Do you often suffer from heartburn and acid reflux? There is no doubt these conditions can make one’s life hard. But then, what can you do to treat them? Is there a simple cure?

Here is where baking soda comes into the picture. Are you curious to know more? Then keep reading this post!

What Are Heartburn And Acid Reflux?

Heartburn and acid reflux can be described as the situation where you start to taste the sour liquid in your mouth or regurgitated food, have difficulty swallowing food, and experience wheezing, coughing and burning chest pain. It occurs just behind the breastbone (1). The pain and symptoms feel similar to a heart attack, but heartburn is no way related to heart disease. It is a result of stomach acids causing an irritation in the food pipe or esophagus.

Causes Of Heartburn And Acid Reflux:

For food and water to travel to the stomach, the muscles at the opening of the lower esophageal sphincter must relax. And once the food has reached the stomach, it contracts shut. However, heartburn and acid reflux are caused when the lower esophageal sphincter doesn’t close like it should, which causes the stomach acids to escape into the esophagus. So movements like bending down or lying down can increase the amount of acid getting into your esophagus. Excessive pressure in and on the stomach can cause heartburn and acid reflux to occur, like in the case of:

• Obesity
• Overeating
• Pregnancy
• Constipation

Other things that can cause heartburn and acid reflux include:

• Foods rich in oils and fats
• High levels of stress
• Lack of sleep
• Smoking
• Alcohol, caffeine and certain other beverages
• Foods like garlic, onions, mint, tomatoes, citrus fruit, spicy food and chocolates

Symptoms Of Heartburn And Acid Reflux:

Heartburn is a common issue that most people get. There is no need to panic unless it happens regularly. The symptoms of heartburn are:

• Burning chest pain after eating or at night
• The pain builds with movements like bending over or lying down.

If you experience the following symptoms more than twice a week, you have a severe case of acid reflux or gastro-esophageal reflux disease. In this case, you will need to visit a doctor, instead of using home remedies to cure your issues.

• Regular heartburn
• Burping
• Bloating
• Hiccups
• Nausea
• Regurgitating
• Problem with swallowing
• Wheezing, coughing and sore throat
• Weight loss for no reason

How Can Baking Soda Help?

Baking soda may have multiple uses in the kitchen for cooking, but it can also help ease the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux. The key lies in the sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda. Here’s how it works:

1. Being a base baking soda can counter the acids from the stomach trying to move into the esophagus. Once the baking soda neutralizes the acidity, it will stop flowing back into the esophagus, and you’ll experience relief from the burning throat and chest pains.
2. Baking soda can help keep the blood stream pH balanced. This will help restore balance to the rest of the body.
3. It serves as an antacid reducing the effects of acid reflux by tackling heartburn, stomach upset, indigestion and sour stomach.

Sodium bicarbonate is naturally produced in the body by an organ called the pancreas. This is supposed to help neutralize the acids in the stomach. However, unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking affect the pancreas and its ability to produce sufficient sodium bicarbonate, making you prone to acid reflux and, as a result, heartburn.

Baking Soda As An Antacid:

For neutralizing stomach acid, you can get baking soda antacids from either a grocery store or a pharmacy. It is available in the following forms:

• Solutions
• Granules
• Capsules
• Tables

Sodium bicarbonate is also available in medication for antacid purposes (2).

How To Use Baking Soda?

The method of using baking soda will depend on the kind of product you’ve purchased to help soothe the effects of heartburn.

If you’ve purchased an over-the-counter baking soda from a pharmacy, take the tablets or capsules with a big glass of water as many times as specified in the instructions or as per the doctor’s advice. If you are using baking soda from your kitchen cabinet, you will need to drink about one or half a teaspoon of dissolved baking soda in water every two hours.

For children around 6 to 12 years, you can use half or a quarter tablespoon of baking powder in water.

Method – 1:

Ingredients: Baking Soda and Water

1. In one cup of water (warm water will help ease the burning) add one teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Stir till the powder is completely dissolved.
3. Drink twice a day to feel better.

Method – 2:

Ingredients: Baking Soda, Water, and Honey

1. Add half a teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of warm water.
2. Stir in some honey or sugar to mask the salty taste of the solution.
3. Keep repeating this process till you begin to counter the effects of acid reflux.

Method – 3:

Ingredients: Baking Soda, Water and Lemon Juice

1. In a glass of warm water, stir half a teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Pour in a few drops of lemon juice into it.
3. Stir well till everything is mixed.
4. Consume the solution regularly.

Method – 4:

Ingredients: Baking Soda and Cider Vinegar

1. Measure half a teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Add it to a glass of water.
3. Pour in some cider vinegar.
4. Stir till everything is dissolved in the water.
5. Drink the mixture regularly if you suffer from heartburn and acid reflux.

Always remember to drink the solution slowly, one gulp at a time, to prevent stomach upset. And drink it at least twice a day till you begin to feel better. If you still suffer from acid reflux, contact your doctor so that you can get the essential medical attention you require.

