10 Foods That Kill Heartburn

Most of us have suffered from heartburn at some point or another, and it sometimes seems so common that there isn’t really any cure for it. Heartburn is unlikely to last more than a few hours, but if you experience recurring heartburn, you can start to feel like you are constantly suffering. If you want to try some natural ways of relieving heartburn, you can start by eating the right foods. Here are 10 of the best foods that you can try if you’re experiencing heartburn and want to get rid of it quickly.


Bananas 
One of the most popular fruits on the planet, are good at relieving heartburn since they are so low in acidic properties. Banana can help to form a lining which prevents heartburn from getting worse, and over time can get rid of it completely. If you want it to work even quicker, mash a banana first until it’s a mushy paste and then either eat it on its own, or spread it on a light cracker or piece of toasted bread.

Milk
The first thing that people do when they have heartburn is reach for a glass of milk. This actually isn’t an “old wives’ tale,” as it can actually help to relieve the symptoms. Since milk is alkaline, it helps to counteract any acid which might be in your stomach and your esophagus and creating any problems for you. You don’t have to drink dairy milk either – you can opt for almond milk, coconut milk or even rice milk. For those who don’t like drinking milk on its own, blend it into a smoothie using banana, avocado or a small number of strawberries.

Green vegetables

The key to easing off your heartburn is to eat foods which are low in acid. The cause of heartburn is acidic foods, which is why you probably notice your heartburn comes on after eating certain foods, such as citrus fruits, fruit juices, or sugary foods. Broccoli, kale, carrots and asparagus are not only great foods to add into your diet anyway, but you can benefit from the alkaline properties which will help to balance out the acid in your stomach.  

Oats 
The amazing thing about oats is that you can eat them in many different ways. You can sprinkle them onto yogurt and fruit, or add them to milk to make a delicious porridge. Since milk is also a great way to get rid of heartburn, having a bowl of porridge could be exactly what you need. Avoid eating sugary foods which contain oats such as flapjacks, since these are much less effective at getting rid of your heartburn.

Aloe Vera  
 Among the many excellent properties in aloe vera, you can also use it to get rid of heartburn. While some people are hesitant to consume aloe vera since it is most commonly seen in creams and gels, you can actually consume aloe vera gel and other aloe products without harming your body. The best thing to do is look for the pure aloe vera – you can either drink small quantites of this or add it to a smoothie, cereal or other meals.

Licorice  
Not everybody will agree that licorice helps to get rid of heartburn, but many people have found that it certainly relieves the symptoms. However, you must ensure that you eat pure licorice and not the licorice which can be found in candy shops since these are packed with 
and aren’t great for you (and certainly won’t help with relieving your heartburn!). Pure licorice sticks themselves will help to get rid of heartburn, but you may also find that the chewing motion helps you to salivate more, and this in turn can help to kill your heartburn even quicker and more effectively.

Baking soda
This is definitely not the most tasty option on the list, but baking soda can quickly help to alleviate the suffering that you feel from heartburn within a matter of minutes. If you want to try this to help kill your heartburn, you should try a small amount at first and see how your body reacts to it. The reason baking soda is so effective at getting rid of heartburn, is because it contains properties which will rapidly balance out the pH levels in your stomach, getting rid of any acid which remains from the other foods you have eaten previously.

Ginger tea
If you’re a fan of herbal tea, you’ll be pleased to know that a warm cup of tea 
could be the answer to getting rid of your heartburn. Ginger tea in particular is effective at shifting any heartburn symptoms you may have. You can either buy ginger tea bags from your local supermarket, or you can make your own green tea for a real home-made alternative and cure for heartburn. You can do this very easily by grating a small amount of ginger into a cup and then filling it with boiling water. Allow it to sit for a few minutes so that the water becomes infused with the ginger.

Chewing gum.
The reason why chewing gum is effective in getting rid of heartburn is because you salivate so much while chewing. It’s not necessarily the mint itself which will help to get rid of it, and in some ways, you may even find that mint makes your heartburn worse. However, the production of your alkaline saliva will get to wash away the acid in your stomach.

Vinegar
It may seem strange to suggest that vinegar will help with heartburn, but sometimes you might be experiencing issues because you don’t have enough acid in your stomach rather than that you have too much. It’s difficult to tell what is the cause of your heartburn sometimes, but you shouldn’t drink straight malt vinegar. Instead, mix 1-2 teaspoons of pure apple cider vinegar with some fresh cold water.
    

