Acid Reflux
And Treating Indigestion
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Probably no
one out there hasn't been awakened in the middle of the
night with a sudden and painful burning sensation in their
stomach or chest. No matter what you have eaten, four proven
remedies will help in alleviating your heartburn and
indigestion so you can get back to sleep fast.
The first
thing many decide to do is drink a glass of milk or use
mints to relieve their heartburn and indigestion. However,
this is something you shouldn't do. Milk may feel good
initially as it goes down your throat but the fats and
proteins in the milk will actually cause your stomach to
produce more acid and make your heartburn and indigestion
worse. While mints will also appear to sooth the indigestion
they really, only help to relax the valve between your
stomach and esophagus, which is supposed to help keep acid a
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As this valve
becomes relaxed then more acid will move up into your esophagus
and make your heartburn and indigestion pain worse. Therefore,
it is best to instead drink a whole glass of water followed with
a mixture of one-tablespoon baking powder and a half a glass of
water. However, do not do this if you have high blood pressure
or if you are pregnant since it can cause water retention and an
increase in blood pressure.
A second trick you can
use is to eat a banana each day. A banana acts as an antacid for the
stomach to help soothe heartburn and indigestion. However, if you are
already suffering from indigestion then you can eat a pineapple or
papaya as well as drinking the juice depending on which you prefer.
This will help settle your stomach naturally without the use of the
chemicals you get in over-the-counter medicines. A few people have
also said that eating a teaspoon full of mustard will immediately work
to help their indigestion.
Third is to
avoid eating at least two hours before you go to sleep. Late night
snacks keep your stomach busy with digesting the food, and as a result
it prevents you from having a deep, restful sleep at night.
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In addition, some people find that sleeping
on their left side or at a somewhat upright angle will help
keep acid down where it belongs.
Fourth is to
avoid eating the foods that may cause your heartburn. Soda
pop or any beverages with caffeine, alcohol, garlic,
chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato-based products
are all food that can cause indigestion and heartburn
symptoms. However, some have said that downing a teaspoon
full of vinegar will help soothe their heartburn
immediately. Many wonder how giving your stomach more acid
will help stop the excess of acid it is already producing.
This is because the indigestion and heartburn is sometimes
caused by too little acid in the stomach and vinegar will
help give your stomach the little bit of extra acid it needs
to calm down and stop, eliminating your indigestion and
heartburn suffering. |
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