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Home Methods of Controlling GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, a common digestive ailment known by the acronym GERD, afflicts individuals with heartburn, esophageal pain, coughing and even damage to the vocal cords. While the long-term effects of GERD can create serious health complications, leading some pharmaceutical companies to create prescription-strength preventive medications, a number of home remedies can provide effective, nearly instant relief.

  1. Drink Milk

    • Despite the seriousness of chronic GERD, those who suffer from the ailment can find fast, effective relief in a beverage commonly available in their own refrigerator. Cold or chilled milk offers a thick consistency that binds to the esophagus, cooling it to fight the burning effects of GERD. According to home remedy recommendations from the Home Remedies For You website, drinking a glass of milk every one to two hours helps reduce GERD-related burning sensations to a mild discomfort or, for some individuals, eliminate it completely. Vegans and others who do not or cannot drink milk may prefer to drink water instead; adding cumin seed to the water can help amplify the curing effects.

    Use Apple Cider Vinegar

    • While cold milk or cumin water provides effective reactive relief, individuals who suffer from chronic bouts of GERD may prefer to take more proactive measures. Many of these proactive individuals consume a small amount of apple cider vinegar shortly before a meal. According to home remedy enthusiasts on the Earth Clinic website, the acidic mixture helps jump-start the acid content of the stomach, creating an acidic environment and lowering acid-production demands on the stomach itself. This reduced acid production, according to Earth Clinic's holistic experts, allows effective digestion of food without creating the excess acid that escapes into the esophagus to produce GERD.

    Use Probiotics

    • Some individuals take a different approach to preventing the effects of GERD. Probiotics, a collection of enzyme supplements marketed under a number of generic formulas and brand names, provide a supplemental injection of the bacteria that help digest food. Taking these enzymes in pill or capsule form shortly before consuming a meal helps prepare the stomach for digestion, reducing acid production and excess GERD-inducing acidity in much the same manner as apple cider vinegar.

    Change the Diet

    • Use of dietary supplements and soothing milk can provide effective temporary relief for individual bouts of GERD, but experts on almost all home remedy websites agree that dietary changes lead to the most permanent GERD relief. Many individuals report GERD flare-ups after consuming greasy or spicy foods, and most of these individuals also report relief from GERD symptoms after cutting these foods from their diets. In addition to helping quell acid pain, these dietary changes can lead to long-term benefits like weight loss and better overall cardiovascular health.

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