Are there natural remedies for Acid Reflux that work or will those who suffer from GERD be permanently regulated to high priced prescription medicine that has tons of potential side effects?  The answers may surprise you but most will not be simple solutions that will permanently work to treat hearburn and all the problems that come from it.  In this article, I intend to tackle some of the more popular acid reflux natural remedies and expose some common myths about gastroesophageal reflux disease and treating it.

Currently, approximately 60 million people suffer from heartburn.  Acid reflux happens when hydrochloric acid backs back up from the stomach into the esophagus.  Under normal circumstances there is an esophageal sphincter muscle that shuts to keep stomach acid from reaching the esophagus.

Acid reflux is known by many different names such as heartburn, acid indegestion, dyspepsia and the now popular GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Acid reflux can strike at any age.  The stomach acids will eventually scar the esophagus and it is is chronic enough, it will eventually make its way into the lungs and cause what appears to be asthma like symptoms.  If not treated, Chronic heartburn can eventually lead to Barrett's Esophagus, which could lead to throat cancer.

GERD can be triggered by certain foods like alcohol, chocolate, fatty foods or spicy foods and people with hiatel hernias will often experience acid reflux.  Other causes can be aspirin and ibuprofen, eating shortly before laying down, caffeine containing products and stress and anger.  In some cases, medications can cause heartburn.

Although acid reflux is definitely not something that you can technically cure (there is no cure), there are a wide range of things that you can do or avoid when it comes to easing the symptoms of heartburn. In other words, you can lower the chances of getting GERD or having acid reflux naturally.  Here are some tips-

• Right when you feel acid reflux coming, drink a large glass of water.  While not fool-proof, taking this simple measure can actually help with heartburn.
• We should all be "grazers" but the reality is that most of us eat 3 big meals a day.  Eat smaller more frequent meals to take the pressure off of the sphincter.
• Cabbage juice relieves heartburn because it soothes the digestive tract.
• One of the secret acid relief home remedies that actually work is licorice root extract. This root has been used by doctors to relieve pain from both ulcers and GERD plus this root has properties in it that will help promote cells to grow in the mucous layer that lines the stomach.  Plus it also improoves blood flow and reduces muscle spasms.