I remember going to the sick bay in school with a constant complaint of stomach pain. Without delaying even a bit, the nurse would give me Eno, and I used to gulp it down merrily. Of course, what happened immediately after that was little gross – I burped out loudly. Well, that is apparently gross, but it is a savior when you have gas in your stomach. Eno is one of the very frequently consumed antacids that is available all the time in most of our houses. Have you ever flipped the bottle and read the ingredients? One of the primary components is sodium bicarbonate – our very own baking soda.
Here’s an easy way to find out about your stomach acids in the comfort of your homes. However, this is not a substitute for a diagnostic test. If you experience considerable discomfort in your stomach, consult a doctor immediately. Follow these steps to make the assessment.
- Take one glass of water and add not more than 1/4th teaspoon of baking soda to it.
- Stir well and drink it quickly before the effervescence (bubbles that you find when you add baking soda to water) is gone. Remember to drink it on an empty stomach.
- If you observe an immediate burp within a few minutes, it indicates that there is a presence of sufficient amount of acid in the stomach. The baking soda reacts with the digestive acids inside the stomach and forms carbon dioxide. What we burp is essentially just carbon dioxide.
- If you do not burp within 3 to 5 minutes, it is because there are insufficient digestive acids inside the stomach.
- If you experience severe belching along with flatulence, this means that there is too much much. Either of the cases is not considered healthy and requires medical attention.
Here are some interesting alternatives in which you can consume baking soda to reduce gastrointestinal problems like acidosis, acidity, and bloating.
1. Lemon Juice With Baking Soda
- Take 250 ml of water, which is approximately one glass.
- Squeeze half a lemon into it.
- Measure and add 1/4th or 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Add a pinch or two of salt if you feel the mixture is too bland or difficult to drink.
- Alternatively, you can replace regular water with lukewarm water to ease bloating.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar With Baking Soda
- Add 2 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar to 250 ml of water.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Consume twice a day to solve acid reflux, flatulence, and belching.
3. Baking Soda With Chamomile Tea Or Peppermint Tea
- Prepare 250 ml of tea infused with chamomile or peppermint.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Do not consume more than twice a day.
Sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda is a powerful antacid, and its excess usage can lead to serious health issues. Hence, you need to take the following precautions before consuming it:
- Always consume baking soda on an empty stomach.
- Do not consume these mixtures more than twice or thrice daily. If you continue to feel the necessity of drinking baking soda even after two weeks of using it, consult your general physician immediately.
- Increased usage of baking soda can lead to complications like alkalosis (too much alkali than acid; an acid-alkali imbalance in the blood).
- Since baking soda contains sodium, people with high blood pressure or those who are asked to follow a low sodium diet should consume it in limited amounts.
- Those of you who take medications for heart diseases or hypertension, particularly blood thinners or any form of steroids, check with your doctor if they interact in any way with baking soda. A drug interaction can prove highly dangerous.
Preventing a gastric problem is much better than trying hard to cure the problem. Too little acids lead to indigestion, while too much acid causes heartburn. Following a healthy diet and avoiding gas-producing foods can help you maintain a healthy gut environment. One can’t stress enough, that your gut is your second brain. Take this Baking Soda Stomach Acid Test right away, and check how long it took for you to burp and what it says about your gut health.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment in the box below.
