Heartburn is a common health issue for many adults today, as one in three people in the United States periodically experience a burning sensation in their chest, particularly after meals or during sleep.

Heartburn is caused by stomach acid reaching the esophagus. The symptoms can be different for everyone, but in general, a person with heartburn may experience a pain in the chest area, a sour or acidic burn in the throat, or a feeling that food is stuck in their chest.

For one in five adults, heartburn is more frequent and doesn’t go away after a few hours, which may signal that it has progressed to a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In this case, it should be treated differently than a regular heartburn.

Too many people are taking powerful medications called proton pump inhibitors to reduce or eliminate their symptoms. Unfortunately, there are many potential health risks associated with daily, long-term use of these medications.

That is why RefluxMD has always recommended a Natural Cure for heartburn using ingredients you probably have at home.

Find your natural cure for heartburn – 8 natural home remedies

#1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Though your first association of acid reflux may be that you have too much acid in your stomach, in many cases it’s just the opposite.

This is why apple cider vinegar (ACV) as an acid itself is one of the best Natural heartburn remedies. We have mentioned ACV in several of our articles and discussed the merits of this natural home remedy in Apple cider vinegar for acid reflux.

There are several ways to introduce ACV into your diet. The most direct is simply adding 2 to 3 teaspoons of ACV to 8 ounces of water. We suggest adding some honey to make it easier on the taste buds. However, we highly recommend you consider 11 ways to add ACV to your diet, which may work better for you.

Note that apple cider vinegar may have the opposite effect if you take it too often. Listen to your body and then decide what amount works best for you. If your symptoms worsen, stop taking it.

#2. Ginger Tea

Ginger is one of the most versatile natural remedies for a number of health problems. It’s especially useful for stomach issues, and many find it is a natural cure for heartburn.

If you’re experiencing frequent heartburn, try taking some ginger tea about 20 minutes before your next meal.

To prepare it, slice up a finger-sized ginger root in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Let it steep for 10 minutes and drink immediately. Alternatively, you can also boil the ginger directly into the water.

#3. Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe vera is famous for its ability to soothe skin burns, but it can also help heartburn and similar internal inflammations.

You only need half a cup of pure aloe vera juice before your meals to find relief. Bear in mind that aloe contains a laxative compound, so your best bet is brands that have purified the juice and removed this component.

#4. Yellow Mustard

Sometimes, the simplest pantry items can be of great help for many health issues. And yellow mustard is one such item that you can use as a natural cure for heartburn.

Because it’s considered an alkaline food, mustard will balance out the acids in your stomach, neutralizing any pain you experience from heartburn.

Take one full teaspoon of high-quality yellow mustard and watch the heartburn go away.

#5 Honey

Many experts, including the Mayo Clinic, believe that honey has many health benefits, including relief for gastrointestinal track conditions.

As a natural cure for heartburn, it is thought that honey soothes the lining of the esophagus and helps heal any damage caused by acid reflux, which minimizes GERD symptoms.

We discuss honey in more detail in Heartburn home remedies: Can honey help? We recommend adding a teaspoon of honey with 6 to 8 ounces of warm water to create a honey tea, or just take the teaspoon of honey straight as well.

#6. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a base with a pH value of 7.0, which means it can easily neutralize the acids in your stomach causing heartburn.

The best way to take baking soda is to mix 1 teaspoon with 6-8 ounces of water. Mix well until the baking soda is completely dissolved. The water will taste extremely salty, so drink it up all at once.

#7. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is an herb of many talents and can help relieve many inflammations in the body, such as heartburn.

Sometimes, acid reflux can occur as a result of chronic stress and chamomile tea is a popular way to calm down your nervous system.

Chamomile tea is best taken before bed. This way, it can help you sleep better, reduce your stress levels, and balance out the acids in your stomach.

To make chamomile tea, you’ll need 1 tsp. of dried chamomile petals (or a tea bag) and a cup of boiling water. Optionally, you can add honey for better taste and added health benefits.

Drink chamomile tea at least one half an hour before you go to sleep.

#8. Sugar-free Chewing Gum

Chewing gum may not be on your immediate mind when speaking of natural heartburn remedies.

However, the Journal of Dental Research has proven that sugar-free gums can be a natural cure for heartburn and other GERD symptoms.

The reason for this is simple. Chewing stimulates the saliva glands in your mouth and accelerates the salivary flow rate. So when your stomach accumulates extra acid, the saliva helps to wash it away.

While not the most nutritious food item, if you’re in need of an instant solution, take a sugar-free chewing gum.

However, avoid mint gums since mint is also a trigger food.

Additional changes to complement your natural cure for heartburn

Though natural heartburn remedies can significantly improve your condition, you’ll also need to make some dietary and lifestyle changes to prevent further problems.

Maintain a healthy weight. The number one recommendation by all GERD experts is to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). We recommend a BMI of 24 or less to take pressure off of the diaphragm. We suggest How excess weight is destroying your lower esophageal sphincter (and driving your GERD symptoms) (https://www.refluxmd.com/excess-weight-destroyingr-esophageal-sphincter/)

Watch what you eat. The foods you eat can make or break your health, including heartburn. For example, heavily processed foods, fatty foods, and trigger foods can be detrimental to your stomach and drive your symptoms. Following a GERD friendly diet is the second most frequent recommendation by GERD experts.

Eat dinner early. We recommend eating your final meal of the day no earlier than three hours before you go to bed. That typically allows 90% of all the meal to process out of the stomach.

Change how you sleep. Sleeping with your head higher than your stomach and sleep on the left side can reduce nighttime symptoms. More importantly, this can keep any stomach contents from reaching the esophagus and pooling during sleep. We think everyone should consider a bed wedge or specialty pillow to maintain this during sleep.

Partner with a GERD expert. If your heartburn becomes chronic and you can’t find relief in natural remedies or medications, you may be dealing with GERD. In this case, you should schedule a visit with a GERD expert to discuss treatment options.

We realize that it’s much easier to take a pill to treat your heartburn, but to reduce the health risks we highly recommend developing a natural cure for heartburn with home remedies and adopting several lifestyle changes.

You can do this! Get started today and visit back here frequently to learn how!