Question
I have a lot of heartburn symptoms after I eat. What can I do to help manage my heart burn problems?
Answer
 In Chinese medicine, heartburn is usually viewed as a stagnation of the digestive system that causes excess acids to form. So dietary changes are important.
Avoid spicy and hot foods, high fat foods and dairy. Also, try to eat small and frequent meals so that the stomach does not get over agitated.
There are also a number of patent herbs that help to relieve heartburn that has a root with stagnation such as bao ji wan. If a person does not have adequate digestive enzymes, gentle plant enzymes from papaya and pineapple can be helpful. Products such as super papaya can be chewed slowly to relieve the heartburn. Eating small amounts of fresh papaya and pineapple can be helpful. Last on the dietary level, avoiding acidic foods is important. You can do a Google search and easily locate lists of acidic versus alkaline foods.
The other thing that is very helpful is self massage. Massaging the abdomen in a clockwise fashion after meals can help encourage food to digest as well as exercising regularly – walking, aerobics, yoga, tai chi, qi gong are all very helpful in reducing stress which tends to aggravate heartburn.
Good luck with your healing journey – with care and diligence, heartburn can be resolved in a natural way.
Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using herbs in your healing process.
Contact
Contact Kay Hutchinson, CAMQ, CAMT at Aiki Healing today for a consultation for a custom herbal formulation.
