Does lemon help with heartburn and what are the benefits of it for the body?

Causes of the pathological condition

Heartburn is the result of a malfunction of the sphincter (muscular valve) located in the upper part of the stomach.
In this case, during the digestion process, food debris enters the esophagus along with gastric juice. This condition is not an independent pathology, but only a symptom of certain diseases of the digestive tract. Ailments that provoke the development of heartburn include:

• ulcer;
• cholecystitis;
• dysplasia;
• gastritis;
• diaphragmatic hernia and many others.

Also, heartburn can be a temporary phenomenon not associated with stomach diseases. It may appear:

• prolonged stay in an inclined position;
• increased intra-abdominal pressure that occurs with flatulence, obesity and pregnancy;
• slow digestion with obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract;
• as a side effect of certain medications;
• binge eating;
• drinking alcoholic beverages;
• abuse of drinks with a high carbon content and spicy seasonings;
• smoking.

Regular occurrence of heartburn due to increased acid content can damage the gastric mucosa, which leads to the development of peptic ulcers.

What preventive measures are there?

Sometimes the person himself provokes the appearance of this disease. To prevent this from happening, you need to follow a few simple recommendations.

You should not overeat or eat food at night. In addition, there is no need to bend over immediately after eating.

You should exclude foods that cause heartburn from your diet. They were discussed in more detail above.

You should also be examined by your doctor every six months. This will ensure timely prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.

Excess weight also contributes to a burning sensation in the chest. Therefore, people prone to weight gain should strictly monitor their diet and adhere to a certain diet.

Alcohol abuse is one of the causes of heartburn. For this reason, it is necessary to give up bad habits.

Beneficial properties and indications for using lemon for heartburn

Lemon

Lemon contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements that have a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system. Citrus contains the following vitamins:

• Group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9);
• RR;
• E;
• WITH;
• beta-carotene;
• A.

In addition, lemon contains the following micro- and macroelements:

• boron;
• calcium;
• molybdenum;
• magnesium;
• fluorine;
• sodium;
• manganese;
• potassium;
• copper;
• phosphorus;
• zinc;
• sodium;
• iron and many others.

Due to its rich composition, this citrus has the following beneficial properties:

• general tonic;
• anthelmintic;
• bactericidal;
• antipyretic;
• wound healing;
• anti-inflammatory.

The main indications for the use of lemon are digestive problems accompanied by heartburn.

Lemon juice treatment

The recipe based on lemon juice and baking soda is known to many; moreover, almost everyone uses it for the development of heartburn, considering it effective. Let's find out whether lemon juice actually helps.

In reality, the picture is completely different; doctors categorically do not recommend such treatment. Soda, reacting with citric and then hydrochloric acid, provokes a powerful effect - it forms excess carbon dioxide, stretches the walls of the stomach, which is why heartburn can only become more pronounced.

In this regard, after consuming such a mixture, the symptom quickly returns and is difficult to relieve even with medication.

Please note that drinking lemon is contraindicated for some groups of patients. Representing a natural source of vitamins and possessing numerous beneficial qualities, the fruit is quite aggressive, capable of aggravating gastritis, peptic ulcers, cholecystitis and other gastrointestinal pathologies.

Before using citrus as a remedy for heartburn, it is important to make sure that such treatment will not harm the condition of the esophagus and intestines. You should understand how much fruit is allowed for consumption. For this purpose, it is recommended to visit a doctor and undergo the necessary tests. Symptomatic treatment of heartburn with lemon can alleviate the condition, but is not always a complete replacement for medication that reduces stomach acidity. In addition, the fact that lemon may increase heartburn cannot be ruled out.

Rarely occurring heartburn can be easily eliminated with lemon juice; in almost 90% of cases, the burning sensation stops within 10–15 minutes and does not bother you for more than an hour.

Undoubtedly, lemon has many beneficial properties, but we should not forget about its contraindications. In addition, it often provokes allergic reactions.

Source

Features of using lemon for heartburn in pregnant women

There are 2 opposing opinions about using lemon for heartburn during pregnancy. Some experts believe that this fruit increases the production of gastric juice, which causes burning and pain in the esophagus. Others claim that lemon juice can quickly eliminate heartburn.

In fact, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the pregnant woman’s body. Therefore, you should start using lemon for heartburn carefully, with a small amount. In this case, you must first consult with your doctor.

