Heartburn and no antacid on hand? Doctor shares one simple, med-free hack that works

Gastroenterologist and liver specialist Dr Josepth Salhab took to Instagram on March 14 to share a fast heartburn remedy without any medication.

Chewing gum or lozenge

Sure, meds may be the first choice, but there’s a surprisingly simple trick by which you can deceive and calm your gut, no pills required. It’s done with something you usually enjoy during your leisure time, so hey, here’s one more excuse to try it more often?

He explained, “Pop in some sugar-free gum or lozenge and start chewing and start moving. You will notice after a few minutes your heartburn gets significantly better.”

Why does this work?

So, how does something as simple as chewing gum or a lozenge bring you relief? Antacids typically calm down the stomach by neutralising it with alkaline compounds like calcium, magnesium. But chewing gum is simple. Instead, it tricks your gut system.

Dr Salhab further added, “There’s a few reasons why this happens. The first is that the saliva production in your mouth starts increasing that saliva travels down into your esophagus and it forms a protective barrier against the stomach acid. The second thing is the act of chewing fools your body into thinking you’re eating and when that happens, your esophagus starts to move and contract and what that does is that it clears out the stomach as well so that you have less chance of acid reflux back into the esophagus.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.