If you are experiencing heartburn during pregnancy, it is important for you to know about the ways of dealing with it. Heartburn, which is a fiery, painful sensation, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) starts leaking or relaxing. This makes your stomach acids to flow up into the esophagus, resulting in acidity or heartburn. Pregnant women are more susceptible to heartburns because the relaxing hormone slows down the rate of digestion, thereby keeping food in the stomach for longer duration and triggering acidity.

Here are the various measures you should take for dealing with acidity during pregnancy:

Follow regular eating patterns: Overeating triggers heart burns, and hence, you should eat less. During pregnancy, there is much less space in the stomach for it to expand. Maintaining a healthy diet in lesser quantities will help you in eliminating the heartburn throughout your pregnancy. You should eat several small meals a day instead of having two or three large meals. It is easier for your body to digest smaller meals.
Avoid trigger foods: You need to identify the common foods, which trigger your heartburn, and eliminate them from your diet. You should abstain from consuming acidic food items like tomatoes, citrus fruits, fried and spicy food, coffee, carbonated drinks, and alcohol.
Focus on fluids: A liquid diet causes much lesser problems compared to solid food products as they can move through your stomach quickly. You should consume milkshakes, soups, yoghurt, smoothies, puddings, and protein shakes. Try to take liquids, which are rich in protein like dairy products. While having solid foods, ensure that you chew them very well.
Sleep properly: In order to avoid heartburn during the night, you must not eat anything three hours before going to sleep. You should make the head of your bed elevated by placing books or any solid object under the bed s legs. You should sleep on your left side, which will make it difficult for stomach acids to travel up to your esophagus.
Sit or stand up right after a meal: After taking any meal, you should take a short walk, undertake some housework, or sit down for a while. Avoid lying down, and abstain from doing anything for which you have to bend over.
Wear comfortable clothes: You should wear loose-fitting clothes for dealing with acidity or heartburn during pregnancy. Tight clothing puts extra pressure on your abdomen, which is already crammed. This is capable of worsening acid reflux. Therefore, you should choose loose fitting maternity wear for eliminating acidity and heartburn.


Acidity During Pregnancy - How It Can Be Dealt With?

Acidity is an ailment that troubles most people regardless of the absence of any other medical condition. It causes discomfort in the chest region along with heart burn and indigestion. If you are distressed with acidity, you may consider undergoing Ayurvedic treatment which would help in alleviating the problem to a great extent.

1. Tulsi leaves:
  Tulsi leaves help in stimulating the stomach for production of more mucus and are also rich in anti-ulcer properties which cause a significant reduction in the effects of gastric acid.
  It is recommended to chew 5 to 6 clean Tulsi leaves when you have acidity to soothe the stomach.

2. Bananas:
  The potassium content in ripe bananas helps in eliminating sudden bouts of acidity.
  Bananas also aid in relieving constipation problems and cause healthy bowel movement.

3. Cumin seeds:
  Cumin seeds which are commonly used in cooking dishes have anti-inflammatory properties that aid in soothing the digestive tract.
  These stimulate saliva production, boost metabolism and relieve the problem of bloating along with other discomforts caused by gastric troubles.
  You may chew a few cumin seeds when troubled with acidity or boil them in water and drink the solution.

4. Cold milk:
  The richness of calcium in milk aids in reducing acid problems and absorbing the acid which has already been produced.
  It helps in providing instant relief from the burning sensation owing to its coldness.
  But it is important to drink it plain without any additives like sugar.

5. Cloves:
  Cloves are known for their calmative properties which help to improve the process of peristalsis by which food moves down the stomach.
  When you put a clove in your mouth, just bite it once to help in releasing the extracts which would reach your digestive tract and immediately lower down the acid reflux.

6. Ginger:
  If you do not find raw ginger to be very pungent, you can keep a candied ginger slice in your mouth for instant relief from acidity.
  If you feel that you wouldn t be able to chew raw ginger, you can boil it in water and drink it after it cools down.
  Ginger can be also eaten with a small piece of jaggery to help the juice reach the stomach and alleviate the acidity.

