How to treat acid reflux with Ayurveda

Acid reflux happens when stomach acid splashes back up into your esophagus, and it is a painful condition that can cause various side effects, like heartburn and coughing. At this stage, treatment of acid reflux is necessary.

When you experience this often upsetting condition, conventional medicine comes to the rescue with over-the-counter medications such as antacids or pH strips.

Unfortunately, these drugs often have unpleasant side effects like constipation or drowsiness.

In this blog post, we will explore how to treat acid reflux with Ayurveda – a system of natural remedies that Indian healers have practiced for centuries.

Acid Reflux or GERD, Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease, is caused by a weakened valve between the stomach and esophagus, which allows stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, causing heartburn and a burning feeling in the neck or chest.

However, indigestion is a widespread problem caused by poor eating habits, such as consuming fatty and cold foods, processed meat, semi-cooked foods, and fast foods.

According to Ayurveda, the greatest way to maintain a healthy digestive tract and prevent acid reflux or GERD is to maintain healthy eating habits.

Well, occasional heartburn indicates that acid reflux is not a cause for concern, but if you experience frequent heartburn or chest pain, you should get treatment as soon as possible.

Natural and risk-free, Ayurvedic medicine is considered the best for acid reflux. Before learning how to treat acid reflux with Ayurveda, you should get familiar with the main symptoms of GERD.

Ayurveda is about healing the root cause of the condition; in this case, it is healing the problem at its source (where acid reflux happens in the esophagus).

Acid reflux symptoms are usually handled with over-the-counter antacids. Remember that antacids do not address the irritation produced by acid reflux/ GERD. When the esophagus remains inflamed over time, the lining can disintegrate, and, in rare cases, stomach ulcers or cancer might occur.

Therefore, avoiding treating acid reflux problems with over-the-counter medications is essential. Although a doctor may authorize antacids, these medications are only temporary treatments.

Consequently, if antacids are not effective in treating acid reflux symptoms, what is? A proper diet, a healthy lifestyle, and Ayurvedic natural treatments can address the disease at its source and provide a safe and long-term remedy. This is how:

Fennel Seeds Water:

Fennel seeds contain an anethole compound, which can help soothe stomach irritation and ulcers due to their ability to penetrate mucus membranes. It also contains bioflavonoids that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Mix 1 tsp fennel seeds with 1 cup of water and drink a couple of glasses at night. It has been used as a digestive aid in Ayurveda since ancient times. Sip 1 cup of fenugreek seed juice mixed with honey.

Lime juice with baking powder:

Mix 1 tsp of baking powder with a few limes and drink on an empty stomach every morning before breakfast.

This herbal concoction is a great natural remedy to cure acid reflux and will make you feel much better. Stress is one of the leading causes of acid reflux. It can disrupt your sleep patterns and aggravate the symptoms of GERD.

Exercise also helps reduce the symptoms, so make time for an active lifestyle instead of sitting in front of your computer all day long! Drink herbal teas soothing to your digestive systems, like chamomile, peppermint infusion, or lime juice with baking powder. These teas help relax you and also make you feel better.

Keep Yourself Hydrated:

In ancient times, doctors used to keep their patients as hydrated as possible to prevent constipation. In your case, drinking plenty of water should help you stay more regular.

Drinking half a liter of water daily will ensure that you are not dehydrated and that your body functions properly. Hydration also reduces your chances of getting heartburn and improves your skin and hair. It can also prevent constipation. Stay away from carbonated drinks, which could exacerbate your condition.

Avoid Toxins:

To follow the principle of Ayurveda, we should reduce the number of toxins in our bodies. This means drinking less alcohol and taking fewer drugs – these only add toxins to your system and keep your digestive system clogged up.

You should also eat plenty of fruits, veggies and very little meat or dairy as they take a long time to digest. If you are eating a lot of fatty foods, take a laxative to help digestion; yogis recommend senna tea for this purpose.

Avoid using processed foods like refined sugar or anything artificial as much as possible – try to use natural sweeteners like stevia instead.

Count on Soupy Dishes:

You should avoid eating right before bedtime and have soupy dishes instead. These foods are easier to digest so that you won't feel any heartburn or acid reflux in the first place. Soups that contain a lot of vegetables, whole grains, or legumes are ideal for this purpose as they keep your digestive system working perfectly.

Soupy foods are also recommended for anyone with a history of constipation or acid reflux; as such, people should be given bland soups for a week until their digestion improves.

Asafoetida (Hing):

Asafoetida or hing relieves gas or acidity immediately. Combining half a teaspoon of the pepper with lukewarm drinking can alleviate excess gas and acidity. Asafoetida has anti-flatulent, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic effects.

When Vata dosha (space and air) accumulates in the colon, gases may gather and build up, according to Ayurveda.

Hing balances this dosha in the colon. In addition, you can add a pinch of this spice whenever you prepare foods that produce flatulence, such as lentils, chickpeas, and pulses. You can also massage a mixture of hot mustard oil and hing around your belly button to provide relief.

