Some acid reflux home remedies include chamomile tea, aloe vera juice, licorice tea, potato juice, and anise tea. These home remedies relieve reflux symptoms as they naturally contain anti-inflammatory, digestive and antacid effects.

However, these home remedies should not replace medical treatment prescribed by your doctor. Ideally, they should be utilized to complement the treatment recommended by your doctor.

Acid reflux, also referred to as gastroesophageal reflux or GERD, occurs when the contents of the stomach backflow up to the esophagus, causing inflammation and symptoms like heartburn, burning and a lump in the throat.

This content is solely for informative purposes and should not replace a medical consultation. Do not interrupt your current treatment without seeking medical guidance.

Home remedies

Some home remedies that can naturally help to treat acid reflux are:

1. Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea can help to treat acid reflux because it has a digestive and anti-inflammatory action that helps regulate stomach acid production. It helps to relieve symptoms such as indigestion, heartburn and nausea.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers
1 cup of water

Directions

Boil the water in a pot, remove from head and add the chamomile flowers. Cover and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Then strain and drink up to 4 cups of this tea per day.

Cautions: This tea is not recommended for anyone allergic to chamomile or plants from the same family, like daisies, ragweed and chrysanthemums. This tea is also not recommended for babies under 6 months.

Tea with simple chamomile (Matricaria recutita) can be consumed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Roman chamomile tea should be avoided during these life phases, however, as there are minimal studies available that support its safety.

2. Potato juice

Potato juice neutralizes stomach acidi and is recommended to relieve reflux symptoms, like heartburn, throat burning or a lump in the throat.

Ingredients

1 raw English potato
200 ml of water

Directions

Peel the potato and place in a blender or processor, and blend. Add water and mix well. Then strain and drink the juice, unsweetened. This juice can be consumed once a day and preferably 30 minutes before any meal.

Cautions: Potatoes can increase blood glucose levels, especially in people who have diabetes. Therefore, this juice should be used in moderation by diabetics.

3. Ginger tea

Ginger tea, when consumed in small quantities, helps combat reflux symptoms because it has antiemetic and anti-inflammatory effects, preventing the return of stomach acid to the esophagus and relieving symptoms such as nausea and poor digestion.

Ingredients

2 to 3 cm of grated fresh ginger
1 cup of water

Directions

Place the ingredients in a pot and boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover the pan and once it has cooled, strain and then drink. You can drink 1 cup of this tea per day.

Cautions: this tea is contraindicated for children under 6 years of age, and for people with gallstones, stomach irritation or high blood pressure. It should also not be consumed by people with bleeding disorders or those who use anticoagulant medications.

Pregnant women or people taking medications to control high blood pressure or diabetes should only consume ginger tea as directed. by a doctor.

4. Baking soda

Sodium bicarbonate has a natural antacid effect that neutralizes stomach acid and temporarily relieves reflux symptoms like discomfort, indigestion, or heartburn.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of baking soda powder
250 ml of filtered or boiled water

Directions

Dissolve the sodium bicarbonate well in the water, stirring with a spoon, and then drink. You can drink up to 3 glasses per day for up to 2 weeks. Excessive use can worsen the symptoms of heartburn and burning in the stomach.

Cautions: Drinking water and sodium bicarbonate is not recommended for people with alkalosis or hypocalcemia, children under 2 years of age, anyone who is allergic to this substance, or pregnant or breastfeeding women.

5. Licorice tea

Licorice is a medicinal plant that contains carbenoxolone, which is a substance widely used in the treatment of gastric ulcers to protect the stomach.

Ingredients:

5 g of licorice root
500 ml of water

Directions

Place the licorice root and water in a pot and boil for 10 minutes. Wait for it to cool, strain and drink up to 2 cups of this tea per day.

Cautions: this tea is contraindicated for people with high blood pressure, heart problems, kidney disease and low potassium levels. Licorice tea should also be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

6. Aloe vera juice

Aloe vera juice has digestive and anti-inflammatory properties. It stimulates digestion and neutralize stomach acids, making it a great option for treating reflux and gastritis. Check out the other health benefits of aloe vera.

Ingredients

1 aloe leaf
1 liter of filtered or boiled water

Directions

Wash and dry the aloe leaf well. Then, cut the base of the leaf and let the plant rest in a vertical position so that the yellow and toxic part in the leaf, drains away.

Once drained, cut the leaf lengthwise. Carefully lay the leaf down and carefully lift the fibers from one side, to avoid contaminating the gel with the yellow substance that may still be present in the plant. To remove the gel from the leaf, you can use a non-sharp object, such as a spoon, discarding any green or yellow part that is present in the gel. Then, add the aloe vera gel to the blender, in a proportion of 100 g of gel to 1 liter of water. Blend in a blender and drink up to 3 glasses of this juice per day.

Cautions: This juice is contraindicated for children, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding. It is also not recommended for people with uterine or ovarian inflammation, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, bladder stones, kidney failure, appendicitis, prostatitis, cystitis, dysentery or nephritis.

7. Fennel tea

Fennel tea helps to relieve symptoms of reflux and gastritis, because it contains malic acid. This is an aromatic compound with powerful antacid, anti-inflammatory and digestive action, that helps to reduce acidity, improve digestion and combats nausea.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of dried fennel seeds
1 cup of water

Directions

Mash or crush the fennel seeds. Add the water to a pot and boil. Then remove from heat, add the fennel seeds, cover the pot and let them soak for 10 minutes. Strain the infusion and drink up to 3 cups of this tea per day, for a maximum of 2 weeks in a row.

Cautions: This tea is not recommended for children under 12 years of age or people allergic to anise or the compound anethole. This tea is also contraindicated for pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with hyperestrogenism, women with breast cancer who take hormone replacement therapy or people who use anticoagulant medications.

8. Monteverdia truncata tea

Monteverdia truncata is a plant that is rich in epigallocatechin and arabinogalactan. These are bioactive compounds that have anti-inflammatory and gastro-protective effects. Monteverdia truncata tea can be prepared to combat reflux symptoms like indigestion and heartburn.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of dried Monteverdia truncata leaves
1 cup of water

Directions

Boil water in a pot or kettle. Then pour the water in a cup and add the espinheira-santa leaves. Cover the cup and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain up to 3 cups of this tea per day, 30 minutes before meals.

Cautions: this tea should not be used during pregnancy, as it can cause uterine contractions and miscarriage, and it should also not be used by breastfeeding women, as it can reduce breast milk production.

This tea should also be avoided by children under 12 years of age or people with a known allergy to Monteverdia truncata.

Other considerations

Other important tips for treating acid reflux include:

Avoid drinking liquids during meals
Chew food thoroughly and slowly
Wear loose-fitting clothes that are not tight around the waist
Eat small meals, especially at dinner
Eat your last meal no more than 2 hours before bed
Avoid liquid meals at dinner, such as soups or broths

Furthermore, it is also recommended to sleep at a 45-degree angle, placing a pillow or elevating the head of the bed, as this helps reduce reflux during the night.