12 Most Effective Home Remedies For GERD Symptoms In Adults & Children

Updated: 6/24/2019

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is not a dangerous disease and can be treated easily. However, if you let it last for a long time, you may experience some complications such as chronic sinusitis, reflux esophagitis, esophageal reflux, esophageal cancer, and even sudden death in rare cases of young children. There are many ways for you to get rid of this disease such as prescription medications or applying some of the natural remedies for GERD that work effectively. Today's article will introduce 15 most effective home remedies for GERD symptoms in adults and children with familiar ingredients in your home kitchen.

• Home remedies for heartburn relief
• Home remedies for acid reflux relief in stomach
• Foods that cause acid reflux symptoms

12 Most Effective Home Remedies For GERD Symptoms In Adults & Children

I. Overview

1. What Is GERD?

GERD also known as acid reflux, is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects the stomach, muscular ring between the esophagus, and the lower esophagus ^[1].

2. Symptoms Of GERD

GERD can be identified through the following symptoms ^[2]:

• Chest Pain: Chest pain usually occurs due to the stomach acid regurgitating up through the esophagus. This the hallmark symptom of GERD. The pain can be so intense and long lasting that some people mistake GERD for heart disease.
• Heartburn: This is the feeling caused by gastric reflux into the esophagus. In the typical case, heartburn occurs after meals or nighttime coughing due to lying posture. Heartburn will occur more regularly when drinking alcohol or consuming sour drinks.
• Bitter Mouth: In some cases, stomach acid can reflux into the throat, producing bitterness in the mouth. If you catch this symptom, especially at night, you should see your doctor.
• Nausea or Vomiting: These symptoms usually occur due to a change of posture or an exertion. Gastric juice refluxed does not taste and can be mixed with undigested food.
• Difficulty Swallowing: Over time, GERD repeats and cause certain damages to the esophagus. This disease can result in swelling of the lower esophagus, narrowing the esophagus, and then leading to difficulty swallowing.
• Other symptoms include bad breath, wearing away of the teeth, regurgitation, coughing, sore throat, increased salivation, and breathing problems.

When the disease is worse, you may notice other symptoms such as blood vomiting. To prevent complications, you need to know the initially symptomatic for immediate treatments.

3. Causes Of GERD

There are many causes of GERD as below ^[2]:

• Eating too much
• Lying down immediately after eating
• Stress, which can trigger or exacerbate GERD
• Unhealthy Diet: For people with abnormal diet and living, the risk of GERD will be higher than normal ones.
• Stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcer

Risk factors include pregnancy, obesity, hiatal hernia, smoking, and taking certain medicines.

II. Effective Home Remedies For GERD Symptoms In Adults & Children

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

 

Apple cider vinegar may help balance the acid levels in your stomach and support your digestion ^[3]. It acts as an antimicrobial agent and can remove bad bacteria in the gut. It could help inhibit acid reflux because this condition can be caused due to bacterial imbalances in the gut.

Recipe:

• Add a teaspoon of organic ACV to a cup of 4 ounces clean water
• Mix them well and consume it before meals.

2. Aloe Vera

In addition to the effects for skincare, aloe vera is also very useful in removing the symptoms of GERD ^[5] [6]. It has anti-inflammatory properties, so it helps soothe inflammation in your esophagus and stomach, thus preventing GERD. The aloe vera leaves also help cool the stomach, thereby calming the heartburn. Europeans have used aloe vera as a homemade remedy for GERD for many centuries.

Recipe:

• Peel off an aloe vera leaf and cut it into pieces.
• Put the pieces into a blender and blend them well.
• Strain it to take the solution.
• Consume the aloe vera juice 20 minutes before meals.

It’s recommended to prepare aloe vera juice for one time. You should not keep the juice in the refrigerator for the next use.

3. Licorice Root

Licorice root contains properties that stimulate production of the mucous membranes of the stomach while protecting the intestinal mucosa and reducing stomach cramps ^[7]. If you combine licorice root with other herbs, it can reduce the symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn associated with GERD ^[8].

Recipe:

• Add a cup of clean water into a pot.
• Boil the pot and then add some pieces of dried licorice root to it.
• Keep boiling for 10 minutes and strain it to take the liquid
• Consume it 20 minutes before your meals

4. Chewing Gum

Chewing gum to remove the discomfort caused by GERD has been shown to be effective by scientists. This study was published in the Journal of Dental Research ^[9]. Chewing gum will stimulate the production of saliva to wash off the acid and neutralize acid levels in your stomach. You can chew sugar-free gum after every meal to prevent GERD ^[10]. However, you may want to avoid mint gum since  it may stimulate esophageal sphincter relaxation, which will worsen acid reflux.

6. Slippery Elm

Slippery Elm possesses demulcent properties, which contribute to coating the lining of your stomach and your esophagus. This herb also has anti-inflammatory properties and soothing effects that may relieve the discomfort caused by GERD ^[11].

Recipe:

• Add a teaspoon of slippery elm powder to a cup of boiling water.
• Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
• Consume a cup of slippery elm tea thrice a day until your condition is better

Note: Slippery elm may interact with some medications so you should use the slippery elm tea 2 hours before taking any medication.

