We all hate it when we’re just enjoying the day and suddenly a sharp pain occurs in your stomach and slowly travels up to your chest, making it all the more painful and irritating; acidity definitely sucks. And sometimes, even medicines tend to take longer than you would expect to start working. So, we have the perfect solution – acidity remedies that you can make at home! And we all know that homemade remedies are the most natural and highly effective ways to cure numerous such situations. But before that, let’s just take a quick look at what acidity is.
Acidity: Causes and Symptoms
Acidity is actually caused naturally, by the body itself which is why it is quite often experienced by people on a large scale. Your stomach tends to contain plenty of hydrochloric acids, considering how that is one of the main components of your stomach as it helps to break down the food you consume and also acts as a fortification against pathogens as well as bacteria. And, the lining of your stomach is specifically adapted to protect it from this strong acid.
However, at times, your stomach can produce an excess of this acid which your body is not designed to take naturally, which thus results in acidity, an unpleasant and uncomfortable situation wherein a burning pain occurs in the upper and mid-chest, and can even involve the neck and throat at times. However, besides this primary cause, acidity can also be triggered due to obesity or if you directly lie down after eating too much.
There are also certain food and drinks that can cause acidity:
- Alcohol, especially red wine.
- Garlic
- Raw onions
- Black pepper
- Tomatoes
- Citrus fruits like lemons, lime, grapefruit, etc.
Acidity Remedies at Home
Here are 10 ways that will help you with neutralizing stomach acids and make you feel better in no time:
1. Mint Leaves to the Rescue
This is one of the best acidity remedies to try out at home without any hassle. Thanks to the amazing cooling effect, mint leaves will help to reduce the burning sensation that is caused due to acidity and will also help to improve digestion. Just chop some mint leaves, put them in a boiling pot and have a glass of that water after it cools down a bit. And you will feel an instant sense of relief in no time.
2. Drink Some Cold Milk
Having acidity problems? Have a glass of cold milk and you’ll be just fine. This is because helps to absorb the acid formation that takes place inside your stomach. Just make sure that it is a glass of plain cold milk that doesn’t have any additives like sugar or chocolate powder.
3. Eat a Piece of Jaggery
Jaggery is rich in magnesium which is why it is highly effective in aiding digestion and boosting intestinal strength. Eat a small piece or bite of jaggery whenever you feel a burning acid like sensation and that should do the trick.
4. Have a Handful of Almonds
Not only does the high fibre content of almonds help with digestion, but as these are rich in natural oils, they are greatly effective when it comes to neutralising stomach acids. So eat a handful of raw almonds or you could even have some cold almond milk to get rid of acidity.
5. Chew on a Couple of Cloves
This one is definitely a bitter remedy, like literally. But well, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do right? Chewing on a couple of cloves will help you with acidity as the bitter taste and juices will help fight the acid in your stomach. Another way you could use cloves is by crushing them and have that with some cardamom. This is also one of the best and the quickest acidity remedies and the latter will also help you with the bad breath and pungent aftertaste from the acidity.
6. Have Some Yoghurt
While using these remedy, make sure that the yoghurt is not too sour; the probiotics that yoghurt contains helps with acid reflux and soothes stomach acidity thereby providing a cool and instant relief.
7. Fennel Seeds for Acidity
Chew some fennel seeds or boil some in a cup of water and drink up the extract to soothe the acidity. Fennel seeds are really helpful as they contain oil that helps to facilitate the process of digestion, thereby easing down the acidity symptoms.
8. Eat a Banana
Although bananas are considered to be acidic in nature, they’re still pretty low on acid content compared to other citrus fruits. These help the stomach lining to produce more mucous so as to combat the discomfort and fighting acid reflux. Plus, it also helps to aid digestion as it is rich in fibre. So the next time you have acidity, simply eat a banana!
9. Chewing Gum
Did you know that gum could help you feel better in instances of acidity? Well, now you do! When you chew gum, your mouth tends to produce more and more saliva which causes you to swallow more, thereby reducing acid in the oesophagus. It also helps to clear the bitter aftertaste caused by the acidity to clear away from your mouth. And this is really handy in case you’re out and don’t have access to other ingredients that work as remedies – just chew a piece of gum and you’re all set!
10. Lemon Juice and Water
Although lemon is very acidic in nature, it tends to have an alkalizing effect when mixed with water in a small and considerable amount and digested. Just take a spoonful of lemon juice, mix it in about 8 ounces of water and add some sugar if you want, and drink up! This will help to neutralize the acidic content in your stomach.
But take care of the fact that you don’t mix too much lemon juice as that will only make the acidity worse. So, say goodbye to acidity with these quick fixes and amazing home remedies!
Also read- High Stomach Acid