Natural remedies for acid reflux and heartburn may be as close as your kitchen. They include:
- Honey
- Ginger
- Baking soda
- Bananas
- Turmeric
- Apple cider vinegar
When paired with dietary changes and lifestyle changes, acid reflux home remedies may be enough to quell the burning sensation in your chest that occurs when the contents of your stomach move up into your esophagus.
This article explores acid reflux home remedies. It also explains how foods and lifestyle habits contribute to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and how changes you can make today can reduce future episodes.
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Verywell / Emily Roberts
Home Remedies for Heartburn
When gastroesophageal reflux (GER) becomes severe or frequent, it is called GERD.
A lot of natural remedies have been touted for heartburn or acid reflux relief. These remedies are generally not well-researched and should be used with caution. Remember that even natural substances can cause negative side effects and drug interactions.
Some nutritional and herbal treatments that may stop acid reflux naturally include:
- Apple cider vinegar: Studies have been inconsistent on whether this helps with reflux symptoms.
- Baking soda: A natural alkaline found in your kitchen, sodium bicarbonate helps to neutralize excess stomach acid to ease heartburn.
- Ginger: Some researchers say ginger "shows promise" as a heartburn treatment.
- Aloe vera: Products containing aloe vera juice or syrup have shown promise against heartburn.
- Ripe bananas: Alkaline foods, like potassium-rich bananas, may help counteract irritating stomach acid.
- Papaya: In studies, papaya has been shown to make minor improvements to heartburn.
- Turmeric/curcumin: Combination products containing this curry spice have shown promise against heartburn.
- Deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) licorice root: Licorice may protect the esophagus from damage by increasing mucus. Special processing removes a substance that can cause dangerous side effects.
- D-limonene: This substance comes from citrus essential oil. Limited research has shown it to be effective at relieving GERD.
- Honey: Although further research is needed, a pilot study found honey improved the physical effects of GERD and its symptoms.
- American ginseng (Panex quinquefolium): Animal studies suggest this plant may protect against damage to the esophagus associated with GERD by reducing inflammation.
- Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis): This herb has shown promise in animal studies as a stomach protectant.
- Slippery elm: Combination products containing substances from this tree have shown promise against heartburn.
Talk to your healthcare provider before trying any natural remedies for heartburn, acid reflux, or GERD.
Does Mint Help or Hurt Heartburn?
Mint is often used to soothe an upset stomach or irritable bowel, but research suggests it can contribute to reflux by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). To eliminate this risk, take enteric-coated capsules. They dissolve lower in the digestive tract, so they don't affect the LES.
Diet Changes Can Ease Reflux
Changing what, when, and how much you eat can make a big difference in relieving heartburn. Some of these changes may be noticeable right away, while others may take time for you to feel a difference.
If you need something to settle acid reflux immediately, over-the-counter antacids can provide relief quickly. They work by neutralizing the stomach acid and Liquid forms work faster than tablets.
What can I drink to stop acid reflux fast?
Water can help dilute stomach acid, so finding ways to increase fluid intake may help. For example, choose herbal teas, broth-based soups, and water infused with sliced cucumbers or a small amount of lemon juice and honey to help neutralize stomach acid.
Avoid Your Trigger Foods
Often, certain foods are related to episodes of acid reflux. Identifying and avoiding those foods can reduce your symptoms.
You might notice that certain foods or beverages bother you. Other times, it may not be obvious. A food and symptom diary can help you identify your trigger foods.
Common food triggers include:
- Acidic foods (citrus, tomatoes, tomato-based foods)
- Alcohol
- Caffeine (from coffee, tea, and other sources)
- Chocolate
- Fried or greasy foods
- Mint
- Spicy food
Some people find that sweets, high-glycemic-index foods (i.e., those that digest quickly), and meals that are too hot may trigger heartburn.
Aim for a Healthy Weight
Losing weight may help reduce your heartburn symptoms. Some research has shown strong connections between being overweight or obese and GER/GERD.
The rate of GERD in people with obesity may be as high as 70%. Meanwhile, the overall prevalence of GERD in the United States is estimated at between 18% and 28%.
