Apple Cider Vinegar

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Apple Cider Vinegar for Acid Reflux

Home Remedy Ingredients

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• 6-8 ounces water
• Tall glass

Start with one teaspoon and build up to as much as two tablespoon's worth of apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water. If you take this tonic with meals you can balance out your stomach's acid content. For those whose stomach do not create enough acid for digestion, this is enough to prevent acid reflux.

01/10/2012: Mel from Katy, Texas replies: "I just saw your post and wanted to let you know my doctor thought the lump in my throat was anxiety and it was. He put me on 20mg of celexa for anxiety and I feel a whole lot better. I also use apple cider vinegar along with my ppi and it has helped so much."

01/19/2012: Kapohosue from Pahoa, Hi replies: "What are you talking about when you mention ppi? I do not know what this acronym is.

I plan to give the ACV a try today. Acid reflux has just started and I really hate the idea of getting onto prescription drugs to solve this.

Love this site."

01/19/2012: Liz from Boston, Massachusetts replies: "PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitor. Prilosec, Prevacid, etc. are all PPI's."

02/23/2012: Pat from Minneapolis, Mn replies: "ppi is "proton pump inhibitor" It is a class of drugs often used to reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces. Nexium is just one of several brand names that comes immediately to mind."

[YEA]  10/28/2011: Flyman32 from Walla Walla, Wa, Usa replies: "I'm 60 years old and have had severe acid reflux for years resulting in a condition called Barrett's Esophagus. I was taking a prescription drug and it was literally killing me. Couldn't work, could barely function. Not only that but it wasn't stopping the acid reflux any more. I got off that stuff and I started with ACV 2 months ago. I wanted to write here because it's working wonderfully for me. But.. I had to play around a little. I tried with just water, tasted bad and although I have NEVER had acid reflux again since I started, I got some pretty bad heartburn.

As far as the taste was concerned I read someone's post about putting it in V8 juice and I have been doing that for a while. It tastes like a bloody mary and is pretty good. But it still gave me heartburn. Finally I switched to Ted's remedy and now what I do is drink it with the V8 in morning and with baking soda at night, right before bed. I'm acid reflux AND about 98% heartburn free. Still gotta watch out for some things that make it reoccur. Also, I increased the dose to 4-5 teaspoons ACV. I mix 4oz of V8 with 4oz of water in the morning and at night I add 1 tablespoon baking soda. I will visiting my doctor so he can stick a tube down my throat if he wants I guess. Barrett's is a pre-cancerous condition and not to be allowed to progress. THANK YOU to EVERYONE who has posted here. The info here has changed my life.

Ole T,

Walla Walla, Wa"

[YEA]  11/29/2011: Lisa from Hackettstown, Nj replies: "OMG, unbelievable relief within a couple of hours! I was reading this site yesterday, ran to the store got the vinegar pills and in addition, took 2 tbls in 8 oz of water. In about 2-3 hours, GONE! So happy because that lump in throat accompanied by the phlegm, choking, horrible, and food coming up my throat all day was insane! So happy I found this site. It's also so good for other things, like hot flashes, bloating, etc. Whoa... Yay me!"

11/29/2011: Kristy from St. Louis, Mo, Usa replies: "Hi! Thanks for posting your results. I'm new to this site and I'm trying to find out Ted's exact remedy for acid reflux. What are the doses and how many times a day does he recommend the ACV and should I be doing baking soda too? I'm desperate for relief. Any info you can offer would be helpful! Thanks!"

[BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS]  12/09/2011: Henri from Miami, Florida, U.s.a replies: "The mixture stopped the heartburn but, me too I get spasms in the colon and constipation when I drink AC bs as side effects so far."

10/11/2011: Mike from Stuart, Fl replies: "Try sleeping on your left side. "

10/14/2011: Duffy from San Francisco, Ca replies: "A recommendation at doctorstevenpark.com is to eat 3-4 hours before bed. He also has information about how stomach contents migrate up when one stops breathing during the night."

12/23/2011: Wendy from Clearwater, Fl replies: "Sounds like you may have SIBO. Check out the work of MD Mark Pimentel for more insight. Rifaximin is the antibiotic of choice for this, but that is just a part of the story. It is a complicated disease."

