Mary Harris

Acid reflux disease affects more than 15 million people just in the United States alone. Anyone who takes a stroll down a pharmacy aisle where antacids are displayed would probably guess that twice that number was burdened with this uncomfortable and persistent malady. The sheer number of different remedies for heartburn and acid indigestion is amazing. People are popping these over the counter drugs down like candy in an effort to relive themselves of uncomfortable symptoms, totally unaware that acid reflux responds more quickly to alternative medicine remedies. If one OTC drug doesn’t help, they try another, and then another… anything for relief!

Do you know what is in those over the counter remedies? If you are like most people, you don’t bother to read the list of ingredients - or the list of side effects. Yes, OTC drugs can have side affects just like prescription drugs. Unfortunately, more acid reflux sufferers don’t know about alternative medicines available for their symptoms. They could save themselves unnecessary suffering if they did, for these easily obtained drugs can actually make their overall condition worse by -

• Causing “acid rebound” - more stomach acid forms once a dose of antacid has worn off.
• Disturbing the digestive system by keeping the body from absorbing vitamins and calcium from food.

Acid reflux sufferers need more options, and alternative medicine has several that will give them better and faster relief than anything OTC or allopathic. Believe it or not, one of the best natural remedies for acid reflux disease is garlic. Most people would think the opposite, but garlic effectively kills bacteria in the stomach that can be responsible for inflammation of this organ. Another natural remedy that gives relief by changing the pH balance of the stomach is an herb called Artemisia asiatica, or wormwood. This herb has been lab tested and found to both prevent and treat acid reflux - more kudos for alternative medicine!

Another study has found that drinking celery juice can cause the stomach lining to produce hydrochloric acid, which is vital for digestion. It increases stomach acid in a natural way, which puts an end to heartburn and acid reflux with a minimum of exertion. Taken like one would a liquid medication, a mere tablespoon 30 to 40 minutes before a meal does the trick. Juice from a raw cabbage, which contains sulfur, is also very helpful at alleviating digestion troubles of any sort. Vitamin B12, Vitamin B12 complex, and any type of probiotics are very useful for decreasing and preventing acid reflux.

Acid reflux is easy to understand the more you know about alternate medicine. More and more people are going the natural route when it comes to safeguarding their health, and alternate medicine is a prime example.