7. Fennel

Fennel consists of a compound called anethole, which has anti-inflammatory effects on the gastrointestinal tract ^[12]. Herbalists show that fennel seed is a great aid to digestion ^[13]. It may reduce bloating, gas, and stomach cramps and aid in smooth muscle relaxation.

Recipe 1:

• Chew half a teaspoon of fennel seeds after every meal.

Recipe 2:

• Add a teaspoon of fennel seeds to a pot of boiling water.
• Continue to boil the pot for 10 minutes and strain the pot to take the solution

Consume a cup of fennel seed tea twice a day after meals

8. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a natural antacid that helps neutralize acid levels in your stomach and reduce the symptoms of GERD rapidly ^[14]. Baking soda should only be used as a temporary method to prevent the symptoms of GERD instead of being used as a long-term therapy.

Recipe:

• Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of cool water
• Mix them well and consume the mixture to remove the symptoms of GERD

Note: People with high blood pressure should not use baking soda as it contains sodium which will affect their health.

9. Marshmallow

Don’t miss this remedy when looking for the best home remedies for GERD. Marshmallow root may help stimulate the healing process and kill bacteria causing various ailments ^[15].

It also helps protect your gastric mucosa and esophagus due to its high level of mucilage ^[16]. It is also well known for its soothing and anti-inflammatory effects.

Recipe:

• Add 2 teaspoons of dried marshmallow root to a big bowl with 4 cups of water.
• Cover the bowl and let it overnight.
• Strain out this herb in the next morning and consume the solution.
• You should drink this marshmallow tea 3 times a day until your GERD is removed.

10. Ginger

 

Ginger tea is an excellent solution for many digestive diseases such as abdominal pain, indigestion, or nausea ^[17]. The phenolic compounds in ginger are said to alleviate gastrointestinal irritation and minimize gastric contractions. This means it can decrease the likelihood of acid flowing from the stomach back into the esophagus. It also helps to decrease inflammation. According to a 2011 study, taking ginger supplements may help decrease inflammation ^[18].

Recipe:

• Wash a fragment of fresh ginger, peel and slice it.
• Add a glass of clean water to a pot and boil it.
• Add the ginger slices to the pot and boil for 15 minutes.
• Let it cool down and then consume the ginger tea 30 minutes before meals.

11. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has been used as an effective treatment for GERD. It helps balance the acid levels in your stomach and relieve stress and anxiety that lead to heartburn ^[19] [20]. Chamomile also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory abilities. Acid can move up into the esophagus and lead to symptoms of acid reflux disease. This often causes painful inflammation in your esophagus. It is possible that the anti-inflammatory effects of chamomile may help ^[21].

Recipe:

• Boil a cup of clean water in a pot.
• Add some chamomile petals to the pot and keep boiling for 5 minutes.
• Strain this pot to take the tea.
• Add some lemon or honey to it and consume the tea half an hour before your bedtime.

12. Garlic

Some people think that garlic is one of the causes of heartburn or GERD. However, this is not entirely accurate. According to research, raw garlic is a great ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties and helps kill pathogenic microorganisms that cause gastritis ^[22] [23]. So, try using garlic as one of the natural home remedies for GERD.

Recipe 1:

• Chew raw garlic when you feel the symptoms of GERD.

Recipe 2:

• Soak the garlic cloves in apple cider vinegar for about a week.
• Use it every time you have acid reflux.

13. Artichoke

According to a study, the caffeoylquinic acid in artichoke stimulates gallbladder secretion and helps reduce nausea, heartburn, and other symptoms associated with GERD.  In addition, this herb may help combat simple digestive diseases such as flatulence and indigestion ^[24] [25].

Recipe:

• Wash off an artichoke and cut off its stalk.
• Put it into a pot with 2 glasses of water.
• Boil the pot for 30 minutes and add some sugar.
• Let it cool down.

Consume the artichoke tea several times a day to get rid of GERD’s symptoms

III. Must-Know Tips For GERD

We give you some other methods to prevent the discomfort of GERD:

• Consume foods that are rich in vitamin C such as orange, lemon, tomatoes, etc. as they have very good antioxidant and antihistamine effects ^[26].
• Eat foods rich in antioxidants such as berries and legumes as these foods help to decrease ulcers, a major cause of GERD.
• Add probiotic foods such as yogurt to your daily diet.
• Eat a few almonds or a red apple after each meal to prevent acid reflux.
• Determine the causes of your GERD and try to avoid them.
• If you are on a diet, you must have a reasonable one. Do not leave the stomach empty for too long because it is easy to cause acid reflux.
• Do not eat too much, especially before going to sleep.
• Avoid foods such as coffee, chocolate, alcohol, fatty foods, spicy foods, and acidic foods, as these foods may precipitate GERD.
• Use a high pillow when sleeping to prevent reflux.
• Do not sleep on the right side since it will increase the risk of acid reflux.
• Do exercise to remove the belly fat. It is also the cause of GERD because it can force stomach acids.
• Don’t wear tight clothes, especially tight jeans
• Losing weight and stopping smoking are also help you treat GERD.

These effective home remedies for GERD symptoms in adults and children use easy-to-find ingredients that are 100% natural and safe when used reasonably. Try them now to feel the changes in your condition. If you don’t feel any improvement in your condition after applying for a long time, see your doctor for help because you may suffer from some other health issues. All contents provided are for informational and educational purposes. We recommend you consult a healthcare professional to determine which method is appropriate for you.