Nix sneaky heartburn!

Blame too much stomach acid for heartburn? Actually, it’s the opposite! In our 40s, we stop producing enough acid to digest food. Dial down symptoms by… Enjoying healthy fats Switching to a diet high in healthy fats and low in sugar and simple carbs eliminated reflux symptoms for 100% of women in a 10-week Vanderbilt University study. “Excess sugar causes the one-way valve keeping acid in your stomach to leak, allowing acid to squirt up into your food pipe,” explains Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., author of Real Cause, Real Cure and the Cures A-Z app. Plus, replacing trans fats and simple carbs with healthy fats, fruits and veggies helps the body produce more of the stomach enzymes essential for digestion. Taking the “sleep hormone”! Turns out, the “sleep hormone” melatonin treats more than just insomnia. “It’s the master hormone that regulates our daynight cycles—and it helps the part of the nervous system that keeps food moving in the right direction instead of refluxing,” explains Dr. Teitelbaum. A study found that 30% of folks who took the penniesa-day pill before bed for 12 weeks significantly reduced their acid reflux, and 56% eliminated it entirely! Scientists suspect that 5 mg. every evening lowers inflammation in the esophagus that worsens heartburn—without the side effects of prescription reflux meds (PPIS). Note: Check with your doctor before supplementing. Sipping licorice tea! Licorice root is a natural heartburn reliever, building up the stomach’s protective mucous lining and lessening symptoms by 37% when taken daily for a month. Dr. Teitelbaum recommends one cup of tea a day. If you have hypertension, try deglycyrrhizinated licorice tablets (Walmart.com), which help fortify the stomach’s protective lining without the risk of raising blood pressure.