7. Mint leaves:
  Commonly referred to as  pudina , mint leaves are known for lowering the acid content and improve digestion.
  If you feel that an acid attack is imminent, you can chop down a few mint leaves and boil it in water and drink the solution for eliminating bloating problems.

These few Ayurvedic remedies can help in soothing acidity along with its other symptoms.

Acidity - 6 Amazing Home Remedies That Can Help!

The acids help the body dissolve the food particles and also break it down to more basic elements. However, when the body produces too much acid, it causes acid reflux which can cause discomfort. Too much acid within the body, which is also known as hyperacidity, can be caused by a multitude of factors.
Known and effective ayurvedic cures
Ayurveda considers acidity to be a'pitta' problem and it can be corrected by following certain simple steps. There are other food ingredients which are also used as remedial tools. Let's have a look at some of the dos and don'ts of ayurvedic remedies for acidity.

Don'ts for acidity according to ayurveda
1. Limit junk food and other foods, which are very heavy in fats and processed items: most processed foods and junk food usually made in stores contain unhealthy fats. The stomach needs to produce more acid in order to digest them and thus may end up causing acidity.

2. Stop excessive consumption of tea, coffee: stop consumption of caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee and other caffeine injected drinks which may encourage the production of more stomach acids.

3. Stop the consumption of alcohol and cooperates: apart from being generally bad for health as both of these are known contributors of cancers, they can even affect smaller day to day functions and can lead to acidity.

4. Don't consume foods which are high in acidic content: if you tend to like food which is very high in acidic content, it is advisable to limit its consumption. Some examples of this are:

1. Vinegar
2. Curds
3. Pickles
4. Tamarinds
5. Sour citrus fruits
6. Salty fried foods

Dos for acidity according to ayurveda
There are multiple solutions for acidity in ayurveda which have been known cures for generations. Let's take a look at some of these.

1. Do have meals on time: it is best to not skip meals as this can cause the acidity levels within the stomach to rise if it doesn't have any food to digest. It is especially harmful to skip breakfast and then have a heavy lunch to compensate.

2. Do have amla or indian gooseberry: this is a very effective weapon against acidity and chewing a few morsels will easily cure the problems in your stomach.
Pomegranate juice: very small quantities of pomegranate juice on a daily basis will be very beneficial for a bad case of acid reflux.

3. Coconut water: drink coconut water as it is known to have properties to neutralize the stomach acids.

4. Aniseed: also known as saunf, you can chew them raw and slowly swallow with water for quick relief from acidity.

5. Jeera: jeera consumed with warm ghee and then mixed with rice tends to be very good for acidity as well.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Acidity

Hyper acidity (Amlapitta) is also called Acid Dyspepsia, which is one of the most common problem. Hyperacidity is a condition in which stomach secretes excess amount of acid.

Hyperacidity is very closely associated to Amlapitta in Ayurveda which is caused by the imbalance of agni or the digestive fire leading to the vitiation of pitta dosha.

Causes of Hyperacidity:

Hurry ,  Worry , and  Curry  are the three main reasons for the disease.

Diet (Ahara)

Spicy fried junk food

Carbonated drinks

Excessive use of chilly, mustard, garam masala powder (spice mixture), garlic etc. in diet

Salty and sour foods like chips

Eating of stale, fermented foods (dosa, uttappa, idli, dhokla etc. bakery food items).

Excessive intake of fast food

Excessive intake of Oily foods, pickles

Excessive intake of tea/coffee.

Lesser intake of water

Irregular meal times

Skipping meals

Repeated food intake (before the digestion of the previously taken food)

Incompatible food like taking non-veg with milk, sour fruits with milk, pizza followed by milkshake

Eating too late at night

Regimens (Vihara)

Lack of rest

Fast moving lifestyle.

Insufficient sleep at night.

Sleeping immediately after meals.

Sleeping in daytime

Mental factors

Stressful lifestyle
Excessive anxiety

Anger

Other causes of acidity include:

Medications: Some anti-inflammatory drugs, when taken for a long period of time can develop chances of hyperacidity.