[YEA]  01/23/2012: Joselyn from Manchester, Ct, Usa replies: "I have just started taking acv. My mother has been using it for over a year and it has seemed to control her acid reflux. I am not sure how, but this seems to do the trick. I cannot STAND the taste of it, so I started off with half a bottle of water, a teaspoon of avc, a teaspoon of honey, and a powdered flavor I can mix in the water. I love it. ACV also cures different types of infections, helps menopause systems, etc etc! It's the magic trick! It won't do you any harm, I encourage you to try this."

11/07/2012: Sgoyette87 from Deltona, Florida replies: "Just tried it 2tbs in a glass of water seems to be working thank god cause antacids are not."

09/06/2011: Countrygrl from Hodgenville, Kentucky, Usa replies: "I am new here and I would like to get some advice on the ACV and Baking Soda theory. I am now taking 2 meds for acid reflux(Gerd) prilosec 20mg and zantac 150mg and I am wanting to get off the both of them.. I have tried the organic ACV at one time but it seemed like to me it burned my stomach and made me worse but maybe it was because I was doing things all wrong.. I would love to get off of these meds that I am taking for this but I dont want to be in misery doing it.. Any Replys would be great.. Thanks everyone and God bless you. Sherry"

09/06/2011: T from Houston, Usa replies: "Sherry,

ACV 2 tablespoons in 8oz of lukewarm water 2-3 times daily (empty stomach or between meals) helped me with acid reflux.

Aloe vera juice has also been very useful, when at times I felt the ACV was too harsh and felt like it was burning my stomach.

Reduce/eliminate sugar, meats, flour and fried foods from your diet for a few weeks as you do this and your system will re-balance itself out.

I do AVC for 4-5 days and am cured for months on end. The acid reflux will pop its head out again if I am not careful with diet and I have learned to in the long run eat what my body needs hence elminating this issue altogether.

Good luck, T"

09/07/2011: Debbie from Melbourne, Australia replies: "Countrygrl, lemon juice will also stop acid reflux if you don't like ACV. Lemon juice has many nutritional benefits as well.

Those reflux meds you are on are very dangerous for you (research it). I would stop those cold turkey if I were you."

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  06/22/2012: Melissa from Portland, Oregon replies: "I am amazed. Apple Cider Vinegar (plus other remedies/ changes) actually works!

I have had GERD since I was 16, now 24, I have used medication for the last 8 years. Wow, 8 years!

I started with Ranitadine, and "graduated" to Omeprazole a couple years ago when Ranitadine 150mg twice a day pretty much stopped working. I started on 20mg Omeprazole once a day and a few months ago was put on 40mg twice a day. Rediculous, it got so bad that even THAT wasn't completely stopping my symptoms, I felt like my stomach was retaliating as soon as it could create acid again. And on top of it, ever since I was diagnosed with GERD if I ate any "trigger" foods (Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, spicey, acidic), I would get such an immense pain in my chest like something was trying to claw it's way out of me. No doctor can figure that one out, I got an endoscopy all is fine, so I was told to just avoid those foods. Fine, I can do that, except that after I was taking my Omeprazole 40mg THAT was tiggering the pain! You can imagine the doctors where clueless to that as well.

Now I think I finally know why the medicine stopped working and even hurt me, the medication was just funking up my body. My stomach had no idea what to do, and was sensitive to EVERYTHING. I wanted off medication, but was scared to do so. I had tried about a year ago and had bad results. My GERD causes acid to go into my throat, usually while sleeping but sometimes during the day too. And when I tried a natural remedy before, yep, acid in the throat. Not a pleasent way to wake up I must say. But I felt, after finding this site and reading up elsewhere, that I was ready to try again. I have now been off of it for about 9 days, and am doing well.

