20 Tips Home Remedies for Acid Reflux Disease or GERD

The Best Home Remedy to keep Acid Reflux at bay is eating a healthy diet that minimizes the production of stomach acid.

However, if you treat GERD with natural remedies, you get a more permanent solution because they heal the damage caused by refluxed stomach acid and also help restore the esophageal tissues to health. By treating these underlying causes, natural remedies will not only relieve the pain, they will also assure that the condition does not return.

1. Drink a glass of Fat Free Milk.

Drinking small amounts of chilled skim milk every one to two hours will ease the burning sensation associated with acid reflux.

2. Drink water.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially after eating a meal or snack. Water will help the lower esophageal sphincter form a tight seal over the stomach by washing any food particles away.

3. Chew almonds.

A few almonds, taken in the morning and/or after meals, chewed very well, have been hailed as the new miracle treatment for acid reflux by some people.

4. Chamomille or fennel tea.

The soothing effects of chamomile or fennel tea are also known to provide acid reflux relief. The tea should best be sipped, not gulped, and should be of a moderate temperature, not too hot or cold.

5. Eat an apple.

Eating an apple after a meal has also been found to alleviate acid reflux. Choose organic apples and chew well.

6. Candied ginger.

Chew a piece when you're feeling the acid reflux kick in. You can also put a piece of candied ginger in your tea and let it sit for a bit before drinking it if you don't like eating candied ginger.

7. Apple cider vinegar.

Swallow two to three table spoons undiluted for an acute attack, or dissolve the same amount in warm water to drink to prevent acid reflux from recurring.

Look for organic apple cider vinegar with the "mother" in it. It looks like stringy globs of stuff floating around. This sounds disgusting, but the mother contains enzymes that can help with healing. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, available at natural food stores, is usually recommended.

Shake up the apple cider vinegar to distribute the mother throughout the vinegar, and take one tablespoon before every meal. It can work in as little as three days, but usually it takes three to nine months to completely get rid of heartburn symptoms.

8. Papaya enzyme.

Available in the form of papaya enzyme pills, this enzyme has helped end acid reflux symptoms for some people.

9. Aloe.

Despite its consistency which takes some getting used to, aloe juice also is some acid reflux patients favorite remedy.

Aloe vera juice has been used in Europe for many years as a natural remedy for acid reflux. A quarter cup taken about 20 minutes before eating will help to soothe an irritated, inflamed esophagus.

Don't try to squeeze the gel out of the leaves if you have an aloe vera plant, as it contains aloe latex, which is a powerful laxative. Buy only aloe vera juice or gel that specifically says it's for internal use. It can be found at natural food stores.

10. Chew gum.

After your meals, chew sugarless gum for 30 minutes. This stimulates saliva production which in turn like water that you drink dilutes the contents of your stomach and helps wash down anything from your esophagus into your stomach.

11. Licorice

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, helps to stop heartburn by stimulating the production of the protective mucus that lines the digestive tract. This helps to protect the esophagus from stomach acid. It also boosts the immune system and is a very strong anti-inflammatory.

Take two 250-milligram capsules before each meal. Instead of taking DGL with water, it's best to suck on the capsules and let them slowly dissolve in the mouth. This helps the DGL to cover the inflamed tissues in your throat and esophagus.

It can take about four weeks to work, so don't give up too soon.

12. Ginger

Ginger is a very effective herb for digestive problems. It works by relaxing the smooth muscles on the esophagus walls, which helps to prevent acid reflux. You can use powdered ginger or fresh ginger root. Both are readily available at the supermarket.

If you're using ginger capsules, take two capsules twenty minutes before eating. Or you can make tea from the ginger root or the powder. Candied or pickled ginger is very effective, too.

Ginger can be too strong for people with sensitive stomachs. In this case, try ginger tincture. Dissolve 15 drops in a half-cup of water and drink it. If it's not strong enough, you can increase the dose up to 60 drops, but it's always better to start with a smaller dose first.

13. Glutamine

The last on the list of natural remedies for acid reflux is glutamine. This amino acid is an anti-inflammatory that reduces the irritation that goes along with heartburn. It works by encouraging the production of new cells in the gastrointestinal tract, while helping to dispose of damaged cells. Faster healing of irritated tissue in the digestive tract is the result.

14. Drink herbal tea made.

Drink herbal tea made with fennel seeds, lavender, and aniseed. To prepare the herbal tea, boil these ingredients in water, strain it into a glass, and add some honey to it.

Herbal tea is taken at night before going to sleep or at any time of the day to reduce acid reflux heartburn.

15. Honey

Swallow a few teaspoons of honey, especially before going to bed. Honey has been used as a healing agent for centuries. It coats the esophageal lining, protecting the damaged tissues from infection and soothing the pain.

16. Pineapples

Pineapple is an effective natural remedy for acid reflux (Sklar and Cohen, 2003). Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain among other proteases that are able to breakdown proteins, thus improving digestion and speeding up the natural healing process for acid reflux. Bromelain is only present in raw pineapple or in freshly made pineapple juice. Canned or bottled pineapple juice has bromelain that has been inactivated by heat, so it does not work. Actually, canned or bottle pineapple juice can make acid reflux worse.

17. Chicory Root Tea

Users of chicory root tea recognize it as an herbal remedy for acid reflux. Johnson (2001) mentions chicory as one of the effective herbal remedies against digestive problems such as dyspepsia. Half cup of chicory root should be boiled for 5 to 10 minutes. After cooling the tea is ingested to relieve acid reflux symptoms.

18. Grapefruit

Another natural remedy for acid reflux is grapefruit skin. Evidence of grapefruit skin as an herbal remedy is completely anecdotal so please use your judgment or ask your doctor. Grapefruit skin is dried and then chewed to alleviate acid reflux symptoms. Maybe the effect of this herbal remedy is due to the stimulation of the digestive system because of the chewing action. Organically grown grapefruits is preferable.

19. Lemon Balm

This herb has the homeopathic power to relax and sedate a nervous stomach when used as an infusion or tincture.

20. Peppermint

A nervous stomach and nausea can be treated when you add 15 grams of dried peppermint to 2 cups of water to create an effective infusion recipe. New mothers should refrain from this approach when breastfeeding because this remedy has been known to reduce milk flow.


When looking for ways to treat GERD permanently, the most important thing you can do is learn. You need to learn what is happening to your body and how your digestive tract works. By learning these things, you will have a much better chance of successfully treating this disease.