When your chest starts burning and indigestion runs rampant, you’re miserable. You don’t have to be, though. While most cases of heartburn pass on their own, you don’t have to be uncomfortable or suffer for hours until the burning sensation settles. There are methods of natural heartburn relief you can try. Today, that’s what we at IV Revival are tackling.
Heartburn, as you probably know, is a burning sensation in your chest that often occurs with a bitter taste in your throat or mouth. The symptoms of heartburn may get worse after you eat a large meal or when you’re lying down.
What Causes Heartburn?
Heartburn typically occurs when contents from the stomach back up into the esophagus. The esophagus is a tube that carries food and fluids from the mouth into the stomach.
Heartburn can also be the result of a hiatal hernia. This happens when part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm and into the chest. A small hiatal hernia usually doesn’t cause problems. You may never know you have one unless your doctor discovers it when checking for another condition.
Heartburn is also a common condition during pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, the progesterone hormone can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax. This allows stomach contents to travel into the esophagus, causing irritation.
Other health conditions or lifestyle choices can worsen your heartburn, including
- Being overweight or obese
- Consuming caffeine, chocolate, or alcohol
- Eating spicy foods
- Lying down immediately after eating
- Smoking
- Taking certain medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen
Natural Heartburn Relief
There are a few ways to find natural heartburn relief, quickly.
If you experience occasional heartburn, there are several home remedies and lifestyle changes that can help alleviate your symptoms. Lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy weight, can help reduce your symptoms.
You should avoid:
- Carbonated drinks
- Citrus fruits
- Consuming chocolate
- Consuming alcohol
- Consuming caffeinated drinks
- Lying down after meals
- Peppermint
- Using tobacco products
In general, we recommend avoiding most teas as well, due to the risk of them having caffeine, mint, spearmint, or peppermint. While it’s true that those types of tea can help calm your stomach, they can actually make your heartburn worse in the process.
Try Alternatives to Coffee
In addition to tea, coffee isn’t great for heartburn either. In some cases, it can actually trigger it.
Studies show that coffee temporarily weakens your lower esophageal sphincter, increasing the risk of acid reflux. In layman’s terms, coffee makes it easier for your stomach acid to come back up.
However, not all coffee does this. If you frequently suffer from heartburn after your morning cup up Joe, you may want to try these alternatives. Drinking decaffeinated coffee has been shown to reduce reflux compared to regular coffee.
If you want to drop coffee all together or still need a boost if you’re switching to decaf, try vitamin B-12. On its own, it’s one of eight B vitamins that help the body convert the food you eat into glucose, which gives you energy.
Additionally, a common cause of fatigue stems from B-12 deficiency, which is a common problem especially among older people. An estimated 3.2% of adults over the age of 50 have a seriously low B12 level, and up to 20% may have a borderline vitamin B12 deficiency. Therefore, simply taking vitamin B12 can combat the symptoms of a deficiency, including fatigue
Another perk of B12 is that it can improve your mood and help fight depression, both of which make you feel run down. B12 plays a vital role in synthesizing and metabolizing serotonin. Serotonin is the chemical responsible for regulating mood. It’s most commonly known as the “feel good” hormone that causes happiness.
This study helped people with depression and low vitamin B12 levels. One group received antidepressants while the other received both antidepressants and vitamin B12. The group that was given B12 showed fewer depressive symptoms than those who were only treated with antidepressants
B Vitamins Reduce Acid Reflux
According to a 2006 study, B vitamins may help stop acid reflux symptoms. Researchers divided the participants into two groups. Neither group knew which treatment they were receiving.
Group A took a dietary supplement containing:
- Vitamin B-6
- Vitamin B-12
- Vitamin B-9, or folic acid
- L-tryptophan
- Methionine
- Betaine
- Melatonin
As a result, Group A reported less symptoms than those that did not take B vitamins.
You can get B12 and other B vitamins in many places — from caffeinated drinks at your favorite coffee place (don’t tempt yourself if you’re quitting coffee) and the foods you eat, to getting it through an IV. Not everyone can eat food containing B12 (poultry, seafood, and nuts), so an IV is an ideal solution to help you get the nutrients your body needs. It also makes you feel great for days after.
If you want to give your body the boost it needs or need heartburn relief fast, call us at IV Revival. Our registered nurses will come right to your door with everything you need. It’s as easy as picking up the phone or scheduling online. Book an appointment today!