I made a plan for myself, as I felt that simply taking ACV like a medication would actually work. It was part of the "Plan". My routine starts in the morning with a tablet of DGL Licorice, have it before anything else and wait a few minutes. The DGL (Hopefully) helps your stomach create more of the protective mucus lining that helps prevent and treat ulcers. Since I am drinking acid and know that with GERD I am at risk for Barret's esophagus I think this extra step of caution is a good one to take. Then I take around 2-3oz aloe vera gel (it's just a thickened juice, you can get regular juice I just think this feels better going down). I get this organic one in a glass jar at Whole Foods, primarily because they don't use Citric Acid, but instead lemon juice and it is in a glass jar- no BPA! :) I cannot remember the name, but I think it's the only organic one in a glass jar there. I had the Aloe Vera Juice from Trader Joes and it was like drinking pure acid, it hurt so much to drink and tasted horrible. Not worth saving like $10 a month just so you scorch your throat in my opinion. Okay, so after I take DGL and Aloe I have breakfast, small meals are very key to controlling GERD/Acid Reflux in my experience. Do NOT drink water with your meal, you should chew, chew, chew to let your saliva moisten the food, this way the enzymes that naturally neutralize stomach acid help you in your quest to be drug free! Then drink, drink, drink! You need a ton of water to help your stomach digest, and to dilute acid the rest of the day. If I am doing good, I will pee about every 60 minutes, maybe sooner. Lol. But it is worth it. I Don't seem to wake up at night though, so that's good. In the afternoon, if I can, I juice, vegetables really help neutralize stomach acid and are healthy for you anyways! Though I don't think you have to do this, I have had much success with out a lot of juicing. I try to make my lunch the largest meal of the day, that way I can work hard and digest for a long time afterwords. Then comes possibly the most important part for me personally, the night routine. I have dinner NO LESS than 3 hours before laying down, I SIT UP or STAND for the whole three hours before bed. This way gravity is on your side while digesting your relatively small dinner. After I eat I will wait about 20 minutes typically then I drink only like 1 teaspoon ACV (Organic, unfiltered) in a couple oz of water, then I chase it down with just water to try to get the ACV off of the throat. (Sometimes after lunch I will do a ACV and Baking soda mix, you can probably do this for dinner as well if you like. Sounds counter intuative, but your body actually neutralizes the ACV anyways, but it still stays acidic enough to help aid your stomach with digestion. When you mix these two it takes the burn away when you drink it, find the Ted's recipe, he explains it more. ) Then right before bed I will drink about 4 oz water with a slightly heaping teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize whatever's left in my stomach and I am ready to sleep on my slanted bed. Slanting your bed is SO important, again gravity is on your side by keeing acid away from your throat.

So my lifestyle and diet changes summarized:

-Avoid foods that can cause issues (Esp. Chocolate and Coffee! These contain methylxanthine witch relaxes the LES allowing food and acid into the throat. Eat Carob as a chocolate substitute. :)

• -Take DGL and Aloe in the morning
• -If needed take ACV in afternoon
• -If time Juice vegetables in afternoon (especially cabbage! )
• -Take ACV mixture After Dinner
• -Wait 3 hours after last meal... NO Snacks! If you snack you have to wait another 3 hours before bed. This allows your stomach time to stop producing acid, the second a food hits it ir produces a lot of acid, so one cookie, even one bite of a cookie, will send it into overdrive!
• - Drink Baking Soda water mixture right before bed
• - Have a slanted bed, or a wedge (though I always slid off those things, that is why my bed is slanted)
• -Smaller meals, have like 4 a day instead of 3.
• -Lose weight if needed, I weigh like 112lb after losing 7lb, and still need to lose like 10lb, every pound you have just goes to pressing your stomach making it harder to keep food and acid in!
• -Drink WATER! Drink, drink, drink!!! Ideally almost the only thing you will drink is water. Sugars cause your stomach to create more acid. Milk is certainly no longer my friend, heartburn every time I drink it, at first it feels good, then heartburn like crazy around 30 minutes later.

Anyways, I really hope this helps people like I does me. I will say I am not 100% symptom free, I get heartburn, but not as bad as if I did nothing, and I have yet to get acid in my throat. I am happy with the results and feel everyday my stomach is getting back to the way it was before I wrecked it with caffeine, stress, and ibuprofen, naturally. :)"

06/24/2012: Sherrod from Chicago, Illinois replies: "Simple answer. Granny smith green apple. Only that kind will work. If u don't eat apples, 1st time will feel like you're gonna hurl. U won't. Eat what u want, late as u want. Also, chck food labels for high fructose corn syrup, or sometimes called "corn syrup". In everything from bread to "natural" tea. Its fake sugar made cheap and benefits corporate america. So big name folk all have it. Bbq sauces, katsup, even salad dressing. Since 80s with "new coke". "Old coke" returned but with fake sugar. Causes belly fat, acid reflux, etc. Once u could eat what u can't now all the sudden since about 90s? Thats when kid obesity shot up. it also doesn't fill u up, so u eat more. Mcdonalds leads the way. Increased lines from its addictive nature. Hfcs is the new cigarette."

05/06/2011: Sarah from Gillette, Wyoming replies: "Lilli, Maybe you have some other digestive disorders that you are unaware of, such as food allergies, eosinophilic esophigitis, or gallbladder issues. You might consider going to see a gastroenterologist or allergist for testing."

