It’s high time that heartburn had another name. Since it has nothing whatever to do with the heart and a lot to do with a little door in the digestive tract, it would be much more appropriate to call it stomach burn. Whether or not that new name is accepted in the lexicon of common complaints, the uncomfortable sensation will remain the same. It’s a burning, painful feeling that occurs behind your breastbone whenever stomach acid flows back up from your stomach into the main entryway, the esophagus.
Many of us are familiar with the over-the-counter antacid medications that are designed to relieve the symptoms, but these products will not cure heartburn. While commercial antacids will provide relief, many natural healers believe that we should try to do more than just reduce the acid. For one thing, it helps to improve your diet and digestion so the acid stays where it belongs—in the stomach. It also helps to use herbal and nutritional supplements that can heal the irritation and burning caused by any acid backup, says William Warnock, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Shelburne, Vermont.
"Normally, stomach acid is confined to the stomach by a valve between the stomach and the esophagus," says Dr. Warnock. "When that valve malfunctions and the acid is able to pass from the stomach into the esophagus, it can cause irritation there, so the first thing you want to do is prevent the irritation from continuing."
If you’re plagued with the symptoms of heartburn, you may want to consider changing your eating habits. Fatty, fried, or high-protein foods, alcohol, and coffee are often the culprits behind heartburn, says Pamela Taylor, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Moline, Illinois.
People who eat quickly and gulp their food often get heartburn, says Dr. Warnock. He advises people to eat regular meals and above all, chew food slowly, savoring the smell and taste.
Also, pay attention to the final meal of the day, suggests Dr. Taylor. "I tell patients not to eat within four hours of their bedtimes and that their last meal of the day should be oriented toward foods such as steamed vegetables, baked or broiled fish, and nonwheat grains such as rice or quinoa," she says.
Coat, Soothe, and Heal
Even if you’re a deliberate eater, you may have chronic heartburn. There are many possible causes, including stress, age, and poor digestion. You may have chronic heartburn because you’ve been infected with Helicobacter pylori, the same bacteria that contribute to stomach ulcers.
People are more prone to heartburn if they take medications that affect the muscles of the esophagus. And they’re more likely to get it if they have a hiatal hernia (a hernia of the diaphragm).
Whatever the source of the problem, the mucous membranes of your esophagus are probably inflamed and irritated, says Melissa Metcalfe, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Los Angeles. That’s one area where supplements might be able to lend a helping hand.
An excellent herb to soothe those tissues is deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, according to Dr. Metcalfe. For one thing, DGL has antispasmodic action, which means that it helps to control various muscle actions that can affect your digestive tract. The herb also helps reduce acid reflux by calming a cramping stomach, she says.
The primary medicinal benefit of DGL, however, is its ability to increase and build up the protective substances that line the digestive tract. By stimulating the body’s natural defense mechanisms, licorice helps prevent the formation of ulcers and lesions due to the irritating acid, says Dr. Metcalfe. It’s also a powerful, localized anti-inflammatory.
"It’s the first thing I recommend to people—it’s a great initial treatment," says Dr. Metcalfe. The typical dose is two 250-milligram capsules taken 20 minutes before mealtime.
Rather than swallowing the DGL with water, Dr. Metcalfe suggests that you suck on the capsules and let them dissolve slowly in your mouth. You can also get DGL in chewable tablets, which dissolve as you chew them. "You want the licorice to coat the inside of your throat and esophagus to cover those inflamed and irritated tissues," she says.
Use it for four weeks and then assess if it’s working, she suggests. If it is, your throat should feel less irritated. If not, see your health-care practitioner.
