I'll never forget the first time I had heartburn. I was pregnant for the first time, and I woke up with the most intense, painful sensation in my chest and throat. The next day, I spoke to my midwife about it and she explained that I'd had heartburn. She suggested combating it with a glass of milk or eating a banana to neutralize the acid.
It was a number of years before I ever experienced it again. Being that it always hits me in the middle of the night, the last thing I want to do is get up and eat a banana. I always went the route of drinking some milk. This gave me about a 50% success rate in eliminating the acid discomfort in my body.
In a conversation with my mom one day, she mentioned that apple cider vinegar was the best natural remedy for heartburn and acid reflux. That sounded crazy to me. How could vinegar neutralize acid? She told me that my uncle, who had serious issues with acid reflux, consistently popped the "purple pill" (Nexium). He called my mom on the phone late one evening to ask what he could do for his acid reflux. He ran out of pills and it was too late to get any (he lived out in the mountains). My mom told him to try the apple cider vinegar. He thought she was nuts. But in desperation, he tried it. He never returned to the "purple pill".
The next time heartburn struck me, I pulled out the Bragg apple cider vinegar from my pantry. I mixed a little bit with some water and gagged it down. IT WORKED! I have had a 100% success rate with this remedy.
As with most pharmaceutical treatments, Nexium and other medications for heartburn and acid reflux come with the risk of numerous side effects, some worse than the condition being treated. And death is not ruled out as a side effect!
On the other hand, apple cider vinegar is a food. It has no ill side effects, and actually produces many amazing nutritionally benefits in the human body.
WHAT TO DO: I mix about 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup of water and drink as quickly as possible. The taste is intense, and it causes a quick mucous buildup in my mouth. So I generally have to spit after each swallow. But it sure beats using a toxic medication! Some people add a little bit of honey to this mix to make it easier to swallow. Occasionally I will have to repeat this dosage a few minutes later, but it works every time.
For those who simply cannot handle the flavor, there are apple cider tablets available, but I cannot vouch for their effectiveness since I've never tried them. I recommend organic vinegar, and if you want the very best, get the Bragg brand, as it contains beneficial bacteria (called the Mother) as well.
It would probably be a good idea to brush your teeth after using this remedy if you have to do it often. I'm not sure that going back to sleep after putting vinegar in your mouth is such a good idea.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical care professional, so if you follow this advice, you do so at your own risk. Personally, I find no more risk in this method than you would find in your daily diet.
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