Baking soda can be useful if you suffer from acid reflux, because it neutralizes stomach acid, according to the Merck Resource Library. In fact, antacids such as baking soda are the drug of choice if you suffer mild gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. Heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD, a condition in which gastric acid backs up from your stomach into your esophagus, say the experts at the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you suffer from heartburn, you're not alone---one out of 10 Americans experience it on a regular basis, reports CBS News. Baking soda can be used in several ways for symptom relief, but if you have a serious problem with GERD you need to consult a doctor.
With Water
Mix 1 tsp. of baking soda into a glass of warm water. Drink it at the first sign of heartburn, advise Burton Goldberg, Larry Trivieri and John W. Anderson in their book, "Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide." The baking soda will raise alkalinity and reduce acidity, notes Ron Kendrick in the book, "Peasant Remedies for Acid Reflux." Kendrick recommends consuming baking soda and water after meals.
In Cooking
Add a pinch of baking soda to acidic foods, such as chili and tomato sauce, to reduce your risk for heartburn, recommend Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones in the book, "Great Expectations: Your All-In-One Resource for Pregnancy and Childbirth." The authors include a section on heartburn and acid reflux, because it is common during pregnancy.
Fatty foods can aggravate GERD, note the experts at UMMC. So try using baking soda in recipes meant to be lighter versions of fatty foods, such as the buttermilk pancakes in Elaine Magee's book, "Tell Me What to Eat if I Have Acid Reflux." Mix 1 tsp. baking soda with 2 cups flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 tbsp. sugar, 2 tbsp. melted butter, 2 cups buttermilk, two eggs, and ¼ cup reduced-calorie syrup. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Mix together and let rest 20 minutes before cooking.
For Cleaning
Use baking soda in lieu of commercial cleaners like soft scrubs, scouring powders and toilet bowl deodorizers, because exposure to chemicals and toxins can be underlying causes of acid reflux, according to "The Great Physician's Rx for Heartburn and Acid Reflux," by Jordan Rubin and Joseph Brasco. The authors say baking soda works just as well for scrubbing showers, sinks and toilets. Making the swap reduces the toxins in your home environment, the authors assert.
References
- "Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide"; Burton Goldberg, Larry Trivieri and John W. Anderson; 2002
- "Peasant Remedies for Acid Reflux"; Ron Kendrick; 2009
- "Tell Me What to Eat if I Have Acid Reflux"; Elaine Magee; 2008
- "The Great Physician's Rx for Heartburn and Acid Reflux"; Jordan Rubin and Joseph Brasco; 2007
- "Great Expectations: Your All-In-One Resource for Pregnancy and Childbirth"; Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones; 2004
