Peppermint for Acid Reflux: A Boon When Taken Correctly

Peppermint has long been a highly controversial herbal treatment for acid reflux. You’ll find that some naturopaths highly recommend careful and controlled dosage of peppermint to cure a mild case of heartburn. An equal number of health enthusiasts don’t recommend peppermint for GERD as it further relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter), which could allow stomach acid slosh back up the esophagus. Knowing how to use peppermint for acid reflux is crucial to it’s success.

How Peppermint Helps The Gut

Peppermint has been used in traditional folk medicine to cure indigestion, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and IBS for ages. This is because peppermint has a soothing, cooling and relaxing action that helps the gut relax. Additionally, it is mildly antibacterial and antifungal, further keeping stomach infections at bay.

The various benefits of peppermint for digestion include:

• Peppermint is a wonderful all-natural cure for non-ulcer and functional dyspepsia or indigestion.
• Chronic heartburn leads to ulceration and inflammation of the gut mucosal layer, causing pain. The analgesic compounds contained in peppermint soothe the gut walls and bring relief from the pain.
• Peppermint oil has been shown to be an effective antispasmodic natural drug, reducing spasms in lower gastro intestinal tract.
• For those who feel very full after a meal and suffer from excessive bloating, peppermint can bring relief. A cup of peppermint tea reduces the feeling of fullness post meal and aids digestion.
• Peppermint also increases the rates of gastric emptying, which reduces the incidence of gastro intestinal distress, including heartburn.
• The soothing and cooling effect of peppermint can bring relief from the burning sensation that accompanies reflux.

Peppermint For Heartburn: When It Can Harm

Despite the fact that peppermint has a soothing effect on the gut, it can be a tricky herbal treatment for those with acid reflux. Since peppermint ‘relaxes’ the gut, it can harm at higher doses – especially those who suffer from GERD. High doses of peppermint can relax the lower esophageal sphincter or LES, which is a muscular flap between the esophagus and stomach. A relaxed LES allows acid and other stomach contents to flow back up the esophagus and into the mouth, triggering acid reflux. In fact, this mechanical fault is one of the key contributors in most people with chronic acid reflux.

Also, if you are on antacids that reduce production of stomach acids, peppermint gets dissolved in the stomach too quickly, causing heartburn. However, when your stomach produces an adequate quantity of acid, the soothing effects of peppermint are more noticeable. So if you are on antacids long term, you may want to work with your doctor to wean yourself off those as you begin to use peppermint.

Peppermint for Acid Reflux: When It Helps

For the above reasons, peppermint may work best as a preventive for acid reflux, rather than as an SoS measure after the heartburn starts.

You could have a cup of peppermint tea an hour before the meal or make your own refreshing beverage in the morning . Take a glass of warm water, add a drop of peppermint oil, ½ teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of Manuka honey and stir it up. Sip this slowly at the start of the day to give your digestive system a boost.

If you are in the throes of an acid reflux attack, don’t ingest peppermint, as it may further relax the LES. Instead, try rubbing a drop of peppermint oil on your belly. Many mothers swear by it for instant relief from bloating, burning and pain of reflux.

How To Use Peppermint?

There are several ways in which you can have the peppermint.

1. A cup of peppermint tea is a good way to boost digestion. Drink your cup half an hour before mealtime. You can also have the peppermint-honey-ACV drink in the morning if you prefer.
2. If you prefer pure essential oils, place a drop (and no more) on your tongue after or during a meal to aid in digestion. Remember: If the heartburn has started, you may be better of rubbing the oil on your tummy, rather than putting it on your tongue.
3. Enteric-coated capsules containing peppermint oil are also a good option as they dissolve slowly in the acidic environment of the stomach, giving the full effect without a large dose of peppermint in one go. These capsules bypass the stomach to be released in the small intestines, which doesn’t adversely affect the LES. Try 2 capsules of enteric-coated peppermint oil twice a day for at least four weeks under supervision by a naturopathic doctor for best results.

So use peppermint wisely, at the right time and at the right dose, to reap its soothing effects on your acid reflux.

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Maneera is a health and fitness enthusiast who is also a firm believer in the power of dietary supplements. A health buff, she likes to help others improve their overall well-being by achieving the right balance between nutrition, exercise and mindfulness.

References:

Peppermint oil for irritable bowel syndrome: a critical review and metaanalysis – https://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v93/n7/abs/ajg1998239a.html

Efficacy and tolerability of a fixed combination of peppermint oil and caraway oil in patients suffering from functional dyspepsia – http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00873.x/full

Does peppermint worsen acid reflux?

GERD is when the stomach acid frequently flows back in to the food pipe connecting the mouth and stomach (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

GERD or Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease, a serious form of acid reflux, is a digestive disorder that leads to heartburn, regurgitation of food, wheezing, and even difficulty in swallowing. While it is often treatable with antacids, many people also swear by certain herbal remedies for relief. One such common solution is peppermint, which is known to be cooling and soothing for the body. However, should you really have peppermint in the case of acid reflux? According to nutritionist Pooja Palriwala, it might actually worsen the symptoms.

