Acidity refers to a set of symptoms
caused by an inequity. More names for acidity are hyperacidity or acid
dyspepsia. Acid reflux or Acidity is one of the most normal diseases that cause
heart burns in the upper body
The usual signs of heartburn
are a burning sensation or pain in the stomach after one to four hours of a
meal. The too much secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes
acidity. Acidity can be a result of improper dietary regimen or stress
The too much secretion of
hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes acidity. Some causes of acidity include
Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, chocolate, citrus, tomato, peppermint, fried and
fatty foods, over-eating, stress, some medications, and being overweight. Acid
Reflux Disease causes harms to the esophagus as the acidic contents from
the stomach, containing acids and pepsin, pushes back to the esophagus since
the sphincter develops into weak and can no-more prevent the contents from
stomach from gushing back in esophagus
Skipping meals, not eating on time,
fried and spicy food, stress, anxiety, insomnia, obesity, pregnancy, smoking,
alcohol, and wearing tight clothes can give you hyperacidity and heartburn.
Acidity is a problem that occurs very commonly; so going in for allopathic
medications every time doesn't seem to be a very good thought. Some herbal
remedies are very effective in the treatment and prevention
of acidity
Symptoms of Acidity
The main symptoms of acidity
are:
- Dyspepsia and heartburn
- Discomfort, burning sensation in the upper part of the gut area, especially after eating.
- Regurgitation of the gastric contents
- loss of appetite
- nausea, vomiting
- feeling of sickness
- flatulence accompanied by burping
- constipation
Causes of Acidity
Acidity may be caused by many
conditions such as:
# Medical conditions, such as
gastroesophageal reflux disease, stomach ulcers
# Hyperthyroidism - excessive
secretion of the thyroid gland.
# Anxiety, anger and stress.
# Constipation, flatulence or
intestinal gases.
# Artificial stimulants or the
thought of nearing the food time can create acidity.
# Excessive intake of stimulants like
tea, coffee etc.
# Excessive intake of fried foods,
spicy or pungent food,
# As a side-effect of some drugs used
for treating other illnesses
# Overeating along with bad food
combinations. Overeating puts extra load on the stomach, liver, kidneys.
# Eating too rapidly, therefore
improper salivation of food.
# Excessive smoking, intake of
alcohol
# Tendency to eat and drink together
# Insomnia
# Lack of exercise.
# Long gaps between meals leads to
acidity, as it gives the acid in the stomach more time to act.
Home Remedies for Acidity
1) Eat a cup of vanilla ice cream or
drink a glass of cold milk to get rid of acidity. This is an easy Home
Remedy for Acidity.
2) Raita prepared with fresh curd,
grated cucumber, fresh coriander, tomato is a sure shot remedy in aiding
digestion, and helps eliminate acidity.
3) Mint: Fresh mint juice taken every
day or fresh mint leaves boiled in a cup of water and sipped slowly after meals
also helps to keep the stomach acids at bay
4) Mint juice before meals keeps
acidity at bay. This is another good Home Remedy for Acidity.
5) Chewing 5-6 basil leaves relieves
flatulence and acidity.
6) Half a glass of fresh pineapple
juice should be taken after a meal for treating and preventing acidity
7) A piece of jaggery or gur after
lunch and dinner prevents acidity
8) A very simple remedy for acidity
is thin butter-milk mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper powder
9) One of the common Home Remedies
for Acidity - Onion (pyaz): The juice of onions is an excellent remedy for
acidity.
10) Habitual eating habits and a
healthy diet can prevent acidity
11) Drink plenty of water (at least 6
to 8 glasses per day) and other fluids to maintain the acid balance in the
stomach
12) A sherbet made with kokum and
jeera gives relief from acidity.
13) Lemon rind can also be eaten to
prevent heartburn
14) A glass of cold milk provides
instant relief. This is an effective Home Remedy for Acidity.
15) Eat almonds to give relief to
symptoms of acidity
16) Chew a few holy basil (tulsi )
leaves to get relief
17) Bananas, watermelon and cucumber
have protective action against the acidity and heart burn
18) Lemon: Juice of one lemon mixed
in half glass of water and ½ teaspoon sugar if consumed before meals helps to
relieve acidity
19) When suffering from acidity,
drink five to eight glass of coconut water a day. This is another effective Home
Remedy for Acidity.
Some Foods to Avoid for Heartburn
There are many foods that are
commonly known to cause acid in the stomach and heartburn. These are citrus
fruits, tomatoes, fatty foods such as pork chops, deep fried meat, or potatoes,
aerated cold drinks, coffee, hot milk and so on. These are just some of the
foods one should avoid for heartburn as consuming any of these in excess can
cause acute discomfort.
However, not all the items named
above react in the same way on everyone. People have different reactions to
different stimulants and hence, one will need to carefully watch and identify
which foods cause the greatest harm. Once you have a list, eliminate those
foods from your diet to the extent possible. For example if you find that hot
milk causes acute heartburn, then either stop having it altogether, or have it
at room temperature or ice cold.
Similarly, with fatty foods - either
totally stop having them or have a Tums right before or after the meal which
will neutralize the excess acid formed in the stomach.