Eat Sensibly and Avoid Spicy Meals:

According to Ayurveda, eating too much food or food that is too heavy or spicy can cause indigestion.

Therefore, you should moderate your eating habits and avoid eating fried, spicy, or junk food, which can upset your stomach. Eating smaller meals will help you feel fuller for longer and prevent hunger pangs that lead to bingeing on unhealthy foods.

If you have stomach acid reflux, there's a good chance that this is caused by stress, particularly if you eat the wrong things.

You should avoid foods that contain high amounts of fatty acids and fried or processed foods because these are known to cause indigestion and heartburn in many people.

Ginger:

Ginger, also known as adrak, is an excellent Ayurvedic treatment that acts as a carminative. You can consume it either in powdered or grated form. In the morning, you can also consume one teaspoon of sliced ginger with one teaspoon of lime juice and hot water. Ginger tea is also a useful home cure for flatulence, providing quick relief from trapped gas and acidity.

Indian gooseberry:

This fruit from India is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities. This ayurvedic medicine reduces pitta, which, according to Ayurveda, is fiery and characterized by extreme heat. Increased pitta is responsible for acid reflux. The consumption of gooseberry is simple, as it can be consumed raw or as a juice. Additionally, it can be used in a few recipes.

Main Symptoms of Acid Reflux/GERD

There are multiple ways to experience acid reflux/GERD. The following are the most common symptoms a person experiences:

• Water brash


• Chest pain


• Nausea


• uneasiness while swallowing food


• Headache


• Heartburn

With Ayurveda, these disorders can be treated or prevented.

What causes gas and gastric acid?

We all expel gas through the mouth, as belching, or via the rectum. To fully comprehend the issue, it is necessary first to comprehend its root cause. There are numerous ways to acquire gas in the digestive tract.

First, we all tend to swallow air while eating or drinking, allowing gases such as nitrogen and oxygen to enter the body. Secondly, during the digestion process, gases such as methane, CO2, and hydrogen are formed, which build in the stomach and cause discomfort if not expelled.

Additionally, it depends on the regular diet. If you ingest high-carb meals like broccoli, rajma, chole, and lentils without drinking enough water, your stomach will have difficulty digesting them.

Your colon, which contains many microorganisms, will digest food as it goes through. During this process, a great deal of gas will be expelled, which, if accumulated, can result in bloating, vomiting, acidity, acid reflux, and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Most factors that produce flatulence also cause acid reflux. According to Ayurveda, an imbalanced Agni (one of the essential elements) weakens the digestive tract. Therefore, the best way to cure gas and acidity is by regulating this metabolic fire using the Ayurvedic remedies explained above.

Diet and lifestyle tips:

• Avoid eating oily food and wear cotton clothes to prevent indigestion. Liquid foods are more beneficial for acid reflux than solid ones.
• Avoid eating refined sugar, starch (bread), and refined flour if you have been suffering from acid reflux. These foods increase the level of acidity in your body.
• Instead, eat plenty of fibrous foods like brown rice, whole wheat bread, and oats; fruit such as apples and cranberries; vegetables such as spinach; beans or lentils to improve the lining of your stomach; and try to avoid overeating as overeating leads to indigestion.
• Pomegranate juice is believed to work wonders on acid reflux as it neutralizes acid and cleanses the esophagus. It is also a powerful antacid, which means that it will relieve the symptoms of heartburn and other related conditions.
• Pomegranate juice is so effective that medical professionals often use it as a first-line treatment for acid reflux.
• Not only can chewing on fresh limes help neutralize the acid in your body, but they are also stuffed with vitamins A, C, and E, essential for maintaining a healthy immune system.
• Try to eat half a lime daily to reap the benefits of this fruit's potent antibacterial properties. Mixing it with your diet will keep your teeth clean and shiny.
• Try to stop drinking alcohol which is an acid reflux trigger. It'll only worsen the symptoms by aggravating dehydration, indigestion, or heartburn.
• Avoid eating on top of an empty stomach, as it can lead to unwanted chest pain and shortness of breath. Eat small portions of food for a longer duration, and feel free to snack throughout the day as opposed to having 3-4 large meals with snacks in-between or snacking on a lot between meals.
• In Ayurveda, herbs and plants are the first line of defense against acid reflux that should be used because they have fewer potential side effects compared to allopathic medicines.
• Herbs like trikatu, Harad, hing, chitrak, and kutki have anti-inflammatory properties and help relieve acid reflux symptoms in two ways. First, they work as an antacid in your body.The second way is by increasing the alkalinity in your stomach.




Conclusion:


Acid reflux is not a serious disease but a minor condition; the treatment of acid reflux is easy with some ayurvedic herbs, and it can lead to lifestyle changes. It is entirely possible to live a full and healthy life without suffering from acid reflux at all.