Heartburn feels like the name suggests; a burning sensation in the chest caused by acid indigestion. GERD or gastroesophegeal reflux disease is one of the major causes of heartburn and can restrict the type of food you eat and your overall lifestyle. It is important to note, however, that heartburn can also be a symptom of ischemic heart disease, so it is vital to undergo a check up to rule out misdiagnosis.

Some of the symptoms of heartburn include burning sensation in the chest and throat, sour or bitter taste in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, chronic coughing and wheezing or asthma-like symptoms. Of course, symptoms like difficulty swallowing could be due to other reasons like esophageal cancer or erosive esophagitis and should never be overlooked.

Heartburn remedies can be sought through over the counter drugs like antacids, which neutralize stomach acid, stopping it from reaching your esophagus; proton pump inhibitors, which prevent enzymes in the stomach from producing too much stomach acid; and H2 blockers, similar to proton pump inhibitors, which prevent large production of acid.

It is important to note that while heartburn is usually caused due to overabundance of acid, sometimes a lack of stomach acid can be the cause. Here, food cannot be properly digested and tends to rot inside. In this case, an HCL increaser helps produce more acid to help digest food. It is vital, therefore, to know which of the two is causing your heartburn before taking medication.

Among natural heartburn remedies, one the simplest is detoxification, which can be done by drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, helping flush out the system. Red apples are known to aid in treating heartburn as well as they contain pectin, known for promoting good health. Avoiding spicy foods and following a bland diet will also help prevent burning of the esophagus. Drinking mint tea also helps in detoxification and help in warding off heartburn. Tobacco and caffeine, meanwhile, are notorious health risks as we all know. If you’re habituated to them, give them up as they tend to irritate the lining of the esophagus. Consumption of alcohol too should be cut down.

Heartburn is essentially a lifestyle illness. Changing your diet and giving up certain habits can turn it around so don’t wait till it escalates and take the time to care for your body.