Drinking alcohol

Smoking

Pregnancy

Obesity

Fasting

All the above factors result in an excessive increase of  Pitta dosha  in the body and exhibits symptoms of amlapitta.

The condition of Amlapitta is explained with a simile just as milk is poured into curd pot immediately attains sourness and gets into an inspissated form. In the same way, repeatedly eaten food gets improperly burnt and causes acidity.

Signs and symptoms

Vomiting

Loss of proper taste of food

Loss of interest of food

Headache

Heart &chest burn (retrosternal burning)

Sour or bitter test in mouth and belching.

Nausea

Throat burn

Regurgitation of food or sour substance

Gaseous distention/ bloating of abdomen

Pain in abdomen

Chest pain

Foul smelling loose motions.

Burning sensation over feet, hands

Mouth ulcers

Fatigue (especially in legs)

Tiredness

Fainting

Ayurveda has explained 2 main types of amlapitta:

Urdhvag Amlapitta: Mainly characterized by vomiting due to upward movement of pitta 

Adhoga Amlapitta: Mainly characterized by loose motions due to downward movement of pitta.

Investigations

If there is chronic hyperacidity, following investigations are useful:

Gastroscopy (Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)

Barium Meal x-ray

Gastrin levels in blood

Serology + histology for H. Pylori

Stool routine examination

Complications 

If not treated at the proper time or if faulty diet, regimen and habits continued, it can complicate as

Gastric Ulcer
Chronic Gastritis
Duodenitis
Prevention

 Prevention is better than cure  it is better to avoid all the causative factors of acid-peptic disorders (amlapitta).

Avoid excessive salty, oily, sour and spicy foods

Avoid heavy and untimely food

Avoid smoking and alcohol intake

Avoid overcooked, stale and contaminated food

Avoid fried and junk food items

Do not skip meals

Avoid fast

Do not overeat

Avoid untimely and irregular food habit

Avoid foods containing excess amount of garlic, salt, oil, chilies etc. very often.

Avoid toor dal, horse gram, fenugreek

Avoid lying down immediately after food

Avoid, smoking, alcohol, tea, coffee and aspirin type drugs

Follow the meal times

Take Light food, Coconut water, articles having cooling properties

Take vegetables like white pumpkin, cucumber, leafy vegetables except Methi

Take Wheat, old rice, green gram

Fruits like gooseberry, dry grapes (black resins), black grapes, pomegranate, fig, dry fig, custard apple.

Take adequate amount of fluids like pomegranate juice, amla juice, kokam syrup.

Medicated water with ushir (wala) or coriander-cumin seeds or tulsi seeds (sabja) or laja (puffed rice). 

Take Warm water.

Take Moravla (jam made from amla), gulkand (jam made from rose petals) 

Take One teaspoonful of ghee with warm milk

Take adequate sleep

Exercise regularly

Avoid stress

Follow mental relaxation techniques like meditation, Yoga and Pranayama

Medical management

As the disease is of Pitta origin, all measures are undertaken to pacify pitta.

Some important drugs useful in Amlapitta

Shatavari, Yashtimadhu, Amalaki, Sunthi, Guduchi, Ushir, chandan shankhabhasma, suvarnamakshik bhasma, pravalpishti, sariva, bhunimb etc

Some important Ayurvedic Medicinal Preparations are helpful when taken under proper guidance

Kamdudha Rasa 

Sutashekhar Rasa 

Prawal Panchamrit 

Shankh vati

Bhoonimbadi kwath

Avipattikar Churna

Shatavarighrit etc

'Panchakarma procedures' like Vamana (induced vomiting) or Virechana (induced loose motions) whichever is needed as per the symptoms should be administered. In chronic cases, Asthapana basti (medicated enema) is indicated.

Hyperacidity And Ayurveda!

The LES valve in the stomach is designed in such a way that as soon as food passes through it, it closes. If however, LES remains partially or fully open, acid produced by the stomach can move up to the esophagus resulting in a burning sensation called acid reflux or heartburn. This condition is commonly known as the hital hernia.

