Gerd causes heartburn which is excessively distressing and makes one thoroughly miserable. In this disease, the esophagus becomes swollen and painful due to the acid which the stomach pushes upwards back to the throat. The food that we eat passes through the esophagus to enter the stomach. The stomach uses acid to digest this food. The acid does not irritate the stomach because it has a special and protective lining therefore the acid is unable to permeate through the stomach walls and cause pain.
But the throat and the esophagus have no such protective lining so every time the acid is refluxed; it causes fiery burning sensations in the throat, neck, chest and heart. Gerd is caused by the weakening of the sphincter muscle which is located at the lower end of the esophagus. It can also be caused by too much caffeine, alcohol, hiatal hernia, antihistamines and nitrates. If you are overweight then the excess pounds put pressure on the abdomen and push it up. This leads to the backing up of the acid into the esophagus and the throat.
Home Remedies For GERD
Cut On Smoking And Alcohol
Smoking and alcohol harm the body in every manner and cause a lot of serious health problems, the least of which is Gerd or gastroesophageal reflux disease. They weaken the esophagus and the stomach and increase the acid production. The burning sensation in the chest and throat becomes more aggravated and intensifies considerably. To prevent Gerd it is important to quit smoking and drinking alcohol altogether.
Avoid Fatty Foods
Too much of animal food, fried foods and foods which are full of processed starches and sugars trigger heart burn. These foods besides being difficult to digest also increase the weight which add pressure on the stomach and causes the acid to come up into the esophagus and the throat.
Eat small meals at a time and include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Eating less will help get rid of the extra pounds and less acid will be produced in the stomach.
Pudina
Pudina is a natural antacid. It is also a powerful antioxidant and has potent anti-inflammatory properties. It has a cooling effect on the stomach and curbs the production of excess acid.
It soothes the inflamed esophagus and the throat and removes the burning sensation. Grind some fresh pudina leaves to a fine paste. Mix one teaspoon of the paste into a cup of curd and eat it twice daily.
Curd
Curd is full of nutrients that strengthen the sphincter which connects the esophagus to the stomach. It also neutralizes the stomach acid and the live culture present in it helps in the digestion of food. It has a cooling effect which soothes the throat and the esophagus. Eat one cup of curd with every meal.
Raw Cabbage Juice
Grate some fresh cabbage and squeeze it to extract the juice. Drink half a glass of this juice once, every morning. Cabbage is full of glutamine which has powerful antacid properties. It curbs the production of excess acid and brings relief in the heartburn.
Best Home Remedies For GERD,