During pregnancy, women have to experience many unpleasant sensations. One of them is heartburn. However, such a manifestation might not have occurred before. During pregnancy, many expectant mothers worry about the well-being of the fetus and refuse to take any medications. They often have a question: can pregnant women drink soda for heartburn?
Soda for heartburn. Will it help or hurt?
People who have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and often suffer from heartburn always have a suitable antacid drug on hand.
But for those who rarely experience heartburn, the necessary remedy may not be in the home medicine cabinet at the right time.
In such cases, to cope with it, they resort to a folk remedy familiar to everyone, often without even asking the question: “Can I drink soda for heartburn?”
How to drink soda for heartburn? Can you drink baking soda if you have heartburn? It is important to remember that heartburn itself is not a disease, but a concomitant symptom of a disease of any organ of the digestive system.
Therefore, if attacks of heartburn are frequent and occur even with a normal diet, there is a serious pathology, and there can be no question of extinguishing heartburn with alkali.
Only a doctor can determine the true cause of this condition and prescribe treatment aimed at eliminating the underlying disease.
Constant heartburn accompanies the following diseases:
- chronic gastritis with high or low acidity
- pancreatitis
- gastroesophageal reflux
- peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum
- cholecystitis
- malignant and benign tumors
If such pathologies occur, treatment with this substance will not only not help, but will also cause significant harm to the body.
To permanently get rid of this problem, only special medications are allowed - antacids, which neutralize hydrochloric acid without causing side effects.
There are also many folk remedies: for any disease, boiled milk at room temperature, flax seed, fresh potato juice, slightly alkaline still mineral water, calamus root, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs will help relieve a burning sensation.
Drinking soda is allowed if the symptoms of the disease appear occasionally, with the abuse of fatty or spicy foods, alcohol, or after overeating.
In such cases, it is permissible to use soda, but you need to do it correctly. It is very dangerous when soda is not diluted with water. Once in the stomach, it burns the mucous membrane and contributes to the formation of ulcers.
It is best to make a soda solution for heartburn: dissolve ½ teaspoon of soda in 100 grams of boiled water at a temperature of about 37 degrees.
The resulting mixture should be drunk in small sips; any undissolved sediment should be thrown away.
In order for the effect of the medicine to be noticeable, you must use fresh soda; after taking the product, it is good to take a horizontal position and take off your tight clothes, corset, or harness.
If all these measures are followed, the attack will pass in 10-15 minutes.
But not everyone can drink this solution, since, prepared in this way, it has a very unpleasant taste and smell. There is another recipe for a product with soda, which is popularly called “fizzy drink”.
It is prepared with the addition of acid, which extinguishes the soda and makes the medicine look like sparkling water.
Popsicles can be prepared in several ways:
- Dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water, then add 0.5 tsp. quality apple cider vinegar.
- In 80 ml of water, stir ¼ teaspoon of soda and 1/3 tsp. citric acid or freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can add 1 tsp. Sahara.
In order for these products to have an antacid effect, it is necessary to add less acid than soda. The water should be boiled and the soda should be fresh.
Although any of the soda remedies described are good for heartburn, they should not be used for a long time. Soda is not a product that can be introduced into the body in unlimited quantities.
How many days can you take the soda solution? It is wrong to think that there are no restrictions on its use. The product will help get rid of heartburn for one to two weeks, then the side effects of this treatment will appear.
The appearance of heartburn in pregnant women
Signs of heartburn appear after eating and can last from a couple of minutes to several hours. The main ones:
- unpleasant burning sensation in the throat;
- feeling of general discomfort;
- nausea;
- sour taste in the mouth;
- pain in the abdomen.
Why does she appear?
In the early stages, the cause of a burning sensation is the hormonal changes that occur in the female body. Between the esophagus and the stomach there is a sphincter that prevents acid and food from entering back. With the onset of pregnancy, the level of progesterone increases, which has a relaxing effect on smooth muscles. Similar changes occur with the sphincter. Experts believe that the appearance of heartburn indicates early toxicosis, which goes away on its own by about the 13th week.