Side Effects And Risks:

Baking soda may work wonders when treating acidity and reflux, but it does have negative effects on the body. It may not be suitable for those following low sodium diets, or taking a certain medication that could be affected with the intake of baking soda. Before treating heartburn or acid reflux at home, make sure you consult a doctor so that you are fully aware of the risks associated with consuming baking soda.

Some of the common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Abdominal cramps
• Gas
• Increased thirst

These can add to your discomfort, making you feel a lot worse and creating certain complications. Sodium bicarbonate in baking soda is known to cause some severe side effects too, like:

• Swollen limbs and feet
• Trouble breathing
• Increase in urination frequency
• Blood in urine
• Coffee grounds like vomit
• Loss of appetite
• Sudden weight loss
• Blood in stools

In case you experience any of these symptoms after consuming baking soda for your acid reflux or heartburn, call a doctor immediately.

Precautions And Warnings When Consuming Baking Soda:

There are a few precautions you need to take when it comes to self-medicating with baking soda against heartburn caused by acid reflux. This will help you avoid hurting your body’s ability to function properly.

1. Baking soda has high levels of sodium (3). People who are sensitive to sodium must pay attention to the amount of baking soda they consume. But it’s best to inform your doctor about your heartburn and acid reflux issues if you are pre-hypertensive or sensitive to sodium.

2. Do not consume baking soda for a long period. If you do, it can affect your digestive process. The baking soda can neutralize the acids in the stomach, preventing them from doing what they are meant to.

3. Baking powder and baking soda are two very different substances, and they work differently.

4. Consume baking soda in measured amounts. You do not want to consume too much, or it could lead to diarrhea.

5. Baking soda can seriously reduce vital vitamins and minerals from the body like chromium, folic acid, and vitamin B. Make sure the baking soda solution is taken on an empty stomach.

6. As an antacid, baking soda can fix acidity, acid reflux and the terrible chest pains from heartburn. At the same time, it can also cause more discomfort and pain, stomach gas, nausea, and headaches.

7. The baking soda intake plan should be followed through for maximum two weeks. Kids below the age of 5 should not have more than 6 glasses of the baking soda solution in one day, and for old elderly people, you need to fix their intake to a total of 3 glasses.

8. The baking soda must dissolve completely in water before it is consumed.

9. In the event of any stomach aches upon consuming the baking soda and water mix, contact your doctor right away.

10. Consuming baking soda is not advisable for pregnant women suffering from heartburn (4).

11. When baking soda dissolves in water, it releases carbon dioxide resulting in the fizziness. This fizz is helpful, and can even cause problems at the same time. The fizz helps open the lower esophageal sphincter to facilitate burping for better relief. However, it can also result in the opening up of the lower esophageal sphincter and causes the stomach contents to get into the esophagus.

12. It can affect the pH level of your blood, if you consume too much baking soda in one serving.

Other Ways To Handle Heartburn And Acid Reflux:

To avoid the devastating chest pains caused by acid reflux because of its heartburn symptoms, you could try making some changes concerning your lifestyle and eating habits. This can help you in the long run in more ways than just against heartburn and acid reflux. Some of the things you could try include:

1. Quitting smoking and giving up alcohol.
2. Wearing loose fitting clothes, and not the figure-hugging kind with tight belts.
3. Eating smaller portions throughout the day instead of big meals that result in overeating.
4. Sleeping for only 2-3 hours after you’ve had a meal.
5. While sleeping, elevate your head by 4 to 6 inches.
6. During the day, try sleeping in a chair.
7. Ask your doctor if any of the medicines given by him could cause acid reflux or heartburn.
8. Take up a diet if you suffer from obesity or regular exercising, which should also help you lose weight.

When things like heartburn and acid reflux affect you, you need to get to the cause of the discomfort and uneasiness. It is essential to figure out the reason behind your symptoms, in order to get the help you need. Simply ingesting a baking soda solution won’t prevent it all from happening again. Baking soda is just a temporary fix, and is useful when acid reflux and heartburn are not a regular thing for you. If you suffer from constant acid reflux and heartburn, it is important that you see a doctor. He will be able to point out the main cause for your issues and provide you with a remedy that will cure your acid reflux condition.

Some cases of acid reflux can be so severe that only surgery can help. Continuously using baking soda to treat your case of acidity issues can only make things worse. If you suffer from heartburn almost every day, it’s time to call the doctor and make an appointment. The doctor may give you medicines like acid reducers, stomach acid blockers, proton pump inhibitors, etc. to help control the acids in your stomach.

It’s better to be safe than sorry, because little things lead to big troubles. So try baking soda, and you may never have to complain about heart burn again!

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The post Is Baking Soda Effective For Heartburn And Acid Reflux? appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Maanasi Radhakrishnan via STYLECRAZE