Is There a Good Home Remedy for Acid Reflux?

Before looking at a great home remedy for acid reflux, it is helpful to know what acid reflux is.

Acid reflux (also known as heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)) is caused by your own stomach acids. These stomach acids break down foods so that they may be properly digested. In healthy body, the stomach acids do not cause any discomfort as there is a protective lining and a sphincter which impedes the stomach acids from traveling back up the body.

For various reasons, your lower esophageal sphincter may be temporarily impaired or permanently damaged. If so, your body's stomach acids can flow back up through your esophagus and throat causing burping, severe pain in the chest, throat and even mouth. Left untreated, it can even lead to throat, stomach or esophageal cancer.

When many people experience acid reflux, they elect to see their physician as expected. They are often prescribed medication such as Prevacid and Prilosec or told to take over the counter medication such as Tums. These medications can often have side effects that are severe to some sufferers.

These side affects can include: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, head aches, water retention etc. Not to mention they can be very expensive for those who do not have insurance plans.

For these reasons, many sufferers elect to look for a home remedy for acid reflux. One of the more popular and effective home remedies is ginger root.

Ginger root has long been known to be an anti-nauseate and an anti-inflammatory. But ginger root also enhances the spontaneous movements of the intestines that aid digestion.

Probably the best way to use ginger is to purchase it in the root form. Once you peel the skin off, grate it into a small amount of water and boil it to make a tea. The taste by itself is not that great but be careful what you add into it. Adding lemon or sugar for instance can exacerbate the acid reflux. If the tea is really bitter, add a small amount of honey just to take the edge off.

Of course, you can also purchase ginger tea which may not contain as much ginger as making it yourself and may also contain other unwanted substances. Be careful that you get the herbal variety which does not contain any caffeine as this will make the acid reflux worse.

It is important to be patient with this home remedy for acid reflux as it may take some time to really be effective. Many people prefer this though to traditional medications. As with all remedies, listen to your body to make sure it is right for you.