In later stages, the reason for this phenomenon mainly lies in the pressure that the enlarging uterus puts on the stomach, lifting it and flattening it, thereby facilitating the reverse penetration of stomach contents into the cavity of the esophagus. These extremely unpleasant sensations do not harm the fetus or the woman. After childbirth they go away on their own.
The following factors contribute to the appearance of a burning sensation:
- overeating (especially at night);
- smoking;
- taking medications (in particular, those that have an antispasmodic effect and have a relaxing effect on the muscles of internal organs);
- wearing tight clothes;
- consumption of foods that provoke acid synthesis (carbonated drinks, coffee, spices, spicy foods, sour-tasting foods, fermented milk products);
- insufficient fluid intake.
Why is baking soda harmful?
Under no circumstances is this solution recommended for regular use. Once in the body, soda combines with hydrochloric acid of the stomach, a reaction occurs in which a large amount of carbon dioxide is released.
Carbon dioxide affects the cells of the stomach, causing them to secrete gastric juice in even greater quantities and, as a result, heartburn returns.
This effect in medicine is called “acid rebound” and if you take baking soda to relieve heartburn more than 2-3 times a week, you can only worsen your condition.
Soda consumed in large quantities is harmful for another reason.
It, like table salt, is a sodium compound, and excess sodium in the body negatively affects the condition of blood vessels, as a result of which the functioning of the cardiovascular system can be affected.
In addition, an excess of alkaline substances negatively affects kidney function, swelling appears, and blood pressure increases.
As a result of high sodium levels, the risk of developing osteoporosis, diabetes, and urolithiasis increases.
It is for this reason that nutritionists advise reducing the amount of salt consumed; you should not give the body an additional sodium load in the form of soda drinks.
Popular remedy
Soda is always on hand. Whenever a woman is overtaken by unpleasant symptoms, they can be reduced to nothing. Many expectant mothers know that pregnant women can drink soda for heartburn. They are confident that the product will not harm the body if used as rarely as possible.
Baking soda is called sodium bicarbonate in chemistry and is an alkaline agent.
Before pregnant women take soda for heartburn, prepare an aqueous solution from it. It has a neutralizing effect on substances that are synthesized in the stomach. The solution reacts with hydrochloric acid and eventually several components are formed. This is sodium salt, carbon dioxide and water - completely harmless substances.
The alkaline solution instantly has an antacid effect and removes discomfort.
Symptoms of excess sodium in the body:
- increased sweating
- constant and intense thirst
- nervous excitability
- feeling very tired
- the appearance of edema
Another argument against the frequent use of alkali with such symptoms is a violation of the ratio of acid and alkali. Violation of the acid-base balance entails serious problems.
Potassium is excreted from the body, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the muscular, cardiac system, and kidney function.
Potassium deficiency manifests itself in muscle weakness (sometimes even paralysis is possible), heart rhythm disturbances, difficulty breathing, and a drop in blood pressure.
Drowsiness, allergic manifestations, nausea, constipation, and decreased urine output are also possible.
To compensate for the lack of potassium, you should introduce foods high in potassium into your diet: dried apricots, jacket potatoes, nuts.
Properties
Soda has a neutralizing effect on acids, increasing alkali reserves and normalizing the acid-base balance.
Reception can show a positive result in the following cases:
- If you consume it on an empty stomach within 30 minutes. before meals. If you do this on a full stomach, a reverse reaction may occur. Since there is an acidic environment inside the stomach, it will begin to interact with soda, and this will lead to an increase in acidity. This phenomenon is called “acid rebound”.
- If the pH of fluids inside the body is below a certain level. The indicator for blood is 7.35-7.47.
- If you dissolve baking soda in hot water, then let it cool a little. This is done to avoid stagnation of the liquid drunk the day before.
Interesting! Heartburn from alcohol: features of the influence of beer, wine and vodka
Contraindications
Pregnant women should be especially careful with it, for whom heartburn is not uncommon, especially in the third trimester.
