Mailbag! Thanksgiving Heartburn Hacks

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

You’ve got questions…

We’ve got answers!

Happy Thanksgiving!

And since this edition of Living Well Daily is coming to you on the most gluttonous day of the year, we thought we would share two natural ways to ease your indigestion.

Let’s get started…

Hi Natalie,

I’ve heard that some pantry items can help with indigestion. My brother Jesse says that mustard and baking soda work really well for heartburn and upset stomach. Do you know if this is true? If so, how do I use them?

Thanks,

Randy K.

Thanks for the question, Randy.

Yes, your brother is correct – ­­­baking soda and mustard both help fight indigestion and heartburn.

If you’ve ever experienced the pain, discomfort and tightness of heartburn, you’ll likely never forget it. This torturous, burning sensation happens when stomach acid invades your esophagus.

To put out the flame, you need to neutralize the acid. Stomach acid has a low pH. Therefore, ingesting something with a higher pH will help neutralize the acid and keep your retching heartburn at bay.

That’s where mustard and baking soda come in.

Both of these pantry staples are able to neutralize stomach acid and even prevent your stomach from making more acid. These two powers help stop your heartburn and keep it from getting worse.

However, of the two, mustard might be the better choice.

Besides it’s pH balancing powers, mustard also contains minerals like zinc, iron, magnesium, niacin, and calcium that may promote better digestion and help to prevent heartburn. In addition, most prepared mustards have vinegar in them, which can help for quicker digestion.

The best way to take mustard for indigestion is straight without a chaser.  Two teaspoons should do the trick for tummy troubles. (You can always rinse your mouth with water if the taste is too intense.)

That being said, if you want to avoid taking mustard shots after your turkey dinner, baking soda is your best bet. Just like mustard, it can cut the acid quickly but just doesn’t have the bonus minerals (or flavor).

Simply add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to an 8oz glass of freshly filtered water, mix, and drink. Repeat once if needed.

If you want to add some minerals to your baking soda cocktail, simply use water that’s been filtered with a Turapür system. Turapür filters add minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium to your water while removing nasty tastes and odors. Click here to discover more about Turapür.

Do you have any health questions you want answered? Drop me a line nmoore@lfb.org

Live well,

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily

Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: nmoore@lfb.org – and click here to like us on Facebook.

Sources

[1] Mustard for Heartburn

[2] Mustard, prepared, yellow Nutrition Facts & Calories

Natalie Moore

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

View More Free Articles

Why Your Muscles Are Your Brain's Best Defense

Forget expensive brain scans and head-scratching cognitive tests that make you feel like you’re back in school. Japanese researchers have stumbled onto something that could change how we screen for memory problems—and it’s so simple, you’ll wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. A quick, painless measurement you can get during a routine checkup might...

Read This

Four Carbs that Could Add YEARS to Your Life

You’ve likely been avoiding carbs like the plague. Health gurus, fitness influencers, and diet books have convinced you that carbs are the enemy—that they spike your blood sugar, pack on pounds, and fast-track you to diabetes. So you’ve eliminated bread, sworn off pasta, and feel guilty just touching a piece of fruit. But what if...

Read This

Upgrade from Bananas and Apples to These Powerhouse Fruits

I’m often asked which fruits are the best. So, let’s talk about it. I’ll cut right to the chase: berries win this contest hands down. If you’re limiting your options to apples and bananas, you’re missing out on a universe of superior antioxidant power. Those everyday fruits are like bringing a knife to a gunfight...

Read This

The REAL Reason Americans are Getting “Fatter”

You’ve heard it a thousand times: “Americans are getting fatter because we’re lazy.” We sit at desks all day. We binge-watch Netflix instead of hitting the gym. We’ve traded physical labor for sedentary lifestyles. It’s a tidy explanation for why obesity has skyrocketed in developed countries. There’s just one problem—it’s completely wrong… A groundbreaking Duke...

Read This

Mailbag: Room Won't Stop Spinning? Do THIS First

“I’m dealing with vertigo issues, lightheadedness, and dizziness. As recently as this last Saturday I had multiple occurrences throughout the day. Is there anything I can do for this?  I’m 69 and in good health. I work out 4 to 5 times a week.” —Spinning Hi Spinning, When patients approach me with similar complaints, I...

Read This

Hidden Number Secretly Sabotages Male Performance

Guys (and gals that love them), we should talk. You know how we’ve always been told that bedroom troubles are just part of getting older—that we just need to live with them? Well, it turns out that’s not true. Scientists recently wrapped up a six-year study that followed over 100 healthy men, and the findings...

Read This

Shocking Study Links Kids' Snacks to Dangerous Early Puberty

Kids are growing up in a world vastly different from the one we knew. Back in our day, if a child wanted something sweet, it was a piece of candy or a homemade cookie. Today’s kids are surrounded by products filled with artificial sweeteners that didn’t even exist when we were raising our own children....

Read This

Outdated Vitamin Guidelines Put Your Brain at Risk

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think twice about vitamin B12—until your doctor mentions it during a routine blood test. But new research published in the Annals of Neurology suggests we need to pay closer attention to this crucial nutrient—especially as we age. Turns out, current guidelines for this essential nutrient might be...

Read This

The TRUTH About Supplement "Liver Dangers" REVEALED

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about liver damage from supplements—so, let’s talk about it. Reports of supplement-induced liver injuries have some folks wondering, “Could my natural remedy actually be harming me?” But before you toss all your supplements in the trash, let’s separate fact from fear—and talk about how to use supplements safely....

Read This

The 10,000 Steps LIE That's Ruining Your Health

I’ll be honest—I’m a little sick of the 10,000-steps theory. You know, the one that insists you need to take at least that many steps daily to stay healthy? You won’t believe where that claim originally came from. The 10,000-steps theory wasn’t handed down from the fitness gods on stone tablets. It originated from a...

Read This