Other folk remedies effective in combating heartburn

Traditional medicine offers a wide range of techniques to help cope with anxiety symptoms. Here are just the most popular and widespread of them:

• baking soda, diluted in the amount of one teaspoon per glass of water, instantly eliminates alarming symptoms;

• 
  Potato juice, which should be drunk half a glass on an empty stomach, is no less effective;

• for these purposes, you can pour a glass of boiling water over a handful of flax seeds and use the jelly left after infusing them;
• Pour a pinch of crushed calamus root into a glass of boiling water and drink this infusion after 15 minutes.

In order to combat the burning sensation in the stomach, use mummy, which is mixed with water and milk; cucumber juice; infusions of dried marsh grass.

Each method is good in its own way, but in order to get rid of heartburn for a long time, you need to follow a diet, monitor the amount of food you eat, eat only healthy foods and avoid serious nervous breakdowns. Only then will the unpleasant sensations stop bothering you.

According to statistics, in 90% of cases, lemon juice helps cope with heartburn attacks. The discomfort disappears after 2–5 minutes, and the disease subsides for at least an hour. However, if the burning sensation appears again and again, and changing the diet turns out to be an ineffective measure, you should consult a doctor. Perhaps in this way the body is trying to report problems in its work.

Principles of use and recipes based on citrus for heartburn

Lemon for heartburn

Lemon juice for heartburn can be used both in pure form and with other ingredients. Experts recommend taking the product in the morning on an empty stomach. You can use folk recipes only if there are no contraindications.

Method No. 1

Application:

1. Cut off a slice of lemon.
2. Blot with sugar.
3. Eat.
4. After 10-15 minutes the burning sensation will go away.

Method No. 2

Application:

1. Pour boiling water over 1 large lemon.
2. Pass it through a meat grinder.
3. Mix the gruel with a small amount of butter.
4. If heartburn occurs, take 1 tsp. composition.

Method No. 3

Application:

1. Extract the juice from one large citrus using a juicer.
2. Dilute it with a small amount of water.
3. Add 1-2 tsp. liquid honey.
4. Take if pain or burning occurs.

Method No. 4

Application:

1. Squeeze the juice of aloe and 1 lemon.
2. Mix them in equal proportions.
3. Drink 1 tbsp. in the morning on an empty stomach.

Method No. 5

Application:

1. Prepare a chamomile decoction. For this, 1 tbsp. The flowers are steamed in 250 ml of boiling water. Then cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Strain.
2. Squeeze the juice from one large lemon.
3. Mix the decoction and juice in equal proportions.
4. Take 30 ml once a day on an empty stomach.

Method number 6

Application:

1. Grate 1 large potato and squeeze the juice out of the resulting pulp.
2. Squeeze 1 large lemon.
3. Take 1 tbsp in the morning before meals.

This recipe can be used not only to eliminate an attack, but also for preventive purposes.

Method number 7

Application:

1. Dilute a small amount of lemon juice in 1 tbsp. water.
2. Drink once a day on an empty stomach.

Method No. 8

Application:

1. Take 1 tsp. slaked soda 1 tbsp. lemon juice.

Use this method only in very rare cases when there are no other means at hand.

Method number 9

Application:

1. Pour a large amount of boiling water over 1 tbsp of flaxseeds.
2. Insist.
3. Add a few drops of lemon juice to the product.
4. Take with every attack of heartburn.

To exclude an allergic reaction, treating heartburn with lemon recipes should begin with small dosages. In this case, you need to carefully monitor your condition.

Ways to use citrus

Lemon helps in cases where an unpleasant symptom is caused by eating disorders, hormonal problems or stressful situations. If heartburn appears against the background of serious illness as one of the primary symptoms, then you don’t even have to try to improve your well-being using traditional methods.

There is a certain benefit from lemon, and it lies in neutralizing hydrochloric acid and reducing its level in the stomach, however, with the development of dangerous diseases, medications and careful monitoring by a specialist are required.