Since many women often suffer from edema during pregnancy, it can aggravate the situation. At any stage of pregnancy with such a symptom, the safest drug is Rennie.
It perfectly helps relieve an attack of heartburn and the permissible number of tablets that can be taken per day is 16 pieces. The medicine is effective and will not harm the body of mother and baby.
Since these attacks are very rare, but still sometimes children suffer, it is important to know whether it is acceptable for a child to drink such a solution?
The fizzy drink recipe, which contains lemon juice and sugar, seems quite harmless and maybe the baby will drink it with pleasure.
But children should not take this medicine under any circumstances. If an adult tolerates this substance in a small amount painlessly, then for a child the effect of “acid rebound” will occur immediately.
Only an experienced doctor can give advice on treating the disease in young children; choosing a medicine on your own in such cases is unacceptable.
In addition, there are a number of diseases in which soda is prohibited for use for heartburn.
These are, first of all, chronic diseases of the digestive system, kidney failure, hypertension, and heart failure.
Taking into account all the negative points listed, you should think carefully before drinking a soda solution just because it helps neutralize it well.
Instead of this remedy, it is good to have an inexpensive antacid drug in your home medicine cabinet and use it every time heartburn bothers you.
And, of course, it is necessary to consult a doctor in time and treat diseases that provoke heartburn attacks.
Alternative Methods
Before drinking soda solution, you can use the following help for heartburn. Helpful ways to relieve burning and other symptoms include:
- freshly prepared carrot or potato juice;
- boiled buckwheat porridge;
- warm milk;
- sunflower seeds;
- still mineral water.
The most reliable means to combat heartburn are antacids. They contain magnesium and aluminum salts. Medicines have a triple effect:
- create a film that envelops the walls of the stomach and prevents damage;
- reduce the concentration of hydrochloric acid;
- increase the tone of the esophageal sphincter.
The most popular drugs include: Almagel, Phosphalugel, Rennie and others. They can be bought at any pharmacy and are available without a prescription.
Soda. Benefits and Applications
Heartburn attacks occur due to disruption of the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach.
In this regard, hydrochloric acid enters the esophagus, throat and even the oral cavity. Due to this, a burning sensation appears.
Baking soda during pregnancy is necessary to eliminate diseases such as thrush, inflammation of the gums, and toothache.
A soda solution is good for eliminating corns and calluses on the feet.
If you have heartburn during pregnancy, you need to understand what is happening in the body. Due to the increase in the size of the uterus, its pressure on all internal organs increases.
The stomach moves a little higher, which increases pressure on the esophagus, as well as on the muscles that block the entrance between the stomach and esophagus.
In this regard, there is an increase in pressure also on the abdominal artery.
After fertilization of the egg, the amount of the hormone progesterone increases. It is responsible for the elasticity of the uterine wall. But this hormone additionally acts on the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.
All these reasons cannot be eliminated before childbirth. The only thing that can be done is to eliminate the negative symptoms.
The use of baking soda to relieve heartburn is used quite often. This product is absolutely non-toxic and cannot harm the health of the expectant mother or child.
Using baking soda can quickly eliminate the symptoms of heartburn. But there are other manifestations. After soda enters the stomach, it reacts with gastric juice.
After this reaction, carbon dioxide is released. After a short time, the attack of heartburn repeats. This is due to the fact that carbon dioxide begins to irritate the esophagus and gastric mucosa.
Causes
More than half of all pregnant women complain of severe heartburn, especially in the second and third trimester. Heartburn during pregnancy most often occurs due to changes in the level of hormones - progesterone, which affect the muscles of the digestive system.
Pregnancy hormones can cause the muscle tissue in the sphincter (the valve between the stomach and esophagus) to relax, allowing stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus. In addition, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm and stomach, pushing stomach acids upward. In this case, a burning sensation and an unpleasant sour taste occur in the oral cavity, and painful sensations appear in the stomach area.
