Ayurvedic home remedies for relief in Hyperacidity

Hyperacidity is that uneasy feeling in the middle of the chest that arises when there is excessive buildup of acid in the stomach. Usually characterized by heartburn and sour belching, this problem is quite common in the rainy season. According to Doctor Dadi, our in-house home remedy specialist, hyperacidity or Amal Pitta is the result of excessive consumption of Pitta-aggravating foods (such as oily, spicy, or fried foods, junk and packaged foods, tea, coffee or carbonated drinks) as well as irregular dietary and lifestyle habits. When Pitta gets aggravated, it impairs the body's digestive fire, leading to improper digestion of food and the production of ama. This ama gets accumulated in the digestive channels and causes Hyperacidity.

Even though hyperacidity is a very common problem, most people do not use the right methods to deal with it. Most people pop antacids every morning or before every meal to get immediate relief from the pain and belching. Many opt to skip meals – If I don't eat, the body will not have to digest any food, and there will be no acid formation!

If you are someone who uses these jugaad methods, you could not be more mistaken. Antacids provide immediate pain relief to your body by pacifying the formation of extra acids; however, they only mask the symptoms and do not even touch the root cause of your hyperacidity.

Skipping meals is another tried-to-death option that yields negligible results. According to Ayurveda, the body needs to be fed something every three hours. In fact, it should not be kept hungry for more than six hours at a stretch (excluding sleeping time). Skipping of meals causes dhatu kshaya or degeneration of body tissues and can also decrease your digestive fire (especially in Pitta people), which further leads to severe digestive disorders. So, do not skip meals; rather eat something that your body can digest easily. However, if you feel heaviness in your stomach, skipping a meal or two can be beneficial.

Instead of opting for temporary solutions, it is better that you deal with the problem of hyperacidity using some simple home remedies. Unlike medicines, natural remedies have no side effects, and what's more, they are able to give results that last longer.

Doctor Dadi's Remedies

• Mix together equal parts of powdered fennel (saunf), licorice root (mulethi), basil (tulsi) leaves, and coriander (dhania) seeds. Have ½ teaspoon of this mixture with ½ teaspoon of powdered rock candy (mishri) 15 minutes before lunch and dinner.
• Make a powdered mixture of equal parts of rock candy, fennel, and green cardamom (ilaichi). Whenever feeling heartburn, mix 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a glass of cold milk and drink.
• A mild laxative like 2-3 teaspoons of psyllium husk (isabgol) with water at bedtime helps to clear the stomach and is a very good method of pacifying pitta.
• Chew a small piece of jaggery (gur) after lunch and dinner. Repeat until acidity subsides.
• Put 2-3 teaspoons of coriander seed powder in a bottle and pour 1 cup of boiling water in it. Let it sit overnight. In the morning, sieve through a cloth, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, and drink.
• Add 1 teaspoon of cumin (jeera) seeds in 2 liters of water and boil them for 3-5 minutes. Strain the solution and drink it. Take this treatment several days consecutively.

Note:

Try these home remedies at your own risk. Please remember that home remedies cannot replace digestive medicines. If your condition does not improve, it is recommended that you seek professional advice.