Ok, we know that heartburn can affect each of us in a different way, and that the assorted medicinal cures for heartburn will have varying degrees of success, depending on our particular physical makeup, and that there may be side effects ..etc. But do we really need another cure, let alone a herbal cure for heartburn? I say yes.

Heartburn is almost universal

I don't know if it's a reflection of today's society, or a symptom of improved standards of living, but it seems that heartburn is almost universal these days. You can't watch TV in an evening without being bombarded by advertisements for indigestion and heartburn.

No doubt the advertisers know very well that a healthy portion of their viewers have recently over indulged themselves, or eaten foods that they really shouldn't have, and that it's prime time for pushing the latest pill, drug, or miracle heartburn cure.

Personally, I think there is a growing awareness that drugs, although many of them derived from plants, are not always the best solution. Or at least that they shouldn't necessarily be the first course of action. I believe there is more openness to so called natural or alternative cures in general, and of course this includes herbal heartburn remedies too.

Why we should consider herbal heartburn remedies?

Firstly, herbal heartburn remedies may be just as effective as more traditional remedies at relieving symptoms of heartburn. Take chamomile tea. No, really, take some chamomile tea. Chamomile is renowned for it's soothing and stomach settling qualities. That's one of the bonuses of herbal remedies - you almost always get relief from associated or related illnesses or conditions. Chamomile is great for reducing stress too, and if you're suffering from heartburn you may well be suffering from stress too. Chamomile will sort out both, very effectively, at the same time.

Herbal heartburn remedies even taste good

Yes, that's right. You know how medicine always had to taste bad, as if it was some sort of indicator of how well it would work? Well, things have changed, and now we can lay our hands on cures and remedies that not only work well, but taste good too. if you're not into chamomile, you may want to consider peppermint. It's the peppermint oil which is the bit we're interested in, although please don't take any in neat form. Like chamomile, you can ingest peppermint as tea, which from personal experience I can say is very nice indeed.

In a similar way to chamomile, the peppermint will help neutralize the acid in your stomach. By the way, you don't have to wait until you have heartburn before you take chamomile or peppermint tea. Both are great drinks for after a meal, and can actively prevent the onset of heartburn, in addition to relaxing you.

One interesting variation, which I admit I haven't tried yet, is to combine peppermint and caraway fruit. It's reputed to be extra effective at relieving heartburn, and I must say it sounds delicious.

The last herbal remedy I want to mention is ginger. This is one of my favorites, and I believe one of the most effective herbal heartburn remedies available. There isn't much you can't do with ginger. You can make some good old ginger tea - yummy, you can use it a whole host of recipes, and you can even eat it on it's own, although it's a bit of an acquired taste. Ginger, as you may know, has been widely used for centuries for it's flavor and medicinal properties, and like the other two remedies mentioned, is great for all sorts of stomach and intestinal complaints.

In summary, there's not much to be said against herbal heartburn remedies, and many things to be said for them. If, like myself, you have a growing tendency to lean towards natural cures, why not try chamomile, peppermint, or ginger the next time you get heartburn? You may find you're converted for good!