Sometimes the cause of heartburn in pregnant women is gallstones.
There are other causes of heartburn that are not related to pregnancy, but you should also be aware of them:
- stress;
- smoking;
- alcohol;
- overweight;
- drinks containing caffeine;
- too fatty or sweet foods.
Soda during pregnancy. Nuances
Baking soda helps with heartburn during pregnancy, but there are some nuances to using this product.
- An additional condition such as low blood pressure, dizziness, headaches, fainting, and nausea may occur.
- Regular use of soda leads to alkalization of the body. There is a violation of the acid-base balance in the body.
- Problems appear in the cardiovascular system.
- During pregnancy, drinking soda causes fluid retention within the body. Due to this, there is an increased risk of swelling.
- Lack of gastric juice leads to the risk of microorganisms.
- Frequent consumption of soda can lead to toxicity of the body, as well as inflammatory processes in the body.
During pregnancy, the use of soda can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This may manifest itself as flatulence, bloating, and unpleasant odor from the mouth.
Due to a decrease in acidity levels, the risk of developing chronic gastritis gradually increases.
Food cannot be properly digested in the stomach and gradually leads to stagnation.
There is a feeling of heaviness, bloating and constipation. During pregnancy, such manifestations are extremely undesirable.
That is, the use of soda during pregnancy is not advisable at all. In this regard, soda must be taken as carefully as possible. Or give preference to other methods of restorative therapy.
During pregnancy, you can drink a product such as soda to relieve heartburn only after consulting a specialist.
Causes of heartburn
To understand whether you can drink soda for heartburn, you need to understand its causes. A burning sensation in pregnant women is caused by:
- Unbalanced diet. Excessive consumption of certain foods can cause a burning sensation.
- Binge eating. The burning sensation sometimes appears at night because women eat a heavy dinner before bed.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Such diseases include gastritis, ulcers, and GERD. During pregnancy, some chronic diseases can worsen.
- Changes in hormonal levels. Increased amounts of hormones can trigger the symptom.
- Fetal pressure. The child grows, and with him the pressure on the gastrointestinal tract increases. This may trigger the symptoms.
Negative consequences of use in pregnant women
You should only take baking soda in case of emergency when there are no other options. But even in this case, it is necessary to reduce the dosage as much as possible.
Or replace a substance such as soda with the help of medications or traditional methods of treatment.
A good option would be a glass of warm milk. But in some cases during pregnancy, women do not want to wait until the heartburn goes away. And they eliminate it when using soda with milk.
An overdose of soda can cause the following problems and disorders in the body:
- There are problems with the acid-base balance.
- Disruption of the cardiovascular system.
- Breathing problems occur.
- Nausea and even vomiting.
It is strictly forbidden to drink soda if you have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, circulatory system, kidneys, recent operations or intense swelling.
Severe heartburn
Only at first glance it seems that this is a minor problem. However, the symptoms of heartburn cause women severe discomfort.
Therefore, some gynecologists allow you to take soda in case of a serious attack of heartburn. To do this, it is recommended to prepare the following solution: dissolve a pinch of the product in a glass of milk. You need to drink it on an empty stomach.
Taking the solution with a full stomach is harmful, because during this period an acidic environment prevails in the organ. These processes can negatively affect a woman’s condition. In this case, soda contributes to the additional release of gastric juice and increased acidity.
How to drink soda for heartburn
During pregnancy, soda must be taken correctly. Almost every woman faces such a problem as heartburn when carrying a child.
It is necessary to find out whether these symptoms arise due to the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or frequent stressful situations.
In order to reduce the negative impact of consuming a substance such as soda, it is necessary to take it not with water, but with milk. But the milk should not be hot or cold.
Room temperature is best. This medicine should only be taken on an “empty” stomach. Otherwise, the result will be the opposite: heartburn attacks will only become more pronounced.
The second rule for using a product such as soda for heartburn is the frequency of use. It is not recommended to take it frequently. The maximum daily intake should not exceed twice a day.
