Home | Health Problems & Diseases | Digestive System
Baking soda from your kitchen cupboard in a glass of water could be just what you need to calm the burning sensation of heartburn or acid reflux. But wait! There are things that you must know about using baking soda or any antacid as a heartburn remedy. What Is Heartburn and How Can Baking Soda Help? You might get heartburn after eating too quickly or eating particular foods. What happens is that a little acid from the stomach squirts up through the sphincter at the top of the stomach and irritates the lining of the esophagus - the tube that runs from your mouth to your stomach. It is this 'acid reflux' that causes the irritation and pain. There are many causes for this ‘acid reflux’ and if you suffer from chronic heartburn then you might want to look into ways of preventing it as the symptoms can mask the more serious symptoms of heart disease. For the occasional, mild heartburn, sipping a little water can help dilute the acid and cool the burning sensation. Saliva produced in the mouth is naturally alkaline and so can neutralize the acid. Chewing gum is a good way to increase the saliva for swallowing. An effective remedy is baking soda for heartburn because being alkaline it neutralizes the stomach acid in the esophagus. Just sip a solution (one teaspoon in a glass of water) slowly until the discomfort reduces and you feel relief. Compared to over-the-counter antacids, baking soda is cheap, readily available and you do not need a prescription - and it is useful for baking cookies too! When Baking Soda and Antacids Can Cause Problems If you take too much baking soda, or any antacid medication, then you start to neutralize the acid in the stomach. The stomach then compensates by producing more acid, leading to you taking more baking soda or antacid. This can exhaust the stomach cells and so the levels of stomach acid can drop over time. You might think this is a good thing for your heartburn, but reduced levels of stomach acid can impair digestion to such an extent that food is not properly broken down. Allergies and inflammation in various areas of the body can be the result. Those suffering from high blood pressure should avoid excess sodium, which is present in baking soda and many antacids. Some antacids also contain calcium and magnesium which can cause mineral imbalances over a long period of time and aluminum salts which have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Note also that some medicines and also some medical conditions can weaken the esophageal sphincter and cause acid reflux. These include: calcium channel blockers for hypertension, asthma medication, anxiety medication, antihistamines, or prescription pain killers. So consult your doctor if you think your medication might have this side effect, or if you suffer from frequent heartburn. Antacid medication and baking soda are not long term solutions to your heartburn. Your priority now should be to discover the causes and solutions to your acid reflux. These might surprise you. The cure for your heartburn and the solutions to your long term health could be the exact opposite of what you might expect.
Article Source: http://www.ApprovedArticles.com
Author Natalie Beech is a health writer who writes informatively about a variety of health topics, including heartburn. If you want to find out the surprising facts for the relief of heartburn and acid reflux, and that can contribute to your longterm health, then go to The Heartburn Relief Website Don't reprint the same version as everyone else. Get your own unique content heartburn article here.
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
# of Ratings = 4 | Rating = 5/5
