Heartburn Or Stomach Acid? Those Are Two Different Things !

Although they have the same symptoms and we often confuse them, heartburn and acidity are different. Burns appear due to lack of gastric juices, and acidity due to excess.

In this article, we’ll tell you why heartburn and stomach acidity occurs. Learning how to tell them apart will help you determine the nature of your imbalance and treat it with natural remedies which we will also tell you about.

There are many people who occasionally suffer from this type of discomfort after meals. Often because they haven’t eaten in a balanced way. But there are other people who suffer from it almost every day, no matter what they eat.

Triggers

There are some common questions for both of these disorders. That’s why we highlight them in the first place:

• Mix several foods in the same meal. For example, meat and fish, pulses and meat, dairy products and meat, etc. We should choose simpler meals.
• Eat too much.  If our stomachs have a hard time digesting it, the healthier it will be to consume several smaller amounts and more repeated throughout the day, to prevent it from being overloaded.
• Eat desserts high in fat, dairy products and / or sugars. They are not easily digestible and make you fat, so it will be best to take them in the middle of the morning or afternoon.
• Eat citrus fruits for dessert.  Acids do not digest well after meals. It is better to go for an apple or a pear, and save the citrus fruits for the morning.
• Eat too fast. Without chewing food properly.
• Drink plenty of water during the meal. It is much healthier to drink water half an hour before a meal or after digestion.
• Eating in a state of stress, nervousness, anxiety or irritability. We must try to eat calmly, in a pleasant environment, without doing other activities at the same time and avoiding people who affect our morale.
• Having consumed anti-acid drugs for long periods of time , which may have altered the naturally acidic pH of our stomach.

Heartburn

Heartburn is different from acidity. The stomach produces little gastric juice, which causes food to ferment because it is not digested very well. 

In addition, the usual symptoms are:

• Slow digestions, with a feeling of heaviness.
• Burns that appear right after eating.
• Hunger linked to anxiety.
• Satiety too fast.
• Problems with constipation, gas and inflammation of the gums.

Home remedies for heartburn

To be able to fight against these symptoms, the following advice should be followed:

• Eat smaller amounts throughout the day.
• Do not eat very hot or very cold foods.
• Although you may feel stressed when eating, try to chew well and eat at a slow pace.
• Take a natural supplement based on digestive enzymes, adapted to the type of food that we have trouble digesting (fats, proteins, carbohydrates).

Gastric acidity

Gastric acidity is the opposite of burns. In this case, the stomach secretes too much acid and the food is digested much faster. It can be distinguished according to the following symptoms:

• Acidity appears before eating.
• You are very hungry and eating food calms the acidity.
• Great thirst for a cold drink.
• Problems with constipation and inflamed gums.

Remedies for gastric acidity

• While eating calms stomach acid, it should still be done by chewing foods well and choosing foods that are healthy and refreshing.
• Acidic or acidifying foods such as citrus fruits, refined flours, sugars, fried foods, dairy products or red meat should be avoided. You can eat lemon because it has the ability to neutralize the acids in our stomach.

Natural anti-acids

If you need to take an anti-acid, for both heartburn symptoms and stomach acidity, it is best to choose from  natural remedies that alkalize, but without altering the natural pH of the stomach. 

Medication and baking soda should also be avoided. Over time, they can become harmful.

• Umeboshi (salted plums): Japanese umeboshi taste very strong, salty and sour at the same time, since they are fermented. However, they are very beneficial. It is enough to put the tip of a spoonful in the middle of the tongue, to leave a few moments and to swallow.
• White clay (for oral use): white clay is an excellent supplement for health, since it helps us eliminate toxins from our body and it is an excellent alkalizing agent which neutralizes acidity.
  Put a spoonful of clay in a glass of water, then stir with a wooden spoon (not plastic or metal). Leave to stand for ten minutes and drink the preparation.
• Raw potato juice. Despite its somewhat odd texture and taste, it’s a natural anti-acid that we should always have on hand. You can squeeze a well washed and peeled potato, or buy juice from a herbalist’s shop.