6 Effective Home Remedies for Heartburn

You can do a lot when it comes to heartburn at home. This annoying burning sensation affects more than 60 million Americans at least once a month. Home remedies are amazing, and you can get rid of this pain without medications. So, here are some natural heartburn remedies for getting rid of heartburn.

Chewing gum

“Chewing gum stimulates the salivary flow rate,” says study author Rebecca Moazzez, DPhil, clinical lecturer in King’s College London’s department of restorative dentistry. “Any acid that accumulates in the gut is washed away and cleared more quickly. The clearance of acid improves GERD symptoms.”

Baking soda

“Baking soda is OK for most people with heartburn,” says Jacqueline Wolf, MD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “Because it’s a base, it helps neutralize [stomach] acid.”

Licorine

“The contents of your stomach are supposed to be acidic…which is why antacids are not the solution,” Dr. Blum says. Instead, she says, licorice has natural stomach healing properties. Eating a lot of licorice, however, can also have serious side effects like high blood pressure, so look for DGL licorice.

Aloe

You should know that aloe vera juice minimizes inflammation so “it quiets down any inflammation that is in the esophagus as well as the stomach,” Dr. Sierpina says. He recommends drinking ½ cup of aloe vera juice before meals, but be cautious, because aloe vera juice can be a laxative too.

Slippery elm

“[Slippery elm] is a demulcent that offers a coating or protective layer to the tissue [of the stomach],” Dr. Sierpina says. “The way slippery elm has traditionally been prescribed is a couple tablespoons in water after meals and at bedtime.” This tree extract has been used in herbal remedies for centuries to treat manu illnesses, so you can try it too.

Watch your posture

“Since the stomach takes up to four hours to get up to 90% of its contents out, it’s advised to sit [upright] at least three hours upright after eating,” says Abraham Khan, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.