8 home remedies for heartburn
If you’re trying to avoid acid reflux or get rid of heartburn fast, here are eight ways to ease — and even prevent — your symptoms:
1. Keep a food journal and avoid trigger foods
As mentioned, certain foods and drinks can trigger acid reflux and heartburn.
You can help identify the specific foods most likely to give you issues by keeping a food and symptom diary. Once you do identify them, avoid these foods and drinks whenever possible.
2. Avoid lying flat right after eating
Laying down with a stomach full of food can trigger acid reflux and make heartburn symptoms worse. Avoid eating within 2-3 hours of your bedtime so your stomach has plenty of time to empty.
3. Resist the urge to overeat or eat quickly
This rings true especially if you do so right before bed, since having a large amount of food in your stomach may put more pressure on the valve that keeps stomach acid out of your esophagus, making acid reflux and heartburn more likely.
4. Take steps to lose weight if you are overweight
Excess weight puts extra pressure on your stomach, increasing your risk of acid reflux and heartburn. Eating a well-balanced diet and getting 150 minutes of physical activity per week are the first two steps to maintaining a healthy weight and losing excess weight.
5. Elevate the head of your bed
Elevating your head and chest higher than your feet as you sleep can help prevent and ease acid reflux and heartburn. You can do this by raising the head of your bed with blocks underneath the bedposts or using a foam wedge placed under the mattress.
Beware of piling pillows, as this usually isn’t effective and may even make your symptoms worse.
6. Adjust your sleep position
It’s thought that sleeping on your left side might aid digestion and may work to limit stomach acid reflux, though Dr. Glassner points out that this can be challenging to do with some types of beds.
7. Wear loose-fitting clothing
If you’re prone to heartburn, tight-fitting belts and clothing that put pressure on your stomach may be contributing to your symptoms.
8. Stop smoking if you smoke
Quitting smoking can reduce the frequency and severity of acid reflux and, in some cases, even eliminate it.
