Acidity is the most common issue in living beings. Almost 90% of the population around the world suffers from acidity. Acidity, if left untreated, may lead to major problems such as peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and gastric tumors, etc. Thus, acidity should be treated well and within time.
In my earlier post “Tips to Knock Out Acidity“, I mentioned all the important points that should be kept in mind to manage and control acidity. If you haven’t read it yet, please refer to it once. If you already read the article, then let’s proceed to natural remedies or home treatments for acidity.
Water is one of the wonderful gifts presented to us on this planet. Most of the problems get cured with just water. Those who consume plenty of water on a daily basis can be declared the healthiest persons in the world. Water eliminates most of the problems in the body.
A Role of water in Acidity:
Water dilutes the Hydrochloric Acid formed inside the stomach thereby reducing its adverse effects. In mo cases, Hcl secreted in the stomach damage the inner mucous lining which ultimately leads to Peptic Ulcers and Gastric Tumors, etc.
Thus, drinking more water than the daily requirement helps in managing acidity.
I hope you already know about the daily requirement of water. If not, then please remember that 5 liters of water per day is usually required for the proper functioning of the body.
Acidity and heartburn can be treated with buttermilk, another simple remedy. I hope everyone knows the procedure for preparing buttermilk. If not, then please read below.
The Procedure for Preparing Butter Milk:
Plain Butter Milk: Add a glass of water, i.e., approximately 200 ml of water to a tablespoon of curd. Add 1 or 2 pinches of salt to the mixture. Shake it well and just consume it. For best results, this should be followed every meal of the day.
Buttermilk with Additives: You can add coriander leaves and black mustard seeds (rai in Hindi) to plain buttermilk and consume it. You can even add a pinch of fenugreek seed powder to plain buttermilk and have it daily for better results.
Role of Buttermilk in Acidity:
In general, buttermilk contains lactic acid, the main constituent which has the tendency to neutralize the hydrochloric acid (HCl) formed inside the stomach. Thus, buttermilk helps a lot in controlling acidity and heartburn.
Another best and simple home remedy for treating acidity is Basil (Hindi: Tulasi) leaves juice or tea.
Role of Basil Leaves in Acidity:
The constituents present in the basil leaves help in soothing the inner esophageal lining and stomach mucous lining. Moreover, Tulsi leaves have a carminative property that prevents gas formation thereby relieving flatulence.
Methods of using basil leaves:
- Simply chew 3-5 basil leaves multiple times a day to get rid of acidity and flatulence.
- Basil Leaf Tea: Add 3-5 basil leaves to a cup of water and boil them at least for 15 minutes. Add honey as a sweetening agent to the mixture. Allow it to cool, remove the leaves, and drink it. Please avoid “Hot” things during acidity because they may worsen the situation.
- Basil Leaves Juice: Dry some basil leaves in shadow, please avoid sunlight during the process of drying. Grind the dried leaves with the help of stone and continue the process until you get a fine powder. Add 1 or 2 pinches of dried leaves powder to a glass of lukewarm water and thoroughly mix it. Drink this juice 2-3 times a day.
- Basil Leaves Capsules: Bring empty gelatin capsules from the market. Open the capsule and fill it with dried basil leaves powder up to half then close it. Administer 1 or 2 capsules per day depending on your acidity.
- Basil Leaves with Food: You can add a few Basil leaves to food items during their preparation. It also helps in managing and controlling acidity.
4. Bananas
Banana is one of the most widely used fruits which is a rich source of potassium. The fiber content is much in banana that helps in relieving constipation, this is the reason behind why a banana is preferred after the meals. The Vitamin B6 and Potassium found in the banana is great for the heart muscles and bones.
A Role of Banana in Acidity –
Banana is usually alkaline in nature thus it helps in neutralizing the acid formed inside the stomach. Banana forms a coating on the inner lining of the esophagus and stomach, thereby preventing the further damage caused by the HCl acid.
Banana also contains a compound ‘pectin’, a soluble fiber that helps in easy flow of food from stomach to intestines.
