Diet

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Eating the right foods helps keep acidity in check. Add the below foods to your daily diet and see the difference for yourself.

5. Banana: Bananas are extremely beneficial for gut and stomach health because of their high fiber content which enhances the digestion process. They are rich in potassium and increase the production of mucus in the stomach which prevents the excess acid formation and also fights the harmful effects of excessive acid production. A ripe banana is a perfect antidote to severe bouts of acidity.
6. Cold Milk: It is a known fact that milk contains a high amount of calcium which makes it a superfood for bone health. But did you know that calcium is also one of the main ingredients in your over-the-counter antacids? Calcium helps to maintain the pH balance and aids in proper digestion.
7. Buttermilk: Cold buttermilk is another useful antidote to acidity. To get relief from heartburn, drink up a glass of cold buttermilk. Buttermilk contains lactic acid that neutralizes the acidity in the stomach. The lactic acid further soothes the stomach by coating the stomach lining and reducing the irritation and acid reflux symptoms. Besides, buttermilk is a naturally occurring probiotic. The good bacteria present in probiotics prevent the gas build-up and bloating that often causes acid reflux. It also allows the nutrients and foods to be digested and absorbed properly which ultimately eliminates and reduces the possibility of acidity occurrence and keeps your gastrointestinal health in good condition.

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8. Almonds: Another home remedy that works well to relieve acidity is raw almonds. Raw almonds are simply natural almonds that have not been soaked or tampered with in any way. In ancient times in middle eastern countries, almonds were regarded as a natural remedy for ulcers and heartburn. Almonds are rich in natural oils which soothe and neutralize the acid in the stomach. The high fiber content of the nut also helps in the digestion process. Besides raw almonds, you can also have almond milk to keep your stomach in good health.

Tip: Eat and drink the right things to prevent acidity in the first place.

How To Treat

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If the acidity and heartburn symptoms are too much to bear, you can turn to some common kitchen and pantry ingredients for relief.

9. Peppermint Tea: Peppermint tea can help with digestion and stomach pain. However, if you have acid reflux or GERD, avoid ingesting peppermint tea as it can worsen the problem.
10. Chamomile Tea: Chamomile tea is well known for its soothing properties and for decreasing inflammation. Studies show that it can calm and soothe the nervous system, and be one of the home remedies for acidity and heartburn.
11. Ginger: This is another kitchen staple that has myriad health benefits. Gingerols are the main ingredient found in ginger that gives it its healing properties whether for a normal cough and cold or various digestive and intestinal disorders. Ginger has properties that destroy the acidity-triggering pylori bacteria, decrease inflammation, minimises nausea and calms the stomach muscles. Fresh ginger also helps in the treatment of nausea. Ginger is also an active ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine for acidity. Ginger can be consumed raw, in tea or in cooking. When suffering from severe indigestion and acidity, combine 1 tbsp of ginger and lemon juice with 2 tbsp. of honey in warm water. This will help reduce the symptoms of acidity, keep your metabolism strong and relieve weakness and pain associated with acidity.

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12. Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds contain a compound called anethole which works as a soothing agent for the stomach and prevents spasms and flatulence. It is also loaded with vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber that aids the process of good digestion. As it also contains anti-ulcer properties it cools the lining of the stomach and helps in relieving constipation as well. Fennel seeds are one of the effective home remedies for acid reflux in pregnant women. A lot of pregnant women suffer from severe indigestion during pregnancy, but they are prohibited from taking a lot of food items and medicines. Fennel seeds function as one of the home remedies for acidity and heartburn. They are also beneficial for breastfeeding mothers as it is known to increase breast milk in nursing women. If you're looking for home remedies for acidity and gas problems, chew a few fennel seeds. You can also soak them in water and then drink the water and chew the fennel seeds for immediate relief.
13. Lemon Water: Although lemon juice is acidic, ingesting small amounts of it mixed with water can have an alkalizing effect, thus helping in acidity.

Tip: So, now that we have told you some super accessible kitchen ingredients to beat the acidity blues, try to opt for these natural remedies rather than the closest bottle of antacid available when you experience discomfort, nausea or burning due to acidity.

Eat A Ripe Banana

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Bananas are low in acid and can help neutralise stomach acid by coating an irritated esophageal lining. Additionally, apart from being alkaline, bananas are also rich in pectin, a soluble fibre that keeps food flowing nicely through the digestive tract. This can help keep you full for longer, and this way you’re less likely to overeat.

