Natural Remedies For Acidity or Hyperacidity
Hyperacidity is one of the most common disease seen in the society. It is seen in all ages, all classes, and all community. Hyperacidity refers to a set of symptoms caused by an imbalance between the acid secreting mechanism of the stomach and proximal intestine and the protective mechanisms that ensure their safety. The stomach normally secretes acid that is essential in the digestive process. When there is excess production of acid in the stomach, it results in the condition known as acidity.
During digestion, Stomach secrets an acid, hydrochloric acid, which is required for the breakdown of food and excessive secretion of hydrochloric acid causes acidity.
Main Reason Behind Hyperacidity
- Due to unhealthy eating habits
- Due to certain foods consumed in excess
- As a side effect of medicines
- Due to existing medical conditions
- Due to other causes such as stress, lack of sleep etc.
Physiology: How Food Is Digested?
First point is to understand the digestion, it is a process in which food is breakdown into smaller components that can be easily observed and assimilated.
There Are Two Processes Involved In Digestion:-
1. Mechanical Process
Food is physically broken into smaller parts. For instance, by chewing, which can be easily accessed by the digestive enzymes. After mechanical process in mouth, food is mixed with saliva, in which salivary amylase is found that catalyzes the starch. Thereafter, the food turned into small, round slurry mass called, bolus. Bolus, then enters into stomach through esophagus.
2. Chemical Process
After entering the bolus into stomach, food is broken down by acids and enzymes into its basic units. Therefore, stomach secrets mucous to protect their membrane. The digested food is retained in stomach for 1-2 h, which is called as chyme, then passed to duodenum followed by intestine and further digestion process is done.
Signs and symptoms of Hyperacidity
- Heart chest burn (retrosternal burning)
- Sour or bitter belching.
- Nausea
- Throat burn
- Regurgitation of food or sour substance
- Vomiting
- Gaseous distention of abdomen
- Heaviness in abdomen
- Indigestion.
- Aversion towards food.
- Pain in abdomen.
- Chest pain.
- Headache, Bad breathe.
- Foul smelling loose motions.
- Severe burning sensation over feet, hands
- Thirst, Mouth ulcer, Fatigue (especially in legs)
- Tiredness, Fainting, Giddiness.
Prevention:
- Avoid excessive salty, oily, sour and spicy foods
- Avoid heavy and untimely food
- Avoid smoking and alcohol intake
- Food should consist mainly of bitters like bitter gourd, matured ash gourd
- Include barley, wheat, old rice and green gram in diet.
- Avoid overcooked, stale and contaminated food.
- The food must be properly cooked
- Follow mental relaxation techniques
What is the treatment for acidity
In it there is excessive acidity increase of ‘Pitta dosha’ which struggle to find its way out of the body either through oral (ie- burp) or rectal pathway (ie-fatting).
Dietary Regimen :
Should take light, easily digestible foods, Amlaki, Bitter items, Goat’s milk+water.
Should avoid spicy, sour, salty, high in fat content, heavy food items, curd, preserved and fast food.
Lifestyle:
Should avoid day sleep, night awakening, acohol, smoking.