Some of the common symptoms of acid reflux:
1. Consumption of large meals at one go.
2. Lying down immediately after having a meal.
3. Obesity or being overweight.
4. Consumption of snacks just before bedtime .
5. Consumption of certain food items such as chocolate, garlic, onion and citrus-related food.
6. Consumption of caffeine related products such as coffee, liquor and cigarettes.
7. Certain medicines such as aspirin is also known to be a trigger for acid reflux.
8. Pregnant women or patients with blood pressure are known to be suffering from acid reflux.

Tips to deal with acid reflux
There is a wide range of treatment options available for acid reflux. If you are suffering from occasional heartburn, there are some wonderful home remedies that can be tried. However, if the acid reflux recurs more than once in a week, it is best to consult a doctor. Home remedies to deal with acid reflux:
1. Sleeping on the left side is known to reduce acid reflux.
2. Reducing weight greatly helps in tackling acid burn. Patients with obesity are more vulnerable to acid burn.
3. It is best to avoid food that triggers acid burn.
4. Chewing gum greatly helps in countering acid burn. It helps in producing saliva which soothe the esophagus.
5. Intake of One spoon of baking soda every day proves to be extremely effective. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate which has a pH of more than 7 and can effectively neutralize the acid from stomach.
6. Intake of aloe vera, apple, banana or ginger is known to have very positive effects on acid burn.
7. Intake of 1 table-spoon of mustard can give instant relief from acid burn. Mustard s alkaline properties can make the acid neutral in the system.
8. Regular intake (one after every meal) of almond helps to fight acid burn

Medication:
1. If you are buying over the counter, Histamine 2 blockers is a great medicine that instantly gives relief from an acid burn. Typically Doctors suggest this medicine with a higher dosage. This medicine can be consumed half an hour before the consumption of a meal. However, It is best to consult a doctor before consuming any medication.
2. Doctors often suggest medicine from the PPI family. It effectively blocks acid production in the esophagus for a longer duration. Some common medicine from this group includes Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole and Rabeprazole. Although, a doctor should be consulted. 

What Causes Acid Reflux? 8 Tips to Deal With it

Top Remedies To Get Rid Of Acidity

Over eating or spicy food gives us regular or once-in-a-while acidity. While we all love to indulge in good food, at times, we are forced to abstain for fear of the acidic reaction that follows. 

Follow these simple home remedies which can cure and help combat acidity.

1) Cold milk - milk has calcium which stops acid build up in the stomach. For immediate relief from acidity, it is advised to drink a glass of cold milk.

2) Fennel Seeds - if you have had a spicy or a heavy meal, chew on some fennel seeds as is the habit in india, traditionally.

3) Ginger - ginger has anti-inflammatory properties which help cure acidity. All that one needs to do is chew on a slice of ginger. If you have a chronic acidity problem, you can make it a habit to drink the water with ginger boiled in it.

4) Cloves - if you face problems with acidity regularly, it is advisable to carry cloves with you at all times. Chew a few cloves everytime you feel acidic.

5) Basil Leaves - chew basil leaves at the first sign of acidity. Alternatively, you can also boil 3-5 leaves in a cup of water for a few minutes. Drink this water for relief. While you can add honey for taste, do not add milk.

6) Cinnamon - boil half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder in a cup of water for a few minutes and drink it throughout the day.

7) Buttermilk - lactic acid in buttermilk helps dilute the acidity in your stomach. Drink chilled buttermilk bit by bit throughout the day or until you get relief.

8) Cardamom - cardamom is known to sooth the inner lining of our stomach to reduce the effects of excess acid produced in the stomach. You can crush a couple of cardamom pods, boil in water, and drink it for instant relief.

9) Mint Leaves - mint leaves help digestion and in lowering the acid content in our stomach. Boil some chopped mint leaves in water, cool the water and drink it.

10) Banana - bananas contain natural antacids. Potassium in bananas keeps the acid production in your stomach under check. Eat a ripe or overripe banana to beat acidity.

If you have any further questions, ask me by clicking on'consult.

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Top Remedies To Get Rid Of Acidity

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