Frequent acidity trouble? Try these home remedies for relief
A dietitian's tips on raisins, fennel seeds and breathing exercises to ease repeated acidity and heartburn
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Do you frequently suffer from acidity? Sour burps and a burning sensation in the chest are two common symptoms of acidity. It is considered normal once in a while, but if the problem keeps troubling you repeatedly, it is a sign that you need to pay attention to your digestion.
The first step is to look at your diet. If you eat a lot of fried and spicy food, cut back on it in time. Also reduce the amount of tea and coffee you drink daily. Besides this, there are some home remedies that prove quite effective. Here is what you should do daily to get rid of recurring acidity trouble.
First, it helps to understand why acidity happens. When eating habits and daily routines are not right, it directly affects digestion. Acid in the stomach starts to increase and comes back up into the food pipe. This is what causes symptoms like a burning sensation in the chest, sour burps, a bad taste in the mouth and a feeling of nausea.
Well-known dietitian Shweta Shah has suggested three remedies for relief from acidity. Instead of repeatedly taking medicines, the focus should be on improving digestion, she says.
The first remedy is to start the morning with raisins. If acidity trouble persists, start the day by eating 8 soaked raisins. This is an easy way to add fibre and natural nutrients to the diet, which improves digestion.
The second remedy is to make a habit of eating fennel seeds after meals. Eat soaked fennel seeds after lunch, and 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds after dinner. Fennel has traditionally been used to aid digestion and can also reduce bloating.
The third remedy is to practise Sheetali or Sheetkari pranayama. Along with medication, pranayama should also be practised to reduce acidity. The nutritionist advises choosing whichever breathing technique feels easiest, whether Sheetali or Sheetkari, and practising it 10 times before lunch and 10 times before dinner.
These methods need to be followed consistently for relief, since no medicine or remedy shows results in a single day. For long-term benefit, the problem needs to be treated fully. Along with this, also make it a habit to walk for 10 minutes after meals daily, or practise Vajrasana.
