Indian Remedies for GERD Which May Help You Get Rid of that Consistent Acidity & Heartburn (2021)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is a condition that occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, which is the tube connecting the mouth and stomach. That does not imply that every time you feel acid reflux, you are susceptible to GERD.

GERD is usually caused due to low stomach acids and can be both mild and severe. Depending on the severity of the condition, it can be treated in various ways. GERD is known to cause heartburns, acid reflux, bloating, etc., as common symptoms, whereas the more uncommon issues include asthma-like symptoms, sleep trouble, frequent swallowing, etc. Lifestyle changes, changes in food habits, medications like antacids help in dealing and curbing GERD symptoms, and a few advanced conditions could even require surgery.

The most common symptoms of GERD include:

Let's talk about the most effective Indian remedies for GERD:

One of the most common and widely known curing acid reflux options is Fennel Seed, aka Saunf. Readily available in every household, fennel seeds are effective in treating indigestion and prevent acid reflux. The best part of this remedy is that you can simply chew a few fennel seeds after your meal and keep issues such as indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux at bay. Alternatively, fennel seeds can also be soaked in water, and you can then consume the water to keep away or stomach and gastric related issues.

Just like saunf, yoghurt is yet another easily available remedy that works wonders for your GERD issues. Apart from buttermilk, some spices are widely used for healing stomach issues. When water is added to the yoghurt with a few of these spices, with a little bit of churning, the mixture gives you the buttermilk.

India is a land of spices, and one such multi-purpose spice is cardamom. From adding flavours to our food and beverages, cardamom is actively used in a range of ayurvedic medicines. Cardamom is a proven remedy for curing various stomach issues like indigestion and acid reflux.

Chewing cardamom works on the inner lining of the stomach, therefore, preventing GERD. You can also make a cardamom drink and store it for a couple of days.

The first organ in our body that alcohol affects is the stomach for the simple reason that it ends up in your stomach. When you consume alcohol, the internal lining of the stomach gets affected. Alcohol comes into the category of irritants that damages the membranes of the cell. This causes inflammation in the stomach, unlike the normal inflammation that is caused by the body for healing.

Regular consumption of alcohol increases the damage in the stomach, giving way to disorders like GERD. Similarly, caffeine is also known to have adverse effects on the stomach if consumed too much. Lifestyle changes are extremely helpful in fighting GERD. Once you reduce the caffeine and alcohol intake, it can significantly help with suppressing GERD symptoms.

Known to Indian Ayurveda for centuries, Amalaki powder made from the Indian gooseberry works as an effective antacid. Multiple research pieces to measure the effectiveness of amla for heart burn also suggest that amla powder is a great way to prevent GERD. Eating raw amla or adding the amla powder in water and tea is extremely helpful in curing the inflammation, tightness in the stomach, acid reflux, heartburn, and various other digestive issues.

You might wonder how come lemon is touted as an effective method of curing acid reflux issues. While lemon's acidic nature remains a fact, when few drops of lemon are mixed with water, it has an alkalizing effect. Therefore lemon can be effective in neutralizing the acidity in the stomach. Further, to beat lemon's acidic effect, you can also add a few drops of natural honey and consume it. Among various types of honey, manuka honey is known to have the maximum effect on GERD symptoms.

It is widely believed that manuka honey coats the stomach lining and oesophagus, thereby healing the stomach and preventing acid reflux. There are various ways of consuming honey but make sure to control the quantity. As honey also affects the blood sugar level, therefore not more than two spoons are recommended in a day. That said, to get instant relief from the stomach issues, mix a teaspoon of lemon juice and honey in a glass of warm water and drink it up. Among other benefits, lemon honey is an excellent combination for curing acid reflux problems.

Mint oil is primarily helpful in preventing and curing heartburn. Inhaling the peppermint essential oil is the simplest way to ease heartburn and cure upset stomach and nausea issues. You can mix the oil with a carrier oil and apply it to the chest, back, and belly to relax the digestive system.

Lifestyle and food habit changes can also help in lowering the causes of stomach acidity.
Acidity can be caused by eating a lot of spicy foods, not chewing the food enough. Try eliminating acidic food from your diet and include food like jowar, bajra, etc. Also, sprouts, milk, and curd can be highly efficient in helping with acidity caused by indigestion.

Aloe vera is a beneficial plant and one of the most effective ayurvedic remedies for GERD. Drinking a glass of aloe vera juice before a meal can majorly contribute to managing its symptoms. It helps with stomach inflammation due to acidity or excessive digestive acids. Aloe vera helps heal the digestive tract.

Among other Indian medicine for GERD, a remedy that often pops up is Tulsi tea. The goodness of this herb really helps in curbing the effects of acid reflux is Tulsi Tea. It is not known to subside the effects of acid reflux immediately magically, but holistic use of the same efficiently helps in indigestion.

Just boil a few leaves of fresh or dried tulsi leaves in water and sip on it. You cal also add honey to this concoction if you so desire.

A low carb diet immensely helps in diminishing the symptoms of GERD. GERD is usually caused by low stomach acids, which also hampers the body's ability to absorb carbohydrates. This, in turn, leads to an increase in bacterial infections and increased abdominal pressure. Low carb intake reduces the above or atleast helps overall.

GERD usually causes acidity and heartburn issues that are known to get aggravated by taking caffeine known to cause acidity. Various researches done in this field suggest that caffeine could be one of the causes of heartburn. Since caffeine can have a relaxing effect on LES, it can cause acid reflux. However, the effect of caffeine is more subjective and depends from person to person. For instance, for some, taking several cups of coffee a day will not have any side-effect. However, for those whose acid reflux, heartburn symptoms get aggravated with coffee intake should reduce it.

Food habits can immensely impact the symptoms and healing process of GERD. Since low gastric acids cause GERD, overeating can severely aggravate the symptoms. More than overeating, it is mindless eating that causes many digestion problems. A proper diet is all about maintaining all the elements such as acidity level, salt content, etc. Mindless eating can cause severe heartburn and digestion issues if continued for long.

Exercise is vital for a healthy body, and weight maintenance also reduces acid reflux symptoms. Also, certain exercises are known to decrease blood flow to the gastrointestinal area. However, it would help if you did not try high-impact exercises such as sprinting, weightlifting, etc. when you are suffering acid reflux. Such high-intensity workouts can further aggravate the symptoms. Go for very light jogging, walking, swimming, or light cycling to get relief from acid reflux and other digestion issues.

One of the simplest solutions to maximum stomach issues is drinking just the right amount of water. Now, we put a little more thrust into consuming the right amount of water. Never go by the misleading versions such as water can be consumed in any quantity. Too much water in the body can disturb the mineral balance in the body, causing acid reflux rather than preventing it. If water is too bland for you (which it is for most people!), then you can also replace it with coconut water. However, avoid moving towards citrus drinks as they can aggravate the indigestion process.