Did you overdo it yesterday? Come on, be honest. If you’re like most people you probably overindulged in turkey, ham or duck. Did you go back for seconds of stuffing or cranberry sauce? How about dessert? How could you say no to second helpings of apple pie or hot chocolate torte?
Many of us eat and drink too much at family get-togethers despite our good intentions to be moderate, and then we pay a price. Heartburn often is an unwelcome end to a delightful day. If you have suffered, read on for some intriguing solutions you might not have considered.
Heartburn occurs when a ring of muscle around the top of the stomach relaxes inappropriately and allows acid (and other irritating stomach contents) to splash up out of the stomach and into the esophagus. There are three possible approaches to this problem: neutralize the acid, reduce acid production or wash the irritating contents back where they belong. Doctors rarely consider the latter possibility, but it is actually one of the fastest and most effective ways to combat reflux.
Saliva to the Rescue
One of the most neglected remedies for heartburn is as simple as saliva. We stumbled across this natural treatment which reading the New England Journal of Medicine over 20 years ago (N. Engl. J. Med, Feb. 2, 1984). The scientists recruited 22 volunteers, had them lie down and then squirted hydrochloric acid labeled with a radioactive isotope into their throats. They measured pH and clearance of the acid from the esophagus. Their findings:
“Our findings indicate that in normal subjects esophageal acid clearance occurs as a two step process consisting of esophageal emptying followed by acid neutralization. First, virtually all acid volume is emptied by one or two peristaltic sequences, and then the minimal residual acid is neutralized by swallowed saliva…An oral peppermint lozenge stimulated saliva flow and increased the ability of saliva to neutralize acid.”
We’re not sure why this elegant research in such a prestigious medical journal was pretty much ignored by most gastroenterologists. Instead, they often prescribed drugs to reduce acid production. That can work, but it takes much longer to go to do the job. Saliva acts quickly to neutralize acid and move it out of the esophagus.
Physicians have found that gum chewing “appears to be a useful adjunctive antireflux therapy” (Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, Dec. 2001). Dental researchers noted that: “Chewing sugar-free gum for half an hour after a meal can reduce acidic postprandial esophageal reflux.”
A study in the Journal of Dietary Supplements (online, Aug. 21, 2014) concluded that a product called GutsyGum “is more effective than placebo gum in alleviating primary symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.” As far as we can tell, GutsyGum is now available under the “Gutsy” label.
Tea for Tummy Trouble
Saliva is not the only thing that washes acid (and other nasties) out of the esophagus. Sipping tea over 15 to 30 minutes will also wash acid back where it belongs in the stomach. There are all sorts of teas that work well for this purpose. We are especially fond of chamomile tea (unless you are allergic to ragweed or chrysanthemums). Ginger tea is also terrific. It calms an upset stomach as well as clearing the esophagus of unwanted substances. Other teas that work include anise seed tea, lemon balm tea and licorice root tea, to name just a few.
Mustard for Heartburn? Really!
It seems like the last thing you would want to swallow if you were experiencing indigestion, but many readers of our newspaper column and visitors to this website report that mustard works. Here are just a few stories:
Celia wrote:
“I was prescribed Nexium for reflux. Well yellow mustard worked a lot better, faster and longer. Nexium was working at the beginning but not any more; besides I was concerned about side effects and contraindications.”
Another reader offered this:
“My wife and I both use plain old yellow mustard to combat indigestion or acid reflux. It works very well for us. If we swallow a spoonful of mustard before an Italian meal, we are okay.”
And this:
“My husband and I use a teaspoon of yellow mustard to relieve our heartburn. I was in a chat room a while ago when one of the chatters complained about her heartburn. Another said, ‘Try mustard.’ We all thought this was ludicrous, but she did try it and it helped.
“The next time my husband had one of his terrible roll-on-the-floor-in-agony bouts of heartburn, I suggested mustard. I figured it couldn’t hurt any more than what he already had. Amazingly, it worked, and faster than Tums or DiGel. We’ve told our friends and they have had good results also. I hope it works for others, too.”
Vinegar: Counterintuitive But Surprisingly Effective
It would seem as if vinegar would be about the last think you would want to swallow if you were suffering from heartburn. After all, drug companies have been advertising antacids and acid-suppressing drugs for decades. Vinegar is acetic acid. Here is what we have heard from readers:
“A doctor advised a family friend to take a tablespoon of vinegar for heartburn relief. I tried two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and it worked. It tastes strong for a few minutes and I thought the heartburn was worse. Then the pain went away for good.”
You can read more about strange but effective remedies for heartburn in our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Readies. You will learn about how a handful of almonds can help. You will also read about the science behind bananas, broccoli, fennel and ginger. Best of all, you will get the recipe for Persimmon Punch. Act now and you can still take advantage of our Holiday Bundle. When you buy the 264-page Quick & Handy Home Remedy book, you will get 50% off our 174-Recipes & Remedies book at this link.
There are lots of ways to tame tummy trouble, even when you overdo it.