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Using Aromatic Bath Salts For a Peaceful Night's Sleep

When you have had a long day that never seems to end and you need to escape to a soothing place of relaxation to help you unwind for a restful night, there is nothing quite like a luxurious bath filled with soothing aromatic bath salts to help lull you off to dream land.  The soothing scents of many aromatic bath salts are often enhanced with skin softeners as well to leave you skin soft and supple and your mind calm and ready for a peaceful night's sleep.

There are a lot of various scents used in aromatherapy that can help you to relax and get to sleep, here are a few of the common ones and their benefits.

●  Lavender: This is the most common element in aromatherapy used for relaxation and promoting sleep.  With a floral scent that is on the woody herbal side with just a touch of sweetness, lavender has been used for treating insomnia as well as the symptoms of PMS, anxiety, tension, muscle aches, headaches, circulatory problems and a variety of other conditions.  You can find lavender in many forms including aromatic bath salts, essential oils, and even sleeping sprays that you use to coat your bed linens in the soothing smell to help you drift off to sleep.  Lavender mixes well with Frankincense, Geranium, and sage.  However,  it is not often recommended during pregnancy so you may want to check with your health care provider before using direct lavender products and you may opt for lavender scented candles instead.

●  Chamomile:  Although normally used in tea or taken as supplements, you can sometimes find aromatic bath salts using chamomile because, in addition to its soothing and relaxing properties, chamomile is excellent for your skin.  Often times you will find a mix of chamomile and lavender in teas, and other aromatherapy products designed to encourage sleep such as bath products and aromatherapy pillows. Again though, if you are pregnant consult a physician before using chamomile in other form since it is not considered safe for ingestion by pregnant women.

●  Sandalwood: Sandalwood has a very warm and relaxing feel to it, making it a perfect choice for relaxing aromatic bath salts or other bath products to help you relax.  It can be used to help improve a variety of conditions including anxiety, stress, and nervous tension which may prevent you from falling asleep easily.  Its warm woodsy aroma blends well with Frankincense, Geranium, or Jasmine for a sweet exotic bath. 

These are all great choices for soothing aromatic bath salts that can help you get a good night's sleep.  However, if you do not have the time or are unable to indulge in a bath there are other ways you can use aromatherapy to help you get to sleep such as the lavender sleep spray for your sheets, oil diffusers, and aromatherapy pillows so you can enjoy the benefits of the great natural sleep enhancers whenever you want.

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Why Do Nightmares Happen?

We have all had them, those dreams in the middle of the night filled with terrifying images that haunt us and flood us with feelings of fear, anxiety, or sadness. Usually entailing some sort of dangerous situation such as falling or drowning, a frightening object or animal such as snakes or haunted houses, or even people that we know or demonic versions of them. Sometimes the nightmares can be mild and simple such as falling, that wake us up quickly. Other times, nightmares seem to be so vivid and real that they literally scare us even after we wake up. We learned long ago as children that these bad dreams were not really caused by the monsters in our closet, but exactly why do nightmares happen?

There are a variety of physical as well as psychological reason that nightmares occur. For example, having a high fever can cause a variety of nightmares. Sleeping in a place such as very tight quarters or low bunk beds, or in a position where are you facing a wall or laying into your pillow can often lead to dreams with a smothering or drowning theme as your respond to your environment subconsciously. Eating just before you go to sleep stimulates brain activity which can also cause a person to suffer from nightmares.

Stress is another major factor in nightmares. Just as stress can manifest itself in physical ways, your dreams, too, are affected by the levels of stress in your life, often leading to nightmares. Particularly nightmares that have a sense of failure, of being pursued by an enemy, of being captured, or unjustly persecuted can be a result of stress. All of these things, some believe, are manifestations of the anxieties that the stress you encounter is placing upon you psychologically.

Other reasons why nightmares happen can be due to psychological issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or the stress of a recent disturbing experience in which the person keeps relieving the traumatic events in their sleep. Sometimes, nightmares appear in people who have blocked traumatic events from their conscious memory, but because events of your past are always present in your subconscious they at times can manifest themselves in nightmares.

Whatever may be the underlying reason why nightmares happen, there are a few things that you can do to help minimize the occurrence of these negative dreams. Being calm and sleeping in a relaxing atmosphere can help ease anxiety or stress that you may be experience throughout the day to help keep that stress from entering into your sleep. Taking a relaxing bath before bed, spraying your sheets with aromatherapy mist to sooth you as you sleep, and using natural sounds, such as calming waves, to help drown out street noise can all help you to create a peaceful place for you to sleep.

If you have nightmares that are frequent and reoccurring that interfere with your quality of sleep or prevent you from getting an adequate amount of sleep, then speak with a health care provider to discuss other options.

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