How to STOP Acid Reflux Naturally | Harvard Trained Gastroenterologist Explains

Understanding Acid Reflux and Heartburn

[00:00] One in 10 people get acid reflux almost every day and if that includes you I'm going to give you some great tips that should really help. I will mention four best natural beverages for heartburn in the end of this video. Now let's begin. Okay so let me explain to you how acid reflux and heartburn actually happen. So there is a valve between

[00:20] your food pipe and the stomach. It's called lower esophageal sphincter. Now the lower sphincter is a muscular valve which lets food in one way. So food and liquid come down into your stomach one way through this valve and this valve closes and prevents food from the stomach and acid

Causes of Acid Reflux: Weak Sphincter and Lifestyle Factors

[00:40] to come up and hit the food pipe. However, if it does not close tight enough, then the stomach acid can reflux back up. So this is what leads to acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is the more chronic, severe version of acid reflux. And this can cause heartburn, which is the burning sensation in the middle of

[01:00] your chest. So heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux and GERD. The other symptoms of acid reflux include an acid taste in your mouth, belching, bloating and also dry persistent cough. It can also cause sore throat if the acid reflux is severe. So let's move on to the tips. There are multiple ways to make your lower esophageal swim

Medications and Nighttime Worsening of Symptoms

[01:20] close properly. Smoking, drinking alcohol and being overweight, all of these things can reduce the strength of the sphincter and cause acid reflux. So if any of these apply to you, then consider stopping smoking, reducing or stopping your alcohol intake and try to get to a healthier weight. These can help strengthen the lower esophagus

[01:40] sphincter and make it close tighter to prevent acid reflux. It is important to know that some medications can also worsen the symptoms of acid reflux. For example, painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, blood pressure medications like calcium channel blockers and many more. If you think that a medication is worsening your acid reflux symptoms,

Lifestyle Modifications to Prevent Reflux

[02:00] symptoms, make sure to talk to your doctor and come up with a management plan. For a lot of people, acid reflux symptoms are worse at night because when you're lying down in your bed, that takes away the gravity and the acid in the stomach now has a free pass to come up and hit the footpipe if the sphincter between the footpipe and the stomach is loose. So the solution

[02:20] to this which my patients absolutely love is to raise the entire upper part of your body. That does not mean getting a big pillow and putting it behind your head because that is going to only elevate your head and would not improve your acid reflux symptoms. So what you want to do is raise one end of the bed by about 10 to 20 degrees. Either put something under the top

[02:40] up to the legs of your bed or under the mattress. Or even you could also consider using a wedge that you can buy from any of the online stores and put it so that the upper body gets elevated by 10 to 20 degrees. In addition to this, try going to bed with an empty stomach which means in the last 3 to 4 hours of going to bed, make sure

[03:00] You do not eat anything and in the last two hours of going to bed make sure you do not drink anything Also consider eating smaller and more frequent meals rather than large meals because large meals would stretch the stomach and can cause acid reflux to worsen peppermint tomatoes chocolate and caffeine are

Medical Treatments and Natural Remedies Overview

[03:20] all known to make your acid reflux worse. A lot of my patients are able to enjoy coffee despite acid reflux as long as they follow the 5 tips that I shared in one of my previous videos. Also, if you like to wear tight clothes around the waist or a belt, it is going to push up that acid and cause the worsening of acid reflux. So instead, try and wear something

[03:40] lose. For the medical treatment of acid reflux, there are multiple medications available over the counter and also prescription. So talk to your doctor and see if Tums, Antacids, H2 blockers or Proton Pump inhibitors are the right choice for you. Now let's talk about the four best natural beverages that my patients absolutely love.

Natural Remedy 1: Basil Tea

[04:00] that will alleviate your occasional heartburn. First, water. Water dilutes the stomach acid and can give you an instant relief. Second, basil tea. Boil water in a pot or kettle while the water is boiling, wash fresh basil leaves thoroughly. Place the basil leaves in a teapot or mug. Pour the boiling water over the basil leaves.

Natural Remedy 2: Fennel Tea

[04:20] Allow the tea to steep for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how strong you prefer the flavor. Strain the tea to remove the basil leaves, serve hot and enjoy. Third, fennel tea. Bring water to a boil in a pot or kettle. Crush fennel seeds lightly. Place the crushed fennel seeds in a teapot or mug. Pour the boiling water over the fennel seeds.

Natural Remedy 3: Ginger Tea

[04:40] Let the tea steep for around 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the tea to remove the fennel seeds, serve hot and enjoy. And last but not the least, ginger tea. Peel and slice fresh ginger root about 1 to 2 inches. Bring water to a boil in a pot or kettle. Add the ginger slices to the boiling water. Allow the ginger to simmer in the water for about 10

Tips on Brewing and Customizing Herbal Teas and Closing Remarks

[05:00] 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and let the tea steep for an additional 5 minutes. Strain the tea to remove the ginger slices, serve hot and enjoy. Feel free to adjust the strength and the flavor of the teas by varying the amount of herbs or spices used and the steeping time. And that's all guys. I hope this was helpful. If you liked it, make sure to hit the subscribe button.

[05:20] If you have any questions, feel free to leave those in the comments section and I will try my best to answer those. I will see you in the next video.