Natural Remedies For Acidity And Gas Problems
Acidity is a problem affecting everyone, from children to adults. It disrupts sleep and can turn our favorite food into discomfort. To control acidity and gastric troubles, we must understand its root cause.
A serious form of this seemingly small problem is GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). If you have acidity symptoms more than twice a week, it could be GERD. In this condition, stomach acid frequently comes up into the esophagus. A muscle valve at the bottom of the esophagus acts like a door, preventing food from coming back up. Just like a door can weaken from rainwater, this muscle door can be damaged by excessive stomach acid. If someone overeats or is overweight, the stomach can swell and put pressure on this muscle door. Over time, this muscle door loses its shape and strength.
This is a very serious condition and won’t be solved by soda, antacids, or cold milk. It’s crucial to fix the root cause of acidity. Otherwise, long-term acid exposure can damage our food pipe, cause pain and bleeding when swallowing, and lead to dental problems. If stomach acid reaches our windpipe, it can cause breathing problems, coughing, and wheezing. In some cases, GERD can lead to lung damage and respiratory issues like pneumonia.
But first, let’s discuss food. This aspect is crucial when it comes to acid reflux. After every meal, suck on a small piece of jaggery. Jaggery helps maintain normal body temperature and cools the stomach. If you have severe acid reflux, drink one cup of cold cow’s milk or almond milk. Milk helps neutralize acid because of its alkaline nature. Coconut water, buttermilk, bananas, and apples are also good for soothing your stomach.
Now let’s discuss five practical solutions that can help control acidity and keep it away.
First is DEVELOPING BETTER EATING HABITS. We can follow simple rules while eating to improve digestion and prevent acidity.
Rule Number 1: Chew your food thoroughly. This is a very important rule. Often, we eat in a hurry and talk, watch TV, or scroll on our phones while eating. In such cases, we don’t pay attention to how many times we chew. Take your time and chew your food completely before swallowing. This simple rule can help control acidity and other digestive issues.
Rule Number 2: Have smaller and more frequent meals. If you have an acidity problem, it might be due to heavy meals. When our stomach is full, the chances of acid entering the food pipe can increase. So, instead of eating a lot at once, you can eat four to five times within your eating window, but in smaller portions. An eating window is a specific time frame in a day during which we eat.
Rule Number 3: Avoid lying down after eating. Most people in urban cities, due to their fast lifestyle, have a habit of eating late. However, consuming all meals between sunrise and sunset promotes better digestion and creates a good gap between dinner time and bedtime, which is very important. Stomach acid production peaks for up to 3 hours after eating. If we sleep immediately after eating, stomach acid becomes imbalanced, and due to the sleeping position, this acid can easily enter the food pipe and cause irritations. Therefore, do not sleep for two to three hours after eating. This will help digest food properly and reduce the chances of acidity.
Rule number 4: Avoid trigger foods and drinks. Oily and spicy foods can irritate our food pipe. With these kinds of foods, the muscle door between the stomach and the pipe cannot close completely. This allows stomach acid to easily flow into your food pipe, causing burning sensations. Therefore, it is better to reduce frequent consumption of oily and spicy food.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: In many cases, people experience acidity due to excess body weight, especially when fat accumulates around the belly region. This extra fat puts additional pressure on the stomach. This pressure can cause stomach contents to re-enter the food pipe, creating burning sensations. Reducing excess body weight can decrease the symptoms and chances of GERD. However, just as being overweight is problematic, being underweight can also cause acidity. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight is best.
Next is developing BETTER SLEEPING HABITS. Sleep and acidity are very tightly linked, and both influence each other. They are bidirectional, meaning if sleeping habits are not good, the chances of acidity can increase, and if there is an acidity problem, sleep disturbances are very likely. Our sleeping position is such that gravity cannot help keep our stomach acid out of the food pipe. Additionally, saliva production decreases during deep sleep stages, and as mentioned earlier, saliva is very important for neutralizing acid. For all these reasons, GERD symptoms like acid reflux and burning sensations can be worse at night.
There is an age-old Indian concept called SHATAPAVALI. It translates to “100 steps.” So, basically, according to this concept, you should walk 100 steps after eating to improve digestion. You don’t have to run; just walk. This will not only boost digestion but also keep blood sugar levels in control and maintain a good metabolism (the rate at which food is digested). If you start low or moderate intensity exercise like slow walking, easy jogging, or yoga on a daily basis, acidity can be prevented.
Now coming to HYDRATION. Staying hydrated is also extremely important to control acidity. Just remember, it is better to avoid drinking water during or immediately after meals. You can take small sips, but do not drink too much. It is said that drinking large quantities of water after a meal is like poison. This is because it can disrupt our digestive process. But what if you feel thirsty while eating? Well, in such cases, try to add spices to your food while cooking to keep it moist. You can also use coconut water and buttermilk to stay hydrated. Especially if buttermilk is consumed after a meal, it helps wash down spicy food and soothe the stomach lining. If ginger and cumin powder are added to it, stomach irritation or gastric troubles caused by food can also be significantly reduced.
Coming to STRESS MANAGEMENT. If the stomach is irritated, these solutions will work. But if our mind is mentally irritated or stressed, the result can also be acidity. Well, many studies have shown that stress can increase the chances of acidity. Our stomach lining is covered with prostaglandins, a hormone-like substance. This substance protects the stomach from the effects of acid. But when we are under stress, the levels of this hormone naturally decrease, and the stomach becomes more sensitive, causing intense effects of acidity. There are many techniques that can reduce both physical and emotional stress. In my opinion, practicing pranayama is the best. Nadi Shodhana and Sheetali Pranayama help reduce stress and anxiety and also greatly assist with stomach-related problems. Smoking and alcohol consumption can also cause acidity.
Another most crucial habit is Pranayama or Yoga for managing chronic acidity or gastric issues.
PRANAYAMA- Pranayama has a very soothing and cooling effect on our system and should be practiced in the morning as well as in the evening. One such pranayama is Chandra Bhedana Pranayama. Chandra Bhedana Pranayama is associated with the coolness of the moon; it regulates the flow of bile and induces calmness. Another pranayama is Sheetali Pranayama, which involves breathing in through the mouth with the help of a tube formed by curling the tongue. It heals abdominal ailments and removes excess heat accumulated in the system. Sitkari Pranayama also involves breathing in through the mouth with clenched teeth. This pranayama is also cooling and reduces mental tension.
Next, let’s look at some YOGA ASANAS you can practice right in the morning to stimulate bowel movements. It is very necessary to remove waste materials and toxins from the system. First, for Pawanmuktasana (lying down variation), it provides internal abdominal compression and stimulates the digestive system, releasing acid reflux in the stomach by improving digestion and blood flow to the abdominal region. Another asana is Makarasana (Crocodile Pose); it neutralizes acid in the stomach. It is always best to do this asana before you sit down to eat your food. It is important to relax in Savasana (Corpse Pose) because it releases muscular and nervous tension, reduces stress, and invigorates your body and mind. If you suffer from chronic acidity, all these asanas can also be done right in your bed the moment you wake up in the morning.
Conclusion: Acidity or gastric problems can definitely be controlled by making practical changes in diet and lifestyle. Its cause can be controlled. Therefore, if you regularly follow the simple solutions discussed above, you will immediately feel a difference in the intensity of your acidity or gastric symptoms, and this difference will make your daily life better.
