We’ve all been there – you’ve had a great evening and amazing food, but the aftermath is a fiery pit in your chest that just doesn’t go away. You find yourself deciding between a few options: suffering through it, heading over to the medicine cabinet, or Googling remedies for heartburn.
Few may think to turn to essential oils, and understandably so. However, essential oils can be a gentle and natural way to ease the symptoms of heartburn. The key is to know which essential oils to use and how to use them.
Here’s our list of essential oils to manage symptoms of heartburn.
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Lavender Essential Oil
If you’re a beginner in the world of essential oils, lavender oil is great to start with as it is gentle, yet effective. It is one of the most commonly used essential oils for aromatherapy and has quite a fan following for its soothing properties.
Lavender oil works two ways: one, it relaxes the mind and body, and two, it is a natural painkiller. Given that heartburn symptoms worsen at night, using lavender oil in the evening can be a game-changer. It can ease discomfort while helping you get a peaceful sleep!
When you feel the onset of heartburn, dilute lavender oil in a diffuser and inhale its scent to ease the pain.
Ginger Root Essential Oil
Extracted from the root of the ginger plant, this essential oil has an abundance of gingerol. Gingerol is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound that has the perfect qualities to treat heartburn symptoms.
The hallmark heartburn symptoms of pain in the chest and throat are caused by an inflamed esophageal lining. Inhaling ginger oil from a diffuser can calm this burning sensation and reduce discomfort.
A word of caution: while ginger oil in small amounts is beneficial for heartburn, the use of undiluted oil or its ingestion may worsen the condition.
Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil has this fresh, citrusy scent that’s like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. In addition, it is also a natural painkiller! Research done on the biological properties of lemon oil support its use as an analgesic, making it a must-have for any natural wellness toolkit.
Especially if you’re prone to heartburn, it is helpful to have gentle alternatives to over-the-counter painkillers on hand. Often, over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen aggravate the symptoms of heartburn by further irritating the stomach.
The best method for using lemon essential oil is to diffuse it in your room and relax while you breathe in the scent.
Peppermint Essential Oil (A Cautionary Tale)
The use of peppermint oil as a treatment for gastrointestinal problems dates way back to ancient Egypt. Despite this long-standing reputation, it turns out that peppermint is not the hero we need when treating heartburn.
While it has a soothing effect on the stomach, it also relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, making stomach acids flow back into the esophagus. This effectively worsens the pain and discomfort from heartburn.
So if you’re looking for relief from heartburn, steer clear of this one and choose one of the other essential oils we’ve mentioned instead!
Essential Oils for Heartburn: Action Points
Don’t let their natural origins fool you – essential oils are potent substances that need to be handled with caution! Here are a few tips:
- Only purchase from a trusted essential oil retailer that is transparent about their sourcing process and extraction methods
- When using a diffuser, carefully read and follow the instructions indicated in the manual for your model
- Do not ingest essential oils or use them undiluted as they are very potent and can cause a reaction
- Be careful when diffusing essential oils in the presence of pets as they can be toxic even when diluted
All in all, while essential oils do not treat the root cause of heartburn, they can be a gentle way to manage its painful symptoms.
