Heartburn or Indigestion

Do you suffer from heartburn or indigestion. Megan Taslaman provides 4 easy health tips to help you cure your indigestion fast and provide heartburn relief naturally.

We often use the terms Heartburn and indigestion to mean the same thing, but they’re actually quite different issues.

What is Indigestion

Indigestion is a general term that speaks to a wide range of digestive issues. It can be a pain, a burning feeling, or general discomfort in your upper abdomen. You may feel full too soon while eating a meal or feel generally uncomfortably full after eating a meal

What is Heartburn

Heartburn on the other hand, occurs when stomach acid escapes back up into your esophagus. It’s so named because the esophagus, where the burning sensation is felt, lies just behind the heart.

It can last from seconds to several hours.  Often lying down will make it worse as happens when babys get reflux.

four top health tips to help combat heartburn or indigestion.

1. CHEW YOUR FOOD SLOWLY. In today’s society we just don’t chew slowly.  Frequently we are just too busy jumping to the next task. Our digestion starts in the mouth with the secretion of salivary amylase in the mouth. This kicks off the digestive process, so if you don’t chew your food, there will be less salivary amylase.
2. MINDFULNESS WHILE YOU ARE EATING. Too busy multi-tasking? Think about taking a proper break to have your meal. The nervous system that dominates our digestion is the parasympathetic nervous system, so if you are stressed, or trying to complete a stressful task (i.e. at the computer), you are most likely in the “fight/ flight” mode or sympathetic nervous system. Hence, you’ll be less able to digest your food well.
3. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. If you are prone to digestive issues, why not try some apple cider vinegar (1 cap full) in with some warm water and sip before your meal. This will ‘prime’ your digestive enzymes and get your system up and ready to digest your meal.
4. CHOOSE HERBAL TEAS WISELY. Did you know that peppermint tea actually exacerbates indigestion and heartburn? This is because peppermint lowers the pyloric sphincter causing issues with your upper digestive system. Of course, have peppermint for bloating, but not for indigestion. Instead choose some chamomile tea to follow your meal.

Of course if your heartburn or indigestion persists, you should consult with  your qualified health practictioner.