| Link Up with Licorice If you’ve known licorice only as a gummy, stringy candy—a general-store forebear of Gummi Bears—it may be time to bone up on its history. Derived from the root of a perennial shrub, licorice was first used in Chinese medicine thousands of years ago. It also became a flavoring agent for candy and sweet-smelling pipe tobacco. Licorice root has been used to treat female disorders, peptic ulcers, stress, colds, and several types of bacterial infections. It’s a well-studied herb, and some of these traditional uses have been verified scientifically. Licorice is especially useful for relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and menopause, according to herbalists. It has phytoestrogenic action, which means that its plant compounds have an effect in a woman’s body much like that of the female hormone estrogen. Despite this benefit, there are some safety factors to consider if you use large amounts of licorice regularly for more than four to six weeks. One of the active ingredients, called glycyrrhizin, can cause high blood pressure and loss of potassium. It can also contribute to retention of fluids and sodium. Because of these effects, you should use licorice cautiously if you have high blood pressure or heart problems. To sidestep these side effects, licorice is also sold in a form from which 97 percent of the glycyrrhizin has been removed. The extract of deglycyrrhizinated licorice is known as DGL. In animal studies, it has been shown that flavonoids, the active ingredients in DGL, are especially effective in protecting gastrointestinal tissues from ulcer formation. DGL appears to promote the release of compounds in saliva that may stimulate the growth and regeneration of stomach and intestinal cells. If you are pregnant or nursing or have diabetes, however, you should avoid medicinal amounts of any form of licorice. |
Get at the Inflammation
Another healing substance for damaged mucous membranes is glutamine, an amino acid that’s available as a nutritional supplement. Dr. Metcalfe frequently recommends it for gastrointestinal disorders whenever inflammation is a problem.
Glutamine encourages the turnover or disposal of damaged cells, and it increases the production of new cells along the gastrointestinal walls, says Dr. Metcalfe. It’s also a potent antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free-roaming, unstable molecules called free radicals. All of these actions equate with faster healing, she says.
"I tell people to take one 500-milligram capsule four times a day until they are feeling better," says Dr. Metcalfe. "Usually, that’s about a month."
Kill the Bacteria
If bad bacteria—usually H. pylori—are the source of your problem, you could consider taking goldenseal, says Dr. Metcalfe. First, though, get a proper diagnosis from your doctor.
For best results, Dr. Metcalfe recommends that you combine a goldenseal supplement with colloidal bismuth, which is the active ingredient in many over-the-counter stomach medications like Extra-Strength Pepto-Bismol. Besides coating the stomach, the bismuth helps the herb adhere to the mucous membranes of the stomach.
Take two or three 400-milligrams capsules of goldenseal daily along with one tablespoon of Extra-Strength Pepto-Bismol four times daily, Dr. Metcalfe suggests. "When you take bismuth, be aware that your stools will turn black. It’s nothing to worry about." Don’t use goldenseal if you are pregnant, however.
Relief on the Run
You don’t need to go to the health food store for relief. In fact, you don’t have to look any farther than the spice rack.
"When people are traveling and have heartburn, I tell them to stop at a supermarket and buy some ginger," says Dr. Taylor. You can get either fresh ginger in the produce section or the powdered spice.
Ginger relaxes the smooth muscle along the walls of the esophagus, says Dr. Taylor. "If your digestion is working better, you’re less likely to get that reflux, or backwash, of stomach acid," she says. "Ginger is an excellent tonic for the whole gastrointestinal tract."
If you’re using ginger to prevent heartburn, take it 20 minutes before a meal. You can take it as a capsule, make a tea from the fresh root or the powder, or eat candied or pickled ginger as it comes from the jar. Ginger tincture is also available.
To use it in capsule form, take one or two "00" capsules and wait for a half-hour. If your symptoms don’t improve in that time, you may repeat the dose. You can also empty the contents of the capsules into hot water, let it steep, and drink it as a tea, Dr. Taylor says.
Candied ginger has a long history as a digestive aid. Use a small amount, about the size of the tip of your little finger. Chew it slowly and well, incorporating a fair amount of saliva before swallowing, Dr. Taylor says. You can repeat this dose in 10 minutes or so if your symptoms have not lessened.
For tincture, she recommends a dose between 15 and 60 drops. "Always use the smaller amount, in a little water if possible. Repeat the 15-drop dose every 15 minutes, up to a total of 60 drops, if necessary."
Because ginger is considered a "hot bitter," people with very sensitive stomachs may find it too strong. If symptoms do not resolve with the above recommendations, consult your health-care practitioner.
