Do you suffer from heartburn? Holistic treatment for heartburn is more effective in the long run than taking prescriptions or OTC pills or liquid, which has a plethora of side effects. Holistic heartburn treatment has no side effects.

Holistic treatment for heartburn includes:

1. Eliminate food allergies and sensitivities"Acidic foods"tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit, onions, garlic, dried beans, green pepper, egg plant, potatoes, wheat, spices, including pepper. Other common food sensitivities: fried/fatty, eggs, yeast, cow's milk, chocolate, peas, corn.

When you eat, how much you eat and under what circumstances can all lead to heartburn. It is better to eat the last meal before 8 p.m. It takes approximately three hours for the contents of the stomach to digest. Overeating and obesity can lead to heartburn, as can eating on the go or in a stressful environment.

2. Stress Reduction"stress plays a major role in experiencing heartburn. Many people experience their first heartburn symptoms during particularly stressful periods of their lives. Those who suffer from anxiety often complain of frequent heartburn and other digestive problems.

" Prayer: Researcher and mind/body medicine expert Herbert Benson, M.D. found that regular prayer or the repetition of spiritual phrases such as "Shalom," or "Hail Mary," triggers relaxation and reduces stress. Make prayer a time of personal conversation with God, state your need or concern and ask for divine intervention. Acknowledge all you have to be grateful for and give thanks for that which you desire. Giving thanks is more effective than asking for what you desire. God knows what you need before you need it and has already sent it to you"therefore giving thanks acknowledges what you haven't seen yet. Establishing a regular prayerful routine is important.

" Meditation: Researched for centuries, meditation is proven to have physiological benefits, including stress-relief, improved immune and cardiovascular function, relaxation, and decreased pain. Regular meditation practice leads to new insights about life issues (often resulting in the healing of past emotional trauma), heightened creativity, inspiration, greater compassion for others, and a greater connection to one's own inner guidance. There are a plethora of books and classes on meditation practices.

" Gratitude: The state of being grateful; thankfulness. (The American Heritage Dictionary) In the push and pulls of life we seldom realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. Looking at the glass as half empty albeit is half full assures us, we will live with a sense of lack.

"Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for. The more we seek gratitude, the more reason the angels will give us for gratitude and joy to exist in our lives." --Terry Lynn Taylor "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." --Melody Beattie

" Time in nature: The most visible manifestation of spirit is nature, where we most fully encounter and interact with life's primal energies in the forms of earth, water, fire, and air. Walking/hiking are easy and practical ways of reconnecting with nature and the earth, as are gardening, biking, camping and boating. Spending regular amounts of time outdoors within a natural setting, you enable yourself to better appreciate the rhythms of life, including your own.

Modern living prevents us from a balanced life. Time in nature restores that balance, while also deepening our connection with Spirit. Being near the water is a spiritually healthy experience, due to water's higher concentration of negative ions. Swimming in natural water or soaking in a mineral hot spring provides therapeutic benefits for a variety of ailments.

" Exposure to a campfire or fireplace has health benefits. Leonard Orr discovered that fire cleanses the bio-energy field of negative energies, and is a powerful aid in curing physical disease. Orr recommends spending a few hours each day near fire. Fire is also an important component of the vision quests Native Americans undertake to connect with the Great Spirit and discover their life purpose.

" Air is the closest expression of Spirit. Clean air is essential to health on all levels, and practicing conscious breathing is a potent self-care method for restoring energy and making you more aware of the power of Spirit as it flows through you.

Regular exposure to the four elements creates consciousness of Spirit's loving intelligence to sustain the world, while more deeply recognizing our place within it.

Given busy lives in today's world there are several techniques to use until one can engage with the four elements. The following techniques relax, revitalize and remove blocked energy.

" Craniosacral Treatment"Relieves blockages caused by stress in the craniosacral system. Discovered by Dr. John Upledger in 1980, this system includes the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

" Reiki Chakra Treatment"Japanese spiritual healing technique, energy is channeled from master to student, cleansing the body's chakras"specific energy modes inside the body. Creates reduced stress and a stronger bridge to your inner being.

" The Sound of Peaceful Healing"a 120-minute sensory journey that uses sound, touch and smell to revive the senses and restore a feeling of calm.

" Massage: Acupressure"based on acupuncture without needles, Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Swedish, Shiatsu, Aquatic Shiatsu,Trigger Point/Myotherapy, Rolfing.

In addition to eliminating heartburn, engaging in one or more of the soul nourishing activities"Prayer, Meditation, Gratitude, Spending time in nature, including near fire and water"daily will create soul/spiritual/ emotional health and you will enjoy a highly enriched and enriching life.