How can I get rid of heartburn?

It may be triggered by the foods you eat, particularly spicy, fatty, or acidic foods. Or perhaps you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic condition with many potential causes.

What can you do when heartburn strikes?

1. Wearing loose clothing: in some cases, you might be having an episode of heartburn because tight clothing is compressing your stomach.
2. Standing up straight: your posture can also contribute to heartburn. If you’re sitting or lying down, try standing up. If you’re already standing, try standing up more straightly. An upright posture puts less pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
3. Elevating your upper body: lying down can make heartburn worse. When it comes time for bed, adjust your sleeping surface to raise your upper body.
4. Mixing baking soda with water: dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it slowly. In fact, you should drink everything slowly when you have heartburn. Baking soda can calm some episodes of heartburn by neutralizing your stomach acid.
5. Try ginger: ginger has been used as a folk remedy for heartburn for centuries. Ginger can help relieve nausea, so some believe it may be worth trying for heartburn, too.
6. Taking licorice supplements: licorice root is another folk remedy that’s been used to treat heartburn. It’s believed that it might help increase the mucous coating of your esophageal lining, which may protect your esophagus from damage caused by stomach acid.
7. Sipping apple cider vinegar: it may neutralize stomach acid.
8. Chewing gum to help dilute acid: chewing gum for half an hour after meals may also help reduce heartburn. Chewing gum stimulates saliva production and swallowing. This might help dilute and clear stomach acid from your esophagus.
9. Staying away from cigarette smoke: if you’re a smoker and you get an attack of heartburn, don’t light up.
10. Trying over-the-counter medications: these medicines come in three classes:

• antacids
• H2 blockers
• proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)