Can I treat this heartburn naturally?

Q:

My doctor diagnosed my painful heartburn as a hiatal hernia. She mentioned surgery, but that seems extreme. What else can I try?

A:

A hiatal hernia occurs when a portion of the stomach squeezes past the diaphragm through the esophageal opening, triggering heartburn. Surgery can repair the hernia, but it’s not always necessary, as natural remedies can help in many cases.

One I suggest: the warm water method, which uses gravity to drop the stomach back in place. To do:

First thing in the morning, drink a glass of warm water, then stand with your hands on your chest. Lift up on tiptoe and abruptly drop to flat feet. Do 10 times, repeating daily. If you don’t see results after a week, ask your doctor about visceral manipulation, a chest massage that can help get your stomach back where it belongs.

Also smart: Try taking 1,000 mg. of d-limonene every other day. The citrus extract shields the esophagus from gastric acid, eliminating heartburn for 89% of people in one study.

Great job keeping up with your exercise! As you’ve found, the heavier footfalls and raised impact from jogging can lead to painful micro-tears in muscle and tissue that we call shin splints. The tears will heal on their own (usually in two to four weeks), but I advise cutting the distance, frequency and intensity of your workouts in half while your body heals.

You may also want to give toe yoga a try. University of Michigan scientists say the practice strengthens muscles and tendons that connect the feet, ankles and legs to reduce the pain and inflammation of shin splints. To get the benefits, stand or sit with your feet flat on the floor and contract the muscles in the arch of your feet so your toes and heels stay on the floor while the arch lifts. Release and repeat 50 times, several times a day.

Q

I’m adding some light jogging into my walking

routine, but I started getting shin splints that make it hard to keep

going. Help!

A