Natural Cure For Heartburn Or Urban Myth
Many people claim to have found a natural cure for heartburn while just as many are certain that
a supposed natural cure for heartburn is nothing more than an urban myth. However, it’s probably true that in
many cases some of the recommended lotions and potions act as a placebo and indirectly contribute to a natural
cure for heartburn.
A good number of natural cures from the natural cure for heartburn or urban myth school of
thought appear to be harmless flights of fancy but, nevertheless, it would be advisable to speak to
your doctor or a qualified medical practitioner before embarking on some of the more out of the ordinary
remedies.
This is especially true in the case of expectant mothers who often suffer from heartburn while
pregnant.
Whenever a natural cure for heartburn is discussed ginger is mentioned as though it was a
universal cure-all. It’s true that ginger has long been thought to settle queasy tummies and, in fact, many
organisations operating short sea trips dispense ginger tablets for this very purpose. This may well work in
some cases and there is evidence to support the use of ginger tablets in these circumstances. Other ginger-based
items propagated by their many devotees include ginger tea, crystallized stem ginger, ginger-flavoured boiled
sweets and ginger biscuits even though the actual ginger content of a ginger biscuit is around
1%.
Another of the usual
suspects thought by a good number of folk to be useful in treating heartburn and indigestion is honey. Although
there are no recent studies suggesting honey as a reliable cure for heartburn and indigestion there is some
published evidence that Active Manuka honey is effective in treating children who have gastroenteritis. There is
no doubt that Active Manuka honey has a unique antibacterial property which suggests it should be considered for
internal and external use.
Herbal tea is often
suggested as a natural cure for heartburn; but
which one? Among the many favourites are Chamomile tea, Anise seed tea, Cinnamon tea, Slippery Bark Elm tea and Fennel seed tea. It is suggested that
these teas have a soporific effect and are best taken in the evening.
Licorice or more precisely DGL - De-Glycyrrhizinated Licorice – is well regarded as a natural cure for heartburn in tablet form if well-chewed and
digested around 15 – 20 minutes before a main meal.
The juice from the Aloe Vera plant enjoyed a burst of popularity a few years ago and
almost became a catch-all cure for everything. Nevertheless there is some evidence to support the claim that a
small glass before a meal will assist in soothing an upset stomach. If you want to try this one ensure your
purchase is for internal use as there are various Aloe Vera products suitable for exterior use only.
It’s inevitable that in
any discussion about a natural cure for heartburn there will be at least one exotic if not bizarre contribution
but I’ve come across two which will take some pluck and ingenuity to try. One involves our old friend ginger but
in this case it’s from out of Africa and needs to be mixed with something
not in every grocery cupboard. If you mix sap from a mango tree with crushed ginger you’ll end up with a
concoction known in the Congo as Tangawisi juice
– said to cure most stomach ailments.
The other out of the ordinary suggestion, this time available in most grocery cupboards, will
still need a fair amount of nerve to try and comes from France. It is said that it was favoured by Spanish
explorers Cortes and Pizarro in their 15th and 16th century voyages to the new world. Fact or fiction, who knows? However, if you want to
try it, just take one teaspoon of yellow mustard and, hey presto, within five minutes all your heartburn will
disappear; or so the story goes!
It’s undeniable that
most, if not all, of these remedies will work at some time for some people and you will have to decide by trial
and error if any is, for you, a natural
cure for heartburn or urban myth.
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