8 Natural Remedies For Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is not just some mild irritation. When stomach acid creeps up into the esophagus, it can trigger a terrible burning sensation that leaves you wincing.
Millions of people feel that burn, and symptoms can range from occasional discomfort to something more severe like GERD. Medications? They can help, but it’s always better to address the condition with some sustainable, long-term, changes.
That’s where diet and lifestyle come in. Natural remedies, especially probiotics, can nourish your gut and promote healthy digestion, protecting you from acid reflux.
What is Acid Reflux?
When stomach acid rises up into your esophagus, it causes discomfort—pain that radiates, sourness in your mouth, difficulty swallowing. Acid in your throat? Burning, irritating? Those are common symptoms of acid reflux.
You might think it's just a simple case of heartburn. But when it happens often enough, it could be gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. There are ways to manage it, not with just pills, but with smart, deliberate changes to your diet and daily routine,so it doesn’t control your life.
Let’s take a look at the 8 best ways to manage, and also reduce the risk of, acid reflux.
Natural Ways to Manage Acid Reflux
1. Probiotics for Gut Health and Acid Reflux
Probiotics, known as "good bacteria," help balance your gut microbiome, which is important for overall digestion. Research shows that imbalanced gut bacteria can lead to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), a common cause of acid reflux.
By promoting a healthy gut, probiotics can help reduce reflux symptoms. Incorporate fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi into your diet to improve gut health.
Regular consumption of probiotics may ease digestion, reduce gas, and keep stomach acid from creeping up into your esophagus. Adding these probiotic-rich foods to your daily meals offers a natural way to manage reflux without always needing medication.
2. Manage Your Weight
Carrying extra weight, especially around the belly, puts pressure on the stomach and increases the risk of reflux. Keeping a healthy weight or BMI can reduce that pressure and lower the risk of acid reflux.
How? Exercise and portion control are long-term and foolproof ways at keeping the weight off. Pack your meals with fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Go out more, take long walks, maybe use the stairs instead of the escalator.
Don’t forget probiotics to help keep your digestion smooth, support metabolism, and enable the body to work efficiently. When you have a balanced gut, managing weight becomes easier, and you won’t have to worry so much about acid reflux.
3. Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals
Much like being overweight, eating large portions or meals put stress on the digestive system, especially the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES). This makes it easier for acid to escape. Eating smaller, more frequent meals reduces this pressure, allowing the stomach to digest food properly.
To support digestion, include probiotic-rich foods in your smaller meals. You can enjoy a yogurt with fruit, a small salad with fermented vegetables, or kefir as a snack.
4. Avoid Common Trigger Foods
Some foods are well-known for causing acid reflux. Some of these are:
- Spicy dishes
- Fatty meals
- Acidic foods (such as citrus and tomatoes)
- Caffeinated drinks
- Alcohol
Don’t worry; you won’t have to cut everything. Instead, swap for options that aren’t likely to trigger acid reflux. Replace citrus with bananas or melons, which are both gentler on the esophagus.
This is where taking probiotics like Balance ONE can help too. They ease digestion, smoothing out the bumps when you do occasionally indulge in trigger foods.
5. Stay Upright After Eating
You’ve eaten, and now you’re tempted to lie down, or maybe take a nap. Well, you shouldn’t do that if you’re prone to acid reflux. Lying down invites acid to slide right into your esophagus, causing heartburn.
Stay upright for at least 30 minutes after your meal. That’s enough time for gravity to do its job, keeping acid down while it digests the food you ate. Whether you take a walk or sit in a chair, staying upright helps digestion to flow smoothly and prevents reflux.
Probiotics after meals can further enhance digestion, helping to regulate the digestive process and prevent the buildup of gas or pressure that could lead to reflux.
6. Herbal Remedies with Caution
Herbs like chamomile and licorice are often used to soothe digestive issues, including acid reflux. While these can help, it's important to be cautious, especially if you're taking medications that might interact with herbal supplements.
Pair herbal remedies with probiotics for a more comprehensive digestive support. A cup of chamomile tea after a probiotic-rich meal may calm the digestive system while enhancing overall gut health.
7. Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol
Smoking weakens the LES, letting stomach acid to more easily flow into the esophagus. Alcohol has a similar effect, making reflux more likely. More than just for overall health and quality of life, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake are two of the most impactful changes you can make to prevent acid reflux.
Probiotics help restore the gut's balance, repairing some of the digestive damage caused by smoking and alcohol. By reducing inflammation and improving gut health, probiotics support recovery from the effects of these habits.
8. Incorporate Relaxation Techniques
Stress is a major trigger for acid reflux, as it can increase the production of stomach acid. Relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing, or meditation can help manage stress and, in turn, reduce reflux episodes.
Here’s where it gets interesting: probiotics might also help with stress.
There’s something called the gut-brain axis, and it connects your digestive health with your mental well-being. When your gut is healthy, you’re calmer and more balanced. Taking probiotics is not just for digestion; it could help you find that inner calm, too.
Final Thoughts
Managing acid reflux naturally all starts with small, yet impactful changes: adjust your diet, look for healthy changes in your routine, and add probiotics to support gut health.
These simple shifts won’t just reduce your reflux; they’ll transform how you feel—day in, day out. Whether it’s probiotic-rich foods or stress-busting techniques, use a few of these remedies together for a holistic, sustainable path to relief.
Probiotics for Acid Reflux
Probiotic bacteria have been shown to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. Don't have the time to make your own probiotic foods? No problem! Probiotic supplements are a convenient way to get the same benefits.
Our probiotic uses time-release tablets to get its probiotic bacteria safely to your intestines, just where you need them.
Then it delivers its bacteria slowly over 8-10 hours, meaning that you can take it any time of day.
Our customers have seen dramatic improvements in conditions like IBS, acid reflux, Candida, heartburn, and more.
Here are a few key features of our probiotic:
- Time-release tablets that deliver 15 times more bacteria past stomach acid, when compared to regular probiotic capsules.
- Probiotic bacteria are released slowly over 8-10 hours.
- 12 probiotic strains chosen for their effect on gut health and immunity.
- 15 billion CFUs of probiotic bacteria.
- 60 tablets per bottle (enough for 2 months).
- Free of nuts, dairy, gluten, soy. Non-GMO and vegan. Made in the USA.
