Since you mention it is severe heartburn, maybe you should check the frequency and duration of the problem. If you've had it over a fortnight and experience it over twice in a week, you should take measures to cure it pronto because, if left untreated for a long period of time it can cause ulcers or gastroesophageal-reflux disease (GERD). But first it would be best to find out why you've been facing the problem. Heartburn is usually caused by excessive eating, smoking, drinking, swallowing air and stress. In case of over eating, the body overproduces acid in order to break down and digest all the food at once. Resultantly, the stomach lining is weakened and the acid enters the esophagus giving one a painful and burning sensation. If you bring a few changes in your daily lifestyle, your problem will be under control. Follow regimes like: not smoking before or while eating as one tends to swallow air and it also reduces the body's ability to digest food. Avoid spicy and fried foods and those that produce gas. Going for a walk after meal helps one digest food easily. Eat slowly and chew the food really well before swallowing. Avoid consuming alcohol with food. Drink lots of water through the day and regularize your eating and sleep timings.
There are several natural cures for heartburn that have been relied on for ages. Ginger and mint are widely used to control heartburn. Add ginger as garnish to your food; you can also chew small pieces of it alternately. It's effective on stomach and gastrointestinal system. Alternatively, you can also consume herbal tea that contains ginger. Some other herbal teas like peppermint and cinnamon also balance the acid from the stomach. Drinking peppermint tea after a meal or cinnamon tea twice a day prevents heartburn. Though it may not appeal to your taste buds much, drinking raw potato juice is good remedy too as it provides a cooling effect. Apart from that, 20 minutes before eating a meal, take 1/4 cup of aloe vera to avoid the onset of heartburn and stimulate digestion. You can also drink a mix of half a tsp of baking soda in a glass of water. Another effective decoction is one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon honey and a cup of warm water. All these remedies do bring relief but the best way to keep heartburn at bay is to change your lifestyle.
answered by G M