[YEA]  05/05/2012: Ianday7 from Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom replies: "Yea I have acid reflux disease which leadss to frequent heartburn. I find drinking apple cider vinegar after meals is a great way get relief. For more about reflux diets Click here to learn about Heartburn Diets. This great site has many articles written by a UK doctor and excellent advice about diets for heartburn. Ian"

04/11/2011: Carly from Seattle, Wa Usa replies: "Dear Gary,

Please read more on the subject. Do some research and then see what you think. I have seen this similar comment, and responses on E.C. before. The info is already out there, just waiting for you to discover it. Good luck, and happy days!"

04/11/2011: Selena from Chula, Ga, Usa replies: "Actually, most people suffer from too little acid in the stomach. So it is very easily understood that those people would benefit greatly from apple cider vinegar or other types of digestion aids I. E. Enzymes. Just adding this to the diet can contribute to the proper digestion of food, which in turn gives the body access to the nutrients it needs, which is why so many illnesses seem to improve by the "magic" apple cider vinegar. It's not really that miraculous, just a little common sense."

04/12/2011: Debbie from Melbourne, Australia replies: "Gary, re acid reflux and acv:

"One underlying theory here is that the acetic acid in vinegar lowers stomach acidity (increases its pH) since acetic acid is a weaker acid than hydrochloric acid. It is also believed that vinegar (acetic acid along with its acetate salt) may help buffer and maintain stomach acid at a pH level of about 3. 0. In this milder acidic environment, the stomach can still efficiently digest food but it causes less problems with the esophagus and thus less heartburn.

Another theory contends that the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is apH sensitive valve.
When there is food in the stomach with insufficient acid present, the LES valve can periodically flop open, causing acid reflux.
Too little acid in the stomach may be caused by different factors, but one of the most common one is that, as we grow older, our body does not produce as much stomach acid.
As a result the LES valve, sensing less acid, periodically flops open causing acid reflux.
Drinking apple cider vinegar supplies the LES valve with the acidity it needs to function properly.

Ref: http://issuu.com/thebestoftimes/docs/december2008/34

Improved digestion and mineral absorption from regular intake of the apple cider vinegar tonic may also play a role in reducing acid reflux.

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-and-acid-reflux.html"

04/12/2011: Mike from Montreal, Quebec replies: "Gary let me clarify your confusion about stomach acidity and health. First of all, processed food does create a lot of acidity in your stomach BUT ITS NOT THE ACID THAT IS THE PROBLEM BUT RATHER THE RESULT OF AN OVERGROWTH OF BACTERIAS THAT CAUSE GERD. The type of acidity plays a significant role in your digestive system. The natural acid produced by your stomach called hydrocloric acid because it contains chlorine is what is capable of limiting an overgrowth of stomach bacterias and fungi that causes many digestives issues. Most other acids produced by other foods tends to only lower your stomach PH but not kill off problematic bacterias and fungis. I am making these claims purely from my own personal experience of combatting major hearthburn problems. I decided one day to risk taking Hydrocloric acid (HCL) supplements and to my greatest suprized, my stomach pains went away in less than 5 minites after taking 6 500mgs capsule with plenty of water. Since then because HCL is known to allow better absorbtion of many important elements in your body such as iron, calcium and zinc to name a few, I take the supplement on a regular basis and feel so much better without having experienced a single hearthburn in the last 18 months. Of course I also had to change my eating habits to include more vegetables so as to balance my stomach PH.

ACV is probably the closest thing to HCL supplement because it tends to stimulate your stomach to produce an abondance of acid to kill off many types of bacterias and fungi. The problem with ACV is that it is a strong vinegar that is not to friendly towards your liver. That is why I prefer Betaine HCL supplements WITH NO KNOWN SIDE EFECTS if you take it on a full stomach with plenty of water."

[YEA]  09/14/2011: Ray from Saginaw, Mi replies: "Additional to taking ACV, try the RED DELICIOUS APPLES on empty stomach and even after the meal, this kind of apple heals the lower esophageal sphincter and makes it stronger. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!"

04/03/2012: Ianday7 from Brighton, East Sussex (united Kingdom), United Kin replies: "I have gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) which causes severe frequent heartburn. I find drinking apple cider vinegar after meals is very effective at reducing my heartburn. For more about diets for acid reflux disease please visit GERD Diet . This website has many article written by a UK doctor and excellent advice about diets for GERD. Best wishes Ian"