Acidity can literally be a pain to deal with but before we move on to home remedies to reduce acidity, it’s important to know its origin, symptoms and causes. Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) is produced in the stomach to digest food and it plays an important role in digestion but sometimes, HCL is produced when there is no food inside the stomach and it leads to the eruption of the lining of the stomach, giving rise to acidity.
Sometimes, the acid finds its way to the esophagus and you experience inflammation and a burning sensation in the food pipe. This needs to be treated as soon as possible as it may lead to ulcers. Meal timings, physical activity, proper sleep, no stress, less consumption of tea or coffee, moderate intake of alcohol and modification in cooking are some of the key points which help keep acid under permissible limits.
Simple and Effective Home Remedies to Reduce Acidity
Let’s look at some simple but amazing home remedies to reduce acidity which can be easily included in your daily routine:
- Basil Leaves: are easily available. One can chew a few leaves of basil or can have basil tea as its calming and soothing properties help reduce acidity.
- Fennel Seeds: can be chewed after meals to increase the rate of digestion and they help in reducing acidity. Fennel tea can be taken 1-2 times a day or it can be infused with water and taken on an empty stomach to curb acidity from morning itself.
- Buttermilk and Curd: are always considered important for digestion and lactic acid present in them normalizes the acidity in the stomach. You can also add roasted cumin powder, a pinch of black pepper and a few leaves of mint & coriander to ease digestion.
- Ginger: Grated Ginger can be boiled with water and that water can be taken the whole day or before and after meals to increase the rate of digestion. Ginger tea with honey can be taken without milk to reduce acidity.
- Banana: gives instant relief from acidity. It can be taken during morning or mid morning and can also be combined with curd.
- Ajwain: Ajwain water can be taken on an empty stomach (1 tsp of ajwain can be soaked in a glass of water overnight) or ½ tsp of ajwain with a pinch of black salt can be taken after meals to ease digestion.
- Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp of cumin seeds can be soaked overnight in a glass of water or can be boiled in water and its water can be taken after meals to increase the rate of digestion.
- Cold Milk: gives instant relief from acidity and one can have a cup of cold milk to neutralize gastric acids in the stomach. For those who are lactose intolerant, other options should be taken into consideration.
- Cardamom: Chewing 1 cardamom pod after meals prevents acidity, flatulence and aids in digestion.
- Coconut Water: turns the pH of the stomach alkaline and thereby prevents acidity and the lining of the stomach from getting ruptured.
- Aloe Vera: Always go for fresh aloe vera! Mix the pulp with some water and have it 2-3 times a day. Otherwise, you have to go for organic aloe vera juice.
- Lemon Juice: Have some lemon juice in lukewarm water on an empty stomach the first thing in the morning. It helps a lot in reducing acidity.
These are a few home remedies which you can use to reduce acidity. Last but not the least, positive lifestyle modifications also go a long way. Before you switch to any of these foods, consult your doctor, coach, nutritionist or dietitian.
We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on acidity, digestion, nutrition and other lifestyle issues, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.
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