It used to be, when you had occasional heartburn, you would reach for a simple home remedy.

A little baking soda in a glass of water worked for almost everyone.
Or a little apple-cider vinegar in a glass of water.

It seems you can't have simple indigestion, or heartburn anymore. These symptoms, and others have been combined to become Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or 'GERD'.

Treatment of mild to severe gerd symptoms has become enormously profitable to a handful of drug manufacturers who have used television to create a market for their products.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has many names. Many people suffer from symptoms of gerd and gastritis or 'acid reflux'.

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Symptoms of gerd are widespread: It has been estimated that more than one-third of the US population experiences heartburn at least once per month. One of every five people experience it weekly, and 1 of every 15 have it every day.

It's no wonder the biggest selling drugs manufactured are related to GERD.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is referred to as "heartburn" because the most common symptom is a burning discomfort in the chest under the breast bone.

A burning discomfort in the chest or upper abdomen relieved with acid-reducing medication, such as Prilosec, Nexium, Tagamet, or Tums, and regurgitation (burping up) of sour tasting gastric juice into the throat are classic symptoms of GERD. These symptoms are easily recognized by nearly everyone.

Simple Natural Home Remedies

As it turns out, the simple home remedy for gerd may be still be the best. They provide relief for most people who use them; relief comes quickly and without dangerous side effects.

Common baking soda stirred into a glass of water has been around for decades. If the valve between your esophagus and stomach (esophageal sphincter) allows stomach acid to 'reflux' into the esophagus, creating heartburn, what better way to neutralize the refluxed acid than washing the esophagus with liquid antacid?

Perhaps an even better gerd home remedy is Apple Cider Vinegar. A teaspoon or two in a glass of water works like a miracle in many cases. Effective, readily available, and fast.

And neither of these two have long-term side-effects like gerd medicine and medications.

It doesn't get much easier than that. Unless gerd symptoms and treatment are mis-directed.

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The Problem May NOT Be Too Much Acid

Antacids often cause a rebound effect. That is, after the stomach acid has been neutralized, the stomach produces more acid, knowing there is food to be digested.

Most people don't create too much acid, though. The indigestion symptoms may be the result of too little acid, allowing the food in the stomach to begin to putrify rather than be digested. Gas forms, bloating, chest pain, all can be the result of too little acid.

The symptoms of gerd may be related to a digestive system that is clogged and doesn't work right.

Prevention of GERD Symptoms

Everyone is different. Some people report strange gerd symptoms, such as:

• gerd with no heartburn
• gerd and cough
• gerd and back pain
• gerd and chest pain
• gerd and asthma

Many report a relationship to the food they have eaten, activity, stress, with eating on-the-run, pillows, etc. We all do things from time to time that we know we shouldn't. Occasional gerd or heartburn can be handled in most people with the natural remedies above.

When the symptoms require some kind of treatment every day, though, there is usually some other health condition that should be addressed. You may have an ulcer you don't know about, for example, and you really should see your doctor if you have ongoing digestion issues, including symptoms of gerd.

There are some things that will help prevent symptoms.

• Twenty minutes before a meal, drink a glass of water - no ice.
• Have no beverages of any kind with your meal.
• If you do have a beverage with a meal, drink water; and especially, no sodas.
• Eat more vegetables and plants, less meat (vegetables digest differently and more easily than meats.)
• Eat more slowly. Chew each bite - chew until it is mush before you swallow it.

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