A Fruit for Heartburn
Friday night lights have always made people in The South feel good. So good we find ourselves drawn to the concession stand ordering Frito pies, turkey legs, sausage on a stick, nachos, and chili dogs… Oh, and don’t forget the Coke! For 3 hours we down fatty, greasy food in record time so our hands are free to cheer for our team.
Then it hits you as you are leaving the stadium. Your body just can’t handle greasy food the way it did in your youth, and a burning pressure begins to rise in your chest. If you aren’t a fan of stopping at your nearest corner store to grab a pack of Tums or Alka-Seltzer, this natural remedy may be for you! Instead of going down to the pharmacy, swing by the grocery aisles and pick yourself up papaya!
Why papaya? The magic is in the papaya’s enzymes papain and chymopapain, which break down proteins and soothe the stomach by promoting a healthy acidic environment. Who would’ve thought that this fruit could do so much?
This was first discovered in 1886 by Dr. George Herschell when he conducted a study for The British Medical Journal. In his study, he noted powder prepared from the juice of the papaya fruit was helpful against “acid dyspepsia” (reflux). He characterized papain as “extremely valuable in this form of indigestion.” He went on to describe his experience as, “I have tried the drug upon twelve cases of this nature. Complete relief was given in ten, one case was partially relieved, and one completely failed to derive any benefit.”
Though papaya was once considered a tropical fruit you had to travel to enjoy, it can now be found in most food markets. You can purchase papaya enzymes in tablet form in health food stores and pharmacies. Do you know of any other natural ways to relieve heartburn? If so, share them in our group on Facebook!
