I don’t know about you, but as I get older, I find that more foods tend to upset my stomach and/or give me heartburn.   What is heartburn?  It’s when the acid from your stomach, which is there to digest your food, makes its way up into the esophagus and sometimes the throat.  Usually heartburn is characterized by a “churning stomach”, nausea, gas, a burning feeling in the chest and a sour taste in the mouth.  Certainly, you may not experience all these symptoms, but I’m sure you know when you have heartburn!

I’ve read that antacids, those chalky tasting disks that my children think are SweetTarts, may, over time disrupt the potency of the acid in your stomach and should not be taken on a regular basis.  In addition, these antacids may also reduce the absorption of nutrition by the body and often aren’t a permanent fix for the problem.   Therefore, I try to avoid taking antacids in any form.  Sometimes the antacids make my stomach feel terrible, even as it cures the heartburn.  This is why homemade remedies work the best for me.

For those of you who feel the same, here are a few of my tried and true home remedies for heartburn.  I think you’ll be pleased at how well these homemade remedies work!

Oatmeal:    Scoop up a tablespoon of quick oats, pour into mouth, chew then swallow.  I know it’s not the best tasting and is rather dry, but this homemade remedy does work for curing that heartburn.

Papaya Fruit – Papaya contains papain, an enzyme which aids digestion and soothes the stomach.   Eating fresh papaya with honey may ease the symptoms of heartburn and give you some relief.  Plus it’s pretty tasty too!

Unsalted Almonds – Try eating a handful of unsalted blanched almonds. Almonds will help neutralize the acid and gives pretty quick relief to heartburn symptoms. They’re said to be heart-healthy also.

Here’s a tonic for heartburn that is made from apple cider vinegar:  1 teaspoon  honey, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar mixed into a cup (8 oz) of warm water.  Drink and it should relieve your heartburn within an hour.

Of course, the best cure for heartburn is to prevent it from occurring.  Avoid spicy and acidic foods and try not to eat large meals before bed.  However, if you happen to eat something that triggers your heartburn, these homemade remedies should fix you right up.