You need to use soda in case of emergency, when no other means can be used or simply are not at hand.
The following recipe helps to eliminate an attack of heartburn. To do this you will need a teaspoon of baking soda, vinegar and warm water. It is necessary to extinguish the soda with vinegar.
Then combine this sizzling mixture with water. During pregnancy, this proportion can be doubled.
Cooking method
The preparation method is quite simple - dilute a teaspoon of soda in a glass of warm boiled water, then drink the solution in small sips. There will usually be sediment at the bottom, pour it out.
For greater effect, after drinking soda diluted in water, take a semi-lying position. Relief will come in a few minutes. Taking the soda solution should not be repeated often - the daily portion should not exceed 200 ml.
Interesting article: Effective folk remedies for heartburn during pregnancy
What can be replaced
- Mineral water. It is important that it is non-carbonated. Water helps wash away hydrochloric acid from the wall of the esophagus, thereby eliminating the symptoms of heartburn.
- Tinctures from chamomile, calamus and heather roots help eliminate the inflammatory process.
- Sunflower seeds. It is advisable to carry them with you at all times during pregnancy. They help quickly and effectively eliminate heartburn attacks. You can replace them with walnuts or almonds. They additionally help normalize the acid-base balance.
- Porridge. Eating porridge is good for heartburn. For example, it could be oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina. The only limitation is individual intolerance to certain products. Additionally, porridge helps normalize the production of gastric juice and effectively coats the walls of the stomach, which is a good prevention of erosions and ulcers.
- Yogurt. You can eliminate heartburn using any fermented milk products, but this particular product is best absorbed in the body by pregnant women.
Heartburn is an unpleasant condition. It can be eliminated using various drugs, but it is best to use traditional methods.
How to get rid of heartburn with soda
There are many methods that can relieve the unpleasant sensation caused by heartburn. Among them, a special place is occupied by an effective folk remedy - sodium bicarbonate. It quickly neutralizes increased levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and eliminates unpleasant symptoms. A kind of handy mineral preparation for heartburn - soda acts only on the signs of burning, relieving pain, but does not treat the root cause.
The result of using sodium bicarbonate and products based on it will be noticeable immediately after drinking a few sips. Although often after a certain time the malaise may return. This circumstance can be explained by the fact that when a drink with soda is exposed to the stomach, carbon dioxide is released, which has a stimulating effect on its mucous membrane. As a result, the production of gastric juice becomes more intense and acidity may increase again.
Useful video
Despite the fact that the pharmaceutical industry is constantly offering new drugs for the treatment of various diseases, traditional medicine has taken a strong place in people's lives and many people prefer traditional methods of getting rid of ailments.
This situation is understandable, because natural remedies are often no less effective than pharmaceutical ones, and they are mostly safe and cheap.
One of the products used in home treatment is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
The scope of its application is quite wide, but this article suggests learning how to get rid of heartburn with the help of soda.
Disadvantages of using the product
Sometimes even the healthiest ingredients can have a negative impact on your health. Is it really harmful for pregnant women to drink soda for heartburn? Its use is not recommended for several reasons:
- One of the disadvantages of the traditional method of therapy is that carbonic acid is extremely unstable. It breaks down to form water and carbon dioxide. As a result, pressure on the walls of the stomach increases, which provokes the release of a significant amount of hydrochloric acid. So the process starts again. The result is a vicious circle. The composition used to eliminate the symptoms of heartburn contributes to its recurrence.
- The product is sodium bicarbonate. Official medicine does not recommend taking soda orally, even in the absence of pregnancy. And when carrying a child, it is not recommended to use it at all.
- Is it possible for pregnant women in the last stages of pregnancy to use soda for heartburn? Sodium, which is part of the product, leads to fluid retention and the development of edema. After all, many pregnant women suffer from them. They need to be especially careful in the later stages of pregnancy.
- Soda has an irritating effect on the intestinal mucosa.
- The product may cause an allergic reaction.
- Frequent use of soda can lead to nausea.