You can use citrus fruit to combat the burning sensation in the following ways:

• Just eat a slice of lemon without sprinkling it with sugar, then the alarming symptoms will disappear almost immediately.
• You can pour a teaspoon of soda with a large spoon of lemon juice and drink this mixture. It is recommended to use this technique only in the most extreme cases and should not be abused.
• A glass of water with lemon juice dissolved in it also helps with heartburn. A tablespoon of lemon juice in water, drunk on an empty stomach, is enough to prevent the development of the disease.
• You can mix potato juice (1 tablespoon) and lemon juice (1 teaspoon) and drink the product immediately if discomfort occurs.

Thus, you can not only suppress the burning sensation that has already occurred, but also prevent the onset of the symptom. Many gastroenterologists advise drinking a glass of water with a tablespoon of this juice in the morning as a preventive measure. This remedy can be used before a global feast or during pregnancy to avoid heartburn.

If a woman has not eaten anything spicy or salty, but there are no other provoking factors in her life, and discomfort still manifests itself, it is necessary to consult a doctor. The fact is that heartburn will appear again if serious diseases develop, regardless of the amount of lemon juice consumed. Much more effective methods of treatment are needed here.

Possible side effects and contraindications

It is important to remember the contraindications when consuming lemon

Despite the positive effect that lemon has on heartburn, it has a number of contraindications. It is not recommended to consume this citrus if heartburn is accompanied by:

• sudden weight loss;
• loss of appetite;
• satiation too quickly when eating;
• difficulty swallowing;
• anemia;
• nausea and vomiting.

These symptoms may indicate the development of severe diseases of the digestive system (oncology, ulcers and others), in which the consumption of citrus fruits is strictly contraindicated.

If a person has pathologies that have a destructive effect on the gastric mucosa, then using lemon for heartburn can cause the opposite effect.

It is important to remember that using folk recipes, one of the components is this citrus, to relieve a burning sensation in the esophagus, only if it is not caused by serious gastrointestinal diseases.

Proper nutrition is the best cure for heartburn

Proper nutrition is the best cure for heartburn.

Any doctor will tell you that if you have heartburn, you need to take antacids.

What is this, you ask? Antacids are medications that neutralize hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Also, every doctor will tell you that the best antacid is food. The main thing is to eat properly and in a timely manner. Then heartburn will definitely not bother you. We bring to your attention a few tips that will help correct the situation with the appearance of heartburn:

1. “Detoxify” excessive amounts of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. If you have already eaten so much that there is a lot of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, then please eliminate it. Therefore, it is recommended to eat in small portions, but more often. For example, set yourself up for this regimen: eat small portions or have a snack every 2 hours. At the same time, it would not hurt to exclude the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits.
2. Do not drink water immediately before or after meals. This leads to the fact that acid will be released in the stomach due to the large volume, which provokes the formation of heartburn. So the most ideal time for drinking tea is an hour after a meal.
3. When eating on the go or on the run, try not to stock up on hot drinks. It would be better to drink drinks of moderate temperature. Although it is advisable to apply this advice not only when traveling or on business trips. Even when at home, it is advisable to drink warm drinks rather than hot ones.
4. For avid coffee drinkers, there is this advice: drink coffee with milk, because... it is insignificant, but smoothes out the irritating effect of caffeine.

The most reliable way to get rid of heartburn attacks is not to eat low-quality food.

The benefits of different types of citrus fruits

Citrus fruits include such famous fruits as lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangerines and other varieties. Their benefits are explained by the presence of large amounts of vitamin C and other microelements. Due to the content of vitamins and nutrients, the following benefits of fruits for the human body can be distinguished:

1. Citric acid, contained in all citrus fruits, promotes rapid digestion of food. As a result, a few drops of lemon in a salad or adding freshly squeezed citrus juice to a hot meat-based dish is an excellent prevention of heartburn and disorders of the digestive tract.
2. During pregnancy, women are recommended to drink water with lemon juice - this drink can help cope with nausea. True, drinking such a drink on an empty stomach is prohibited, since it can seriously damage the mucous membrane. Often this only increases nausea.
3. People who have to work with their heads are recommended to drink tea with lemon and honey - this speeds up the working activity of the brain.

In addition to medicinal products

Overeating can cause heartburn

For complex treatment, it is necessary to influence the mechanisms of heartburn development themselves, identify predisposing factors and correct possible ones:

• Eat small portions, but often. Don't overeat.
• Do not bend over or move to a horizontal position immediately after eating.
• Sleep with the head of the bed raised.
• Avoid heavy loads on the abdominals.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Quit smoking.