Avoid Trigger Foods

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There are certain foods that are known to cause heartburn triggers by causing the esophageal sphincter to relax and delay the digestive process and letting food sit in the stomach longer. The worst culprits are foods that have high quantities of fat, salt or spice in them including fried foods, fast food, pizza, chili powder, cheese, peppermint, etc, It’d wise to consume these foods in moderation.

Avoid Late Meals, Snacking

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Proper digestion is essential for absorbing the nutrients from what we eat and discarding the stuff we don’t. Eating late can have adverse effects and cause acid reflux, indigestion, coughing, etc. It’s advisable to have your evening meals 4-5 hours before going to bed and to avoid snacking at all costs.

Sleep Position

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Did you know that your sleeping position can also affect acid refluxes? Sleeping with your left side down cause help reduce any symptoms and exposure of the esophagus to stomach acid. However, sleeping in other positions, including on your back, can cause more harm than good.

Reduce Stress

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It’s believed that when you’re stressed, you become more sensitive to smaller amounts of acid in the esophagus hence we strongly suggest you take it easy and not fret about little things when you have acid reflux or acidity.

Limit High Fat Foods

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High-fat foods can cause your acid reflux to flare up as they cause the LES to relax, allowing more stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. These foods can also delay stomach emptying so reducing your daily intake of them can help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. How can I get immediate relief from acidity?

A. Some tips for instant relief from acidity are loosening your clothing, standing up straight or elevating your upper body. Drink water or chew gum to dilute stomach acids. For acidity treatment at home, you can also sip on diluted lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Stay away from cigarette smoke.

Q. What can I drink to relieve heartburn?

A. Drink lots of water as water neutralizes the acid and helps flush out the excess digestive juices present in the stomach, keeping the digestive system robust and better functioning. If you are suffering from frequent bouts of acidity and heartburn, drink a glass of lukewarm water in the morning and at night before going to sleep; you will benefit immensely.

Pineapple juice is one of the natural home remedies for acidity and heartburn. Drink a glass of pineapple juice if you have had a spicy meal and detect symptoms of acidity. Pineapples contain bromelain, which is an enzyme that helps control levels of hydrochloric acid in your stomach and works to prevent severe acid reflux. Besides pineapple juice, edible aloe vera juice is also known to be a coolant and a home remedy for stomach burns.

Q. How can I stop acidity?

A. These pointers will serve as home remedies for acidity and heartburn.

• Chew your food properly before ingesting it. Our stomach has to work really hard to break the food down when we don’t chew properly. This not only makes the process of absorption of nutrients difficult but also hinders the entire digestive process thus paving the way for indigestion, and consequently, acidity.
• Eat smaller portions at regular intervals instead of large meals.
• Finish your meals 2-3 hours before bedtime so your stomach gets ample time to carry out the digestive process and empty itself.
• Get some form of exercise at least for half an hour a day. Lack of exercise leads to excessive deposition of fats, especially in the abdominal area. Excess abdominal fat pushes stomach acids up into the esophagus which can lead to frequent heartburns. Do those crunches and runs regularly to prevent acidity and shed those extra pounds.
• Spend some time in the sun to boost your digestive process. Sun rays help the body produce vitamin D which further balances the production of over 200 antimicrobial body chemicals that fight stomach irregularities and help treat acid reflux.
• Avoid wearing clothing like tight jeans. Loose clothes allow your food to have an easy passage and don't restrict your stomach’s functioning.
• Quit smoking as it can cause heartburn. Nicotine present in cigarettes weakens the valve which prevents the stomach acids from flowing into the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract which causes reflux and heartburn.

Q. Does drinking milk help heartburn?

A. Yes, drinking milk is one of the best home remedies for acidity and heartburn. The reason for this is that milk contains calcium, which prevents acid build-up and also absorbs the excess acid produced. Bear in mind that cold milk is more effective than hot milk, and avoid adding any additives like sugar or chocolate powder to the milk as part of GERD home remedies.

Q. What is the natural remedy for acidity fast?

A. If you’re looking for an instant fix, try mixing baking soda with water. Having saunf water can also help benefit heartburn, bloating and acid reflux and improve digestion.

Q. Is hot water good for acidity?

A. Drinking hot water can help soothe your stomach, help digestion, and lessen the symptoms of GERD and acid reflux. As water dilutes acids in the stomach, keeping the acid from rising to your esophageal.

Q. Does an empty stomach increase acidity?

A. When your stomach is distended and bloated, acid can rise back into the esophagus, triggering symptoms. But an empty stomach can cause issues too. You can go three to four hours without a meal, but not longer.

Also Read - Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Symptoms, Treatments, and More