Eastport, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/27/2009 -- Heartburn is when you have a burning sensation in your chest behind your breastbone. It is a symptom of acid reflux disease. This is when acid from your stomach flows back into your esophagus. Persistent heartburn two or more days per week is the most common symptom of acid reflux disease. Other signs include coughing, wheezing, hoarseness, sore throat or difficulty swallowing. Some people experience food coming back into their mouths after swallowing. Others experience a sour or bitter taste in their mouth, belching or burning chest pain that may get worse after eating or lying down.

Everyone experiences heartburn once in a while. However, if you have heartburn two or more days per week, experience symptoms for several months or if the symptoms disrupt your sleep, you may have acid reflux disease.

When you swallow, the muscular walls of your esophagus contract to push food down into your stomach. Your esophagus is a tube that connects your mouth and stomach. In normal digestion, a muscular valve opens to let food into your stomach and closes to keep food and stomach acid from flowing back into your esophagus. If you have heartburn or acid reflux disease, this valve is weak or it relaxes at the wrong time, causing stomach acid to flow back into your esophagus. When stomach acid touches the lining of the esophagus, it creates a burning feeling in your chest or throat. If you have frequent heartburn or acid reflux disease, your esophagus can become damaged.

Other health conditions that affect your digestive system can increase your risk of developing acid reflux disease such as obesity, hiatal hernia, asthma, etc. There is medication available to treat heartburn and acid reflux disease but they usually have a tendency to cause negative side effects such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, upper respiratory tract infections, vomiting and flatulence. Antacids can be used to manage occasional heartburn but they don't provide long-term relief or help to heal damage to your esophagus. In addition, overusing antacids can lead to constipation or diarrhea.

There is a natural solution for heartburn and acid reflux disease. It's called Manuka Honey and it is derived from the nectar of the flowers that grow on the Manuka tea tree which is indigenous to New Zealand. Taking one teaspoon of Manuka Honey about a half hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner and then a fourth time before bed will reduce or eliminate the symptoms of acid reflux disease.

"Manuka Honey has been used as a medicine in New Zealand for decades but has been recently gaining recognition as a natural healing agent in other countries," says Frank Buonanotte, CEO of Honeymark International which is the largest importer of Manuka Honey in the U.S. "Manuka Honey has very powerful healing properties that have been found to have no negative side effects when used for medicinal purposes. We refer to it as natures best kept secret."

For more information or to purchase Manuka Honey, call 1-866-427-7329 or visit http://www.HoneymarkProducts.com.