If you have heartburn or acid reflux, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) may be the optimal home remedy for heartburn.
It’s very effective, inexpensive, and you don’t need a prescription. Most health professionals would agree that baking soda is excellent in providing fast relief for people who suffer with the painful symptoms of heartburn.
Be Sure To Take The Correct Dosage
When taking sodium bicarbonate for heartburn, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the soda in a glass of warm water is the recommended dosage. This amount will be very effective in quelling the burn that comes with acid reflux. If it is consumed in higher amounts, baking soda can have a harmful effect on the digestive system.
Taking more than the recommended dosage may neutralize the acid in the stomach. This would make it difficult for the stomach to digest food properly because the stomach would be forced into producing more acid.
Too much baking soda will also effectively raise the blood sodium level. This is really bad for people who have high blood pressure. This should not be an issue however, if taken at the recommended dosage.
While taking sodium bicarbonate is undoubtedly a great home remedy for heartburn, it’s always best to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Try to avoid foods that cause heartburn like caffeine drinks, tomato-based products, onions, fatty foods and chocolate. These are substances that are all known to cause the onset of heartburn and acid reflux.
While eating spicy foods may be what you like to do, it can cause major trouble in the stomach. But these foods should also be avoided at all costs. Remember the old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
What Is The Proper Recommended Dosage?
The right amount of baking soda can vary a bit. It’s better to start out with ½ teaspoon in a cup of warm water. Make sure that the baking soda is completely dissolved before drinking.
You should drink the mixture slowly as to not cause further stomach upset. If after an hour or two that hasn’t worked, increase the amount of sodium bicarbonate to a full teaspoon in the same cup of warm water.
You should not take more than a total of 3 ½ teaspoons of baking soda in a 24 hour period. If your pain persists after this home remedy for heartburn, you should go to see a health professional for further help.
The home remedy of heartburn with baking soda should be used carefully.
Herbs for Heartburn
You may also want to try herbs to help with heartburn. The most popular herbs are ginger root and peppermint oil.
Peppermint oil can soothe heartburn pain but it’s important that you never take it at the same time as taking antacids. Other medications may have an impact as well.
Gingeroot can help with heartburn – try taking it as a tea to soothe indigestion and nausea. Please note that taking too much ginger root can increase the risk for heartburn.
