From the moment a woman hears the merry news of having a baby, her life is changed forever. For the next nine months, she experiences joy, pain, irritation, and so much more. Hormones are one of the reasons for sure, but the other is maternal instincts. With this mental turmoil, minor health problems become the cherry on the top. Heartburn is one of those problems which are mild enough not to consult a doctor but severe enough to suffer. We have found 10 ways to reduce indigestion or heartburn, which are proven to be well effective.
Chewing gums
Chewing sugarless gum for a long time will produce enough saliva to neutralize any acidity in the esophagus. Saliva contains bicarbonate which helps to increase the alkaline in the saliva. Because of this, many women have found it helpful for relieving heartburn.
Milk with honey
Milk is beneficial to handle heartburns. A cup of warm milk with two spoons of honey after every meal will balance the alkaline and acid in the body. The milk is preferred to be skimmed. Not only milk, products made of milk such as Yogurt will also help.
Handful of Almonds
Normally pregnant women are advised to take almonds daily because of their high protein production. In addition, eating raw almonds can balance the acidity. Almond milk is also perfect for health.
Ginger Tea
In small doses, ginger can act as an anti-inflammatory in the body system. For example, in a 2011 research, it has been found that participants taking ginger supplements had reduced inflammation markers within one month.
It can either be chewed or put with tea.
Fennel seeds
Fennel seeds are well known as mouth fresheners. They also work well for heartburns or acid flux. They help heartburn by reducing gastrointestinal tract spasms that cause the stomach acid to flow into the esophagus.
Papaya
Papaya in any form is known to soothe heartburn. But during pregnancy, it is highly advisable to eat only ripe that too after consulting your doctor. Digestive enzymes in papaya called papain help ease heartburn. Consume papaya extracts or papaya slices after a meal; it helps in digestion and prevents the occurrence of heartburn.
Avoid Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits like lemon usually help in a baby’s growth as they are full of vitamin C. However, you may skip these types of fruit for a while in case of heartburn.
Sleeping after a while of dinner
It may seem very uneasy to sit after dinner. But lying down right after eating a heavy meal will directly send the food to the stomach in a rush, which can cause heartburn. So wait for a while after eating dinner. Then sleep.
Early to bed
Changing lifestyle is another cause of heartburn. Leave all the tensions and anxiety behind and try to sleep before 12. This works very well for pregnant ladies as it reduces not only heartburns but also other problems
Lie straight
One of the easiest ways to avoid heartburn is sleeping straight and placing the head on the pillow. If the head is in a higher place, then the acid will be transferred to the bottom of the body and the intestines will not be affected by that.
Eating Healthy
Most of the time, heartburns are invoked by the intake of unhealthy junk food. Craving during pregnancy is hard, but junk foods with a lot of oil are avoidable to keep your body safe. The more healthy you eat, the safer you and your baby are.