Therefore, pregnant women should take soda with caution. After all, this can lead to negative consequences.
How can baking soda help with heartburn?
Heartburn can be a problem for various reasons - from banal overeating or poor quality nutrition to serious and sometimes very dangerous diseases.
Therefore, before deciding to use one or another method of getting rid of heartburn, you should first find out the exact cause of its occurrence.
To do this, you will have to undergo a comprehensive examination, but you cannot do without it, because the symptoms of heartburn often accompany diseases such as stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and even cancer.
Timely medical research will help identify such disorders in the body and take the necessary measures.
You can safely relieve heartburn with soda when it is caused by eating inappropriate food or hard work immediately after a heavy feast.
In the future, such provoking factors should be avoided so as not to cause an attack again.
But, if heartburn appears for no apparent reason, while maintaining a normal diet, without abuse of alcohol, too spicy, fatty and overcooked foods, soda alone is no longer enough, medical therapy is needed.
If there is a need to get rid of heartburn and the patient decides to do this with soda, you need to know how to use it correctly.
Drinking soda in its pure form and simply washing it down with water, as some patients often do, is simply unacceptable.
Pure soda is a rather aggressive agent, especially if there is damage in the stomach. Drinking soda in its pure form will cause severe irritation of the gastric mucosa and will only worsen the situation.
In order for baking soda to extinguish heartburn and not cause harm, you need to make a soda solution and drink it slowly, in small sips.
The water for preparing the solution must be purified or boiled, cooled to human body temperature, and the soda must be fresh.
How to prepare the solution, recipe: dissolve 1/2 or 1/3 teaspoon of soda in half a glass of water with a temperature of about 37 degrees, drink in case of heartburn, but not more than two or three times a day.
The soda sediment that remains in the solution should not enter the stomach, otherwise irritation of the mucous membrane may occur; it must be thrown away.
The taste of this medicine leaves much to be desired; many people do not like it, and in order to get rid of heartburn, acid is added to the soda solution, resulting in a drink that is popularly called “fizzy drink.”
Its recipe:
- Dissolve a quarter teaspoon of baking soda in one glass of water and add any fruit vinegar (apple, grape, wine). When the mixture stops fizzing, immediately drink in small sips. To make heartburn go away quickly, you need to add more soda to the medicine than acid. You cannot use regular table vinegar for this product, as it is a very aggressive acid for the digestive organs.
- You can make the composition according to a different recipe: in 100 ml of water you need to dilute soda and citric acid in equal proportions (a quarter of a teaspoon), if you wish, you can add a little sugar, drink it when you have heartburn. Instead of citric acid, fresh lemon or lime juice can be used in this recipe.
All of these remedies are suitable for getting rid of heartburn at home, but they are not recommended for regular use due to the “acid rebound” effect that occurs with long-term use.
In the stomach, soda reacts with its acidic environment, resulting in the formation of table salt and carbon dioxide.
In response to exposure to carbon dioxide, the cells of the stomach lining produce more acid, and heartburn returns.
You should pay attention to constant attacks of heartburn, since it may indicate the presence of the following diseases:
- gastritis with high acidity;
- stomach ulcer;
- atrophic gastritis;
- hiatal hernia;
- pancreatitis;
- cholecystitis;
- benign and malignant tumor processes in the digestive organs.
Of course, it is impossible to determine the cause of heartburn on your own, so treating it at home with soda, when a life-threatening disease may be developing in the body, is unwise and may have negative consequences.
For example, with a malignant lesion of the digestive tract, surgical intervention is often necessary, and the earlier the disease is detected, the greater the chance of preserving a person’s not only health, but also life.
If a disease is detected, in order to regularly get rid of heartburn, the doctor will prescribe a suitable antacid or drug - a proton pump inhibitor, which will reduce the production of hydrochloric acid by the stomach.
It is permissible to use a soda solution once for heartburn if you are ill, if you do not have the medicine prescribed by your doctor on hand.
