Heartburn is caused by a
disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disorder
or GERD. Though not fatal, it is an agonizing
condition where the symptoms that may vary from a
mild sense of uneasiness to a severe burning
sensation in the chest. When part of the stomach
content, along with stomach acid (Hydrochloric
acid) refluxes back to the esophagus (the tube
that carries food and drink from the mouth to the
stomach) due to a faulty valve called the lower
esophageal sphincter (LES), it irritates the
esophagus, causing that burning sensation that is
popularly called heartburn.
Anxious
to get relief, people have tried over the
centuries, various means and methods to get over
the painful condition, using whatever comes to the
mind. While most use acid reducing drugs for quick
but short-term relief, others go for honey and
herbs for long-time healing effects. However,
apple cider vinegar and heartburn are two strange
bed fellows that somehow combat the agonies of
heartburn in their own weird
ways. Nonetheless, apple cider
vinegar has been religiously taken by
many for years as a treat for heartburn and to
prove that truth is stranger than fiction, it
works wonderfully well too.
But
the relationship between apple cider vinegar and
heartburn, looking at it from a scientific point
of view is a baffling tale of one acid fighting
another. Vinegar is essentially an acid (acetic
acid) made from various fruits that includes
apple, apart from lower grade qualities that are
nothing but glacial acetic acid mass manufactured
for kitchen use. How acetic acid can neutralize
hydrochloric acid is the bone of contention in
this controversial topic.
Apple
cider vinegar and heartburn - how the relationship
works
One
hypothesis speculates the idea of a weaker poison
killing a stronger poison, similar to the theory
of homeopathic medications where such procedures
are the basic principles of treats. This theory
suggests that the acetic acid in the apple cider
vinegar lowers the stomach acidity by increasing
its pH value while it may help maintain as well as
buffer stomach acidity to a safe level with the
aid of its acetate salts.
Thus
a much milder acidic environment is created within
the stomach where food is digested well but
chances of acid refluxes are less. Regular use
diminishes acid reflux to a minimum degree and
thus the fable (true) of apple cider vinegar and
heartburn is popularly fashioned. The usual dosage
consist of 2 to 3 teaspoons of apple cider
vinegar, specially the cloudy part of it that
settles in the bottom and mixing it with 8 ounce
glass of plain water, taken before meal time or
whenever heartburn threatens to
occur.
However,
apart from apple cider vinegar,
honey, herbs and many other home remedies that are
believed have heartburn curing
effects. It may be prudent to take a holistic view
of the whole situation by bringing about a
lifestyle change for a permanent treat of the
painful disease condition. Taking meals at regular
hours, keeping away from spicy or fatty foods and
slashing alcohols may prove beneficial to many who
are the victims of the ill effects of GERD in the
form of heartburn and even
cancer.
Holistic remedies are a
better alternative because in this, the body is
treated as a whole, which is the right thing to do
since the causes and the contributing factors of
GERD are many and
complicated.