Gaining weight increases your risk and losing weight appears to lower it. This is believed to be due to excess body fat causing increased intra-abdominal pressure, and LES abnormalities, both of which could lead to increased acid reflux.
Speak with your healthcare provider about a food and exercise plan to help you reach a healthy weight.
Don't Overeat
Overeating is connected to heartburn and reflux. Learning to pay attention to your body signaling when it's full can help reduce overeating at mealtime.
To avoid overeating, you can use mindful eating techniques. Mindfulness means "paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally."
Eating mindfully means taking the time to focus on and pay attention to your food, your body, and the experience of eating. Some research suggests it can help you eat less and select healthier foods. To get started:
- Pause before each meal. Take a moment to notice whether you're hungry, bored, stressed, angry, or sad. If you're not actually hungry, don't eat.
- Eliminate mealtime distractions. Avoid reading, checking your phone, or watching television while you eat so you can be more aware of when you're full.
- Pause after each bite. Pay attention to whether you feel full or are still hungry. If you're full, stop eating.
The opposite of mindful eating is mindless or unconscious eating. An example of unconscious eating is consuming a whole bag of chips while watching a movie and only realizing how much you've eaten when there's none left.
Eating Too Fast?
You may have heard that eating too fast can cause GER or GERD. Study results are mixed: A recent study cited eating fast as a lifestyle habit contributing to GERD. Other studies reported the speed of eating doesn't affect the frequency of reflux symptoms in people with GERD or in women who have obesity.
Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Heartburn
Stress, sleep, and bad habits can contribute to acid reflux and heartburn. Making lifestyle changes can help reduce your frequency of heartburn and prevent future flare-ups.
Change Your Sleep Habits
Several nighttime habits can help ease symptoms of acid reflux and GERD. These habits all have to do with the effect of gravity on your stomach contents.
- Don't eat for three hours before going to bed. Lying down with a full stomach can cause reflux, as gravity no longer helps keep stomach contents down.
- Elevate the head of your bed. Some experts recommend increasing the effect of gravity by putting an 8-inch block under the legs of the head of the bed. You can also use bed risers, wedge pillows, and mattress wedges to prop yourself up.
- Sleep on your left side. Your stomach is on the left side of your abdomen. Lying on that side puts your stomach below the esophagus. When you lie on the right, stomach contents put pressure on the LES.
Elevating the head while sleeping is usually only suggested for people with nighttime symptoms or symptoms that prevent them from sleeping.
Avoid Tight-Waisted Clothing
Clothing with snug waistlines or belts puts pressure on your stomach. Common wisdom holds that this can lead to acid reflux. To test this, you can experiment with wearing the following:
- Lower-rise pants/skirts
- Elastic waistbands
- Pants/skirts one size larger than you normally wear
- Dresses instead of pants or a skirt
Ease Your Stress
Stress can trigger reflux symptoms in some people. There are proven ways to help manage stress, such as:
- Mindfulness meditation
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Deep breathing
- Yoga
- Relaxing pastimes, such as art
If you struggle with stress management, you may want to see a therapist for help.
Stop Smoking or Vaping
Nicotine in cigarettes and some vaping solutions may weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, according to research.
If you can stop smoking/vaping, it may help relieve your GER and GERD symptoms. A nicotine addition is difficult to break, so talk to your healthcare provider about effective ways to quit.
Quit Drinking
Many people rely on alcohol for stress relief and socializing. However, drinking alcohol can damage the lower esophageal sphincter and contribute to GERD symptoms. Avoiding alcohol is highly recommended and has been shown to reduce symptoms greatly.
Sometimes people who drink regularly or heavily find it difficult to stop. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services offers a free, confidential helpline through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
If you find yourself struggling to give up alcohol, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the SAMHSA helpline online.
Summary
Acid reflux is a medical condition where the contents of your stomach flow back into your esophagus. It's often treated with medication, but diet and lifestyle changes and natural remedies can also help. Fortunately, a lot of treatments are available to relieve symptoms and prevent damage.
Diet and lifestyle changes are usually safe to try but talk to your healthcare provider before taking any supplements or trying natural remedies.
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