“You might think this refreshing herb would cool down heartburn and soothe reflux. Surprisingly, it does just the opposite. Mint relaxes the muscles in your esophagus, including the sphincter, so acid and other food remnants can flow back up to worsen reflux,” Palriwala wrote on Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Pooja Palriwala (@nutritionistpoojapalriwala)

Here’s what happens

GERD is when the stomach acid frequently flows back into the food pipe that connects the mouth and stomach. This causes symptoms like burning in the chest after a meal, bitter or sour taste in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, bad breath, nausea, and in some cases vomiting.

How does peppermint impact?

Since ancient times, peppermint has been used in traditional folk medicine to treat indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. This is as a result of peppermint’s soothing, calming, and relaxing effects, which aid in stomach relaxation, said Dr Jinal Patel, dietitian, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai. “It also has some antifungal and antibacterial properties, which help prevent stomach infections. However, it can be a challenging herbal remedy for people with acid reflux,” Dr Patel told indianexpress.com.

Peppermint may not really work for acid reflux; here’s why (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

“Since peppermint ‘relaxes’ the intestines, taking it in larger doses might be harmful, especially for people with GERD. The lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, a muscle flap between the esophagus and stomach, can relax in response to high amounts of peppermint. Acid reflux is brought on by a loosened LES, which permits acid and other stomach substances to flow back up the oesophagus and into the mouth. One of the main causes of persistent acid reflux in the majority of cases is this mechanical defect,” added Dr Patel.

So, consult an expert before you consume peppermint to get relief from acid relief next time.

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Mint and alcohol. 8 foods that provoke heartburn | Nutrition and diet | kitchen

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Acute burning in stomach and chest – heartburn. This problem is faced not only by those who suffer from chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but also by those who do not even seem to have gastritis.

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the esophagus caused by food from the stomach back up into the esophagus. It occurs due to weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter, which is supposed to close after food passes into the stomach. But it doesn’t close. And the contents of the stomach, which has already begun to be processed by a highly acidic environment, partially falls back into the esophagus, where the environment is slightly alkaline. The result is irritation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus and heartburn.

Heartburn can occur for many reasons, including foods and special foods that trigger this terrible burning sensation. AiF.ru presents 10 products, the use of which can provoke heartburn.

Alcohol

Unfortunately, drinking alcohol, especially heavy drinking, relaxes the sphincter and provokes a burning sensation.

Citrus fruits and other sour fruits and berries

They irritate the stomach wall and may increase acidity. It’s best not to eat these foods on an empty stomach when heartburn is more likely.

Fatty foods

And, unfortunately, not only fat. Nuts and avocados are also high in fat. The problem with these foods is that they take a long time to digest. In general, they are difficult to digest for the stomach. It secretes more bile and gastric juices to deal with them. As a result, stomach juices can enter the esophagus.

Sugary carbonated drinks

Carbonated drinks stretch the stomach, press on its walls and cause bloating. This expansion causes acid from the stomach to enter the esophagus.

Bakery products

Butter buns and pies cause increased gas formation. And they act just like carbonated drinks. Under their pressure, the sphincter passes acidic digestive juices into the esophagus.

Coffee

Coffee not only relaxes the sphincter muscles, but also stimulates the stomach and makes it even more acidic.

Chocolate

Milk and white chocolate are especially dangerous. They are much fatter than black.

Mint

Like coffee, mint relaxes the sphincter muscles.

It is clear that if you are prone to heartburn, then you should be especially careful with all of the above products. But eating habits can also cause heartburn:

• overeating. If you ate too much, you couldn’t stop in time, then there is a danger of heartburn. Since the walls of the stomach are stretched, and the sphincter no longer covers the passage so reliably.
• food on the run. Quick snacks can lead to even more stomach problems, not just heartburn. Plus, when you’re in a hurry, it’s very easy to overeat.
• eating fast food. It is fatty, heavy, starchy food with no nutritional value. But flavored with spicy, fatty sauces. No wonder it causes heartburn.

See also:

• Regular breakfast has a positive effect on metabolism, scientists say →
• American pediatricians found out: milk without salad is almost useless →
• Scientists: Grilled foods cause wrinkles →

healthy eating heartburn

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To whom mint is contraindicated? – Beauty

Beauty

This plant is known for its beneficial properties: it has a bactericidal effect and calms the nervous system.

But mint also has significant drawbacks…

This plant is known for its beneficial properties. It has a bactericidal effect and calms the nervous system. But besides the obvious advantages, mint also has one significant disadvantage, which not everyone knows about …

Elena Malysheva

October 16, 2013 22:29

200211

Mint can cause heartburn. Photo: Fotolia/PhotoXPress.ru.

Mint contains an essential oil, the main component of which is menthol, a substance that determines both the taste of this herb and its recognizable smell. Thanks to menthol, mint has a bactericidal effect, and terpenes, which are part of the essential oil, help fight cancer. Choose a fresh mint with a pronounced smell, put a bunch in a glass of water – like flowers. You can make delicious lemonade from mint, lime and mineral water. However, the disadvantage of this plant is that it can help open the muscular sphincter that separates the esophagus from the stomach and cause heartburn. If you have gastrointestinal problems, do not consume mint or chew menthol gum.

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mint, heartburn

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You will need: 2 young zucchini, 2 potatoes, 2 onions, a bunch of mint, 600 ml vegetable broth, 15 0 ml cream, 1 Art. spoon of olive oil, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of butter.

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