How to breed correctly - proportions
Heartburn is the main symptom of increased acidity in your “reservoir” for storing chewed food. Its cause, as a rule, is the pushing of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus. Enzymes and gastric juice cause a burning sensation in the chest. How to treat heartburn at home? There are several recipes for how to quickly eliminate the disease using soda compositions.
- Recipe No. 1 “Aqueous solution”
Ingredients:
- tsp soda;
- a glass of warm water (250 ml).
How to make a heartburn remedy:
- You need to mix soda with water.
- The resulting liquid should be drunk in small sips. It is better that the water temperature does not have time to drop.
It is not recommended to drink the drink to the end; the remainder should be poured out, and a fresh solution should be made for the next dose. To achieve a quick effect, after using the soda solution, you need to lie down on a bed with a high headboard. The unpleasant burning sensation should go away within 10 minutes. The procedure can be repeated if necessary.
- Recipe No. 2 “Fizz from soda and citric acid”
Ingredients:
- tsp citric acid;
- two thirds of a glass of chilled water (250 ml);
- tsp soda
How to cook:
- To prepare the pop, dilute citric acid in water, then add the soda itself.
- The mixture will begin to foam as you stir it, at which point you should drink it.
The ratio of all components can be changed to your taste, but the amount of acid should be small. You can replace E330 with lemon juice: to do this, dissolve half a teaspoon of soda and juice in water. You can add sugar, but not much. When bubbles begin to appear, drink the drink in small sips, slowly, so as not to choke.
- Recipe No. 3 “Vinegar water”
Ingredients:
- tsp table apple cider vinegar;
- tsp soda;
- 1 tsp. Sahara;
- a whole glass of boiled water (250 ml).
Process:
- Dissolve a teaspoon (only this amount) of sugar in a glass of water.
- Next, pour in natural apple cider vinegar. If you don't have apple vinegar, use the regular 3% composition.
- At the very end, add sodium bicarbonate. The baking soda will react with the sweetened water and vinegar to form a fizzy mixture.
- When the drink begins to foam and the first bubbles appear, it should be drunk in small sips.
Is it possible to drink soda during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, women experience attacks of heartburn quite often, especially in the last, third trimester.
This happens due to the fact that the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the stomach and, especially if the pregnant woman does not adhere to the correct diet, the acidic contents of the stomach enter the esophagus, irritating it.
Many people do not believe that heartburn during pregnancy is a serious symptom and try to get rid of it on their own, at home, using natural remedies, including soda solution.
Is it permissible to use soda during pregnancy for heartburn?
To answer this question, it would not hurt to find out how soda affects the human body and what the consequences of its use during pregnancy may be.
Baking soda is a sodium compound, and too much sodium is not beneficial.
It negatively affects the functioning of the kidneys and cardiovascular system, disrupts the acid-alkali ratio in the body, causes swelling and increased blood pressure.
If you consider that during pregnancy, high blood pressure and swelling are a problem for many, then the question of getting rid of heartburn with the help of soda will disappear by itself.
There are many methods for getting rid of the symptom of heartburn during pregnancy at home: live sunflower seeds, warm boiled milk, flax seeds, grated carrots.
Among pharmaceutical products, Rennie has proven itself well; it is safe for pregnant women and can be taken up to 15 tablets per day.
In addition to the already mentioned negative side effects of excessive use of sodium bicarbonate, there are some other signs of high sodium concentration in the body:
- thinning of the walls of blood vessels;
- involuntary muscle contractions;
- headache;
- lack of potassium in the body;
- general weakness;
- rarely – convulsions.
Potassium deficiency is especially undesirable, since this trace element plays an important role in the functioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory and hormonal systems.
Whether this deficiency will be dangerous enough depends on how much sodium is taken into the body. Signs of potassium deficiency include disturbances and malfunctions in various organs and systems:
- mental disorders – increased nervousness, irritability, attacks of depression, apathetic state;
- reactions from the digestive system - nausea with vomiting, stool disorders, flatulence, poor appetite;
- problems with the respiratory system - shortness of breath, increased breathing, moist rales;
- kidney dysfunction - severe thirst, increased urine output, up to two liters per day;
- disruptions in the hormonal system - dull hair falling out, brittle nails, pale facial skin with a bluish tint;
- On the part of the cardiovascular system, heart rhythm disturbances and pressure surges may be observed.
