According to a study completed in April of 2010 by Pamela R. Kushner, Clinical Professor at the University of California, 42 percent of people in the United States have experienced heartburn. Otherwise known as acid indigestion, heartburn is a painful condition where stomach acids climb into the esophagus. This causes pain behind the breastbone which may radiate up to the throat and jaw. While some cases of heartburn can signal a heart attack, the vast majority of cases are caused by far less serious conditions. If you suffer from the latter, you may be wondering what kind of natural remedies you can employ. Lifestyle changes, baking soda, bananas, and ginger are all safe, natural methods for reducing heartburn.

Changes in Lifestyle

Smoking, alcohol consumption, and eating foods such as citrus fruit, chocolate, and caffeinated beverages can all irritate your stomach and bring about severe attacks of acid indigestion. Making changes to avoid these factors will have a positive effect on your heartburn. What’s better is that your diet can still be varied, complete, and nutritious without these items. If you are concerned about vitamin C deficiency, consider a multi-vitamin to replace the citrus fruit. According the University of Maryland Medical Center, you can also add dark-green, leafy vegetables, watermelon, and cantaloupe to your diet to get vitamin C without suffering heartburn as a result.

Baking Soda

Baking soda works as a natural remedy by releasing carbon dioxide when mixed with water. This will both neutralize stomach acid and allow you to burp. Many individuals report that this is quite soothing and calms the stomach. However, some people report that this belching can allow acid to come up into their throat, exacerbating the condition. Try it yourself and discontinue if it doesn’t work well for you.

Bananas

The Drexel University College of Medicine reported in 2007 that bananas help with heartburn and upset stomachs by encouraging the lining of your stomach to produce more mucous. This mucous then coats the lining, forming a protective barrier between the lining and the stomach contents, including acid. As an added benefit, bananas also help reduce high blood pressure. Two a day is recommended for maximum results.

Ginger

The National Cancer Institute supports the use of ginger to support healthy digestion as well as lessen or eliminate nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other gastrointestinal ailments including heartburn. Ginger has been cultivated and used in cooking for over 4,400 years in Asia. It can be used in tea, chewed raw, or used as a spice to help calm your stomach. This natural remedy is quite popular and only comes with one caveat: those taking blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin) should avoid it due to potentially dangerous clotting complications.

Using these natural remedies for heartburn, you can get relief without resorting to prescription medication. If one method doesn’t work for you, feel free to try another. As with any chest pain, if you are at all unsure that what you’re experiencing is really just heartburn, see a doctor immediately. If you are certain of your diagnosis, download our Reflux Remedy Report at www.refluxremedy.com for even more ideas for beating heartburn.