Heartburn: Are You Suffering from Acidity?

Acidity (or heartburn) is caused by acid in the stomach that refluxes back and irritates the oesophagus, and can flare up even further if left untreated.

You know you have acidity when...

• If you have a burning feeling in the chest
• If the food that you eat is regurgitated back in the mouth
• If you have have bloating, sensation of gases in the abdomen
• If you have have pain in the chest or abdomen which improves or worsens with meals

Acidity may cause chronic cough and even chronic hoarseness. Acidity or GERD (medical term for Acidity) is generally described by burning in the chest or stomach. A person should go to see the doctor if acidity is worsening or occurs more than twice a week.

Food and Acidity: Overeating can cause pressure on the stomach, so can obesity, pregnancy, and smoking. Reflux symptoms are also worsened by common foods such as:

• citrus fruits like leech, lime, grapefruit, mandarin, tangerine, kumquat, minneola, tangelo, lemon, orange and pummelo etc.
• chocolate
• drinks with caffeine or alcohol
• garlic and onions
• fatty and fried foods
• mint flavorings
• tomato based foods like spaghetti, salsa and chilli sauces, as well as pizza
• spicy foods

There are various natural home remedies and herbal remedies are available to cure the acidity. And if we modify our food habits followed by natural treatment, one can get totally cured of acidity which we all wish for!