Considering all these negative consequences of soda abuse, it is worth carefully weighing the pros and cons of its use.
Of course, a soda solution will help get rid of the unpleasant burning sensation in the larynx and esophagus, but it is still unsafe to be treated with it constantly, for a long time.
Sodium bicarbonate solution is suitable as an emergency aid for healthy people and is permitted as an alternative remedy in the absence of a quality antacid for illnesses, but only for one-time use.
Caution should also be exercised during pregnancy, especially if there is swelling and high blood pressure.
Are there any side effects and contraindications?
Using a variety of methods to combat heartburn with sodium bicarbonate can reduce gastric acidity, but at the same time, carbon dioxide will gradually begin to be released, which has a negative effect on the gastric mucosa. Because of this, the burning sensation will be constantly repeated and will only get worse. A person starts taking soda steadily and can no longer do without it. If you take sodium bicarbonate instead of medicine for a long time, the following side effects may occur:
- Nervousness increases, headaches begin to torment.
- Severe nausea, cramping abdominal pain, constant vomiting.
- Blood pressure rises.
- Hands and feet swell.
- Stomach bloating, diarrhea.
Contraindications:
- If you have high blood pressure, you should not drink drinks containing soda;
- heart and vascular disease;
- during lactation and pregnancy;
- if there are diseases of the intestines and stomach (gastritis, ulcers).
How to avoid unpleasant feelings
We have already found out whether pregnant women can use soda for heartburn. However, before you begin treatment for this condition, you need to establish proper nutrition. What is not recommended to eat:
- Fried, salty, spicy and fatty foods. During pregnancy, you should avoid junk food. It can not only increase acidity, but also cause nausea.
- All spices should be limited if possible. Although turmeric and cinnamon can be helpful in this situation.
- Fast food and other street food.
- Carbonated drinks and packaged juices. They contain a minimum of nutrients, but they increase acidity quite easily.
- Flour products.
- Alcohol. They not only harm the unborn child, but also have a traumatic effect on the gastric mucosa.
A woman's menu during pregnancy should be rich in fresh vegetables and fruits. It is useful to drink green tea with lemon balm and thyme, and eat a small amount of nuts.
You need to eat small portions 5-6 times a day. Food must be thermally processed and cooled to room temperature. After eating, a woman needs to be in an upright position for some time so as not to provoke a backflow of stomach contents.
It is best for a pregnant woman to sleep with her upper body elevated. A little physical activity can keep all muscles toned.
Beneficial properties of soda for pregnant women
The habit of using soda in everyday life and cooking has made other beneficial properties of this product invisible. But they really do exist. Soda is an alkali, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the entire body, since alkaline substances take part in all metabolic processes. It is also useful during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the body's protective functions weaken; the expectant mother often complains of general malaise and cold symptoms. All this can be eliminated by ordinary soda, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties. Under the influence of alkali, pathogenic microflora dies, which means you can help the body fight pathogenic viruses and bacteria, because there is no need for the expectant mother to get sick.
This product is also used as a relaxant. If a pregnant woman is nervous or overtired, you can take a warm soda bath with the addition of 2 tablespoons of the product. It is recommended to take a bath for 20 minutes. The same procedure will be effective if the baby is “pushing” a lot and is worried in the womb.
Baking soda can also be used by pregnant women as an antiallergic agent. After conception, a woman’s immune system becomes more sensitive to various irritants. Even the bite of a harmless mosquito can cause an allergic reaction in an expectant mother.
In order not to take antihistamines, risking the baby’s health, you should treat the area of inflammation with a soda solution as quickly as possible. But when using this product, you need to remember that not in all cases its effectiveness is comparable to the effect of medications.