Digestive Support, Health Care, Herbal Remedies

Top Seven Herbal Remedy For GERD

[toc]GERDGerd or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is the medical term used for the popular disease acid reflux. Although gerd cannot be an immediate threat to life, avoiding it for long can permanently damage the inner lining of the stomach, thereby leading to many serious health disorders which can permanently hamper the digestive capabilities of the stomach.

Although there are many medicines available in the market, these below mentioned herbs offer a reliable and safer alternative. While some of these herbs should be consumed only after being prescribed by an herbalist, the rest like ginger, cinnamon and fennel can be consumed at one’s own discretion, to keep the problem from getting alleviated.


Herbal Remedy For GERD

Cinnamon

CinnamonThis easily obtainable herb is not only popular for its culinary purposes but is also considered to be one of the most potential herbs for treating a number of health disorders, including gerd. Being a digestive herb, cinnamon helps to keeps the digestive system healthy.

Regular consumption of cinnamon not only aids in relieving gas and bloating but also neutralizes the problems of gerd. The mucilage content of the plant helps to form a protective layering over the mucus membrane of the stomach, thereby strengthening the resistance power of the mucus membrane against the attack of stomach acid. Apart from that, it also prevents the irritation and inflammation by blocking the free nerve endings.


Marshmallow

MarshmallowA well-known herbal remedy for a number of health disorders, marshmallow has been found to be of special effectiveness for digestive problems like stomach ulcers and gerd. Since marshmallow is one of the best sources of mucilage, it is considered to be one of the most effective and safe herbs for treating gerd. Drinking a cup of marshmallow tea every day can help the patient to get complete relief from gerd.

Being a demulcent herb, marshmallow helps to provide relief from inflammation and irritation by soothing the inflamed mucus membrane. The best way to derive the medicinal properties of this plant is to cut the root into small pieces and then steep it in water for a few minutes. Other than that, it is also available in the form of capsules; however, which are considered to be not as efficient as the fresh root.


Fennel

Fennel SeedsFennel is a well-known herb for digestive disorders, including gerd. Other than being a staple culinary herb and mouth freshener, fennel is also a super powerful digestive herb. Not only does it helps to liberate gas and abdominal cramps, but also to relieve the symptoms of gerd. This versatile digestive herb is a stomachic, which means that it has the potential to deal with most digestive problems, including calming the upsurge of stomach acid.

Chewing raw fennel seeds after meals promotes digestion, other than preventing the symptoms of gerd. Apart from that, raw fennel seeds can also be steeped in warm water to prepare an herbal tea. This soothing tea can be consumed regularly to get relief from gerd symptoms.



Ginger

GingerGinger is one of the most trusted and popular herb for fighting GERD, as it is most readily available in almost every house. Ginger being a bitter herb helps to promote digestion, thereby relieving all the symptoms of GERD. Consuming ginger helps to boost the blood flow, which in turn helps to relieve the stomach cramps and inflammation that occurs as a result of gerd. Other than that, ginger being a digestive herb helps to maintain an overall healthy digestive system.

The benefits of ginger can be reaped by preparing a soothing herbal tea. For that, steeping crushed ginger in hot water and then straining it will be necessary. A bit of honey can also be added to improve the taste of the tea. Other than using ginger to prepare herbal tea, it is also possible to consume raw ginger by just peeling and cutting it into a quarter inch sized rhizome. Ginger essential oil can also be as an alternative.


Chamomile

The name chamomile is pretty well known to people for its usage in herbal hair care and skin care products. However other than promoting skin and hair health, chamomile is also a super effective herb for dealing with gerd. It has all the essential qualities, which are necessary to treat the associated problems of gerd. For instance, chamomile being a vulnerary herb is extremely soothing to the stomach.

It helps to soothe the inflamed stomach lining, other than healing the damage caused by exposure to the stomach acids. It is also very helpful for treating one of the major symptoms of gerd, which is nausea. Drinking a cup of soothing chamomile tea also helps to relieve the feeling of heartburn and sore throat that occur as a result of gerd. To top that, chamomile is also a digestive and stomachic herb, which means that it helps to treat the problem of GERD permanently by promoting digestion and maintaining a soothing and favorable environment in the stomach.


Slippery Elm

Slippery ElmThe primary ingredient of slippery elm is mucilage, which makes it one of the most preferred herbal remedies for gerd. Mucilage is a slippery and spongy fiber that has soothing properties. Since the lining of the stomach gets inflamed as a result of getting exposed to stomach acid, the mucilage of slippery elm helps to protect it from further damage by shielding it and protecting it from the acid generated by the stomach.

Slippery elm acts as a protective covering, which not only helps to minimize the inflammation of the stomach, but also helps to soothe the throat and heal the stomach lining by reversing the damage caused by the stomach acid. A soothing herbal tea with slippery elm can be prepared by dissolving 15 grams of the ground powder in 1 cup of water. Other than that, it is also available in the form of capsules and liquid extracts.


Comfrey

Comfrey is yet another effective herbal remedy for gerd, due to the fact that it is also a mucilaginous herb. Comfrey is a perennial herbaceous plant, which primarily grows in dampish soil. The plant is characterized by large leaves and mucilaginous roots. Being rich in mucilage, it is the roots that are primarily used for treating gerd.

The mucilage covers the entire inner lining of the stomach, thereby forming a protective covering over the stomach lining to protect it while getting exposed to stomach acid. Similar to slippery elm, the dried and ground powder of comfrey root is also mixed with water to prepare a soothing herbal tea.