The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Kita (Detroit, Michigan) on 08/19/2007
★★★★★
I had acid reflux bad for the past two years. Oneday my aunt went to a health food store. Her and a lady got to talking about blackstrap. The lady had tried everything for her acid reflux so the doctor finally told her about blackstrap molasses. My aunt brought some for me and within days the acid reflux started to go down. Now I have been taking it for4 months now. It is just about cured! It is the best thing for acid reflux. I took two teapsoons of it everyday in april and now I take less because it doesnt bother me. One or two teaspoons will help get you through the whole day.
Aloe Vera
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 04/26/2012
Hi Lisa... I am afraid the that medical thinking, concerning GERD and reflux problems, is simply not correct. The doctors will insist and simply assume that GERD and reflux problems are always caused by EXCESS acid. When, in actual fact, 90% of all reflux problems are usually caused by
TOO LITTLE acid in your stomach.
See this link:
http://metabolichealing.com/key-integrated-functions-of-your-body/gut/lack-of-adequate-stomach-acid-what-you-don-t-know-could-be-causing-major-distress/
This link goes right through to describe the reasons and also tells you exactly how you can check properly if you have TOO LITTLE STOMACH ACID. You can confirm whether you have too little or too much stomach acid by The Heidelberg pH Test. But this is quite an invasive check. They can also assess your problems and tell using another less invasive method using urine analysis, hair analysis and blood chemistry. I think naturopaths can also do this latter test.
Generally, if you take PPI's or proton pump inhibitors -- this massively and dangerously inhibits your stomach acid production and usually makes the problem much worse. And so when the undigested food passes into the duodenum, the CCK hormone (cholecystokinin) will not be released (stomach pH not low enough because of no stomach acid) to trigger the enzymes for main stage digestion and so very little duodenal digestion occurs. The food then just sits there and stagnates and rots giving rise to a whole host of other digestive problems in the body that usually involves dysbiosis, candida and other pathogenic bacteria rapidly taking hold in the stomach and upper intestines.
I helped a woman from Africa who had very similar symptoms to you. She had GERD, esophigitis, gastritis, systemic candida, colitis, LES and a whole host of other serious problems besides. She was also on PPI's and in quite a bad way. See this link for her complete symptoms, daily protocol and cure story. Her protocol is identical to The Anti-Candida Protocol that I normally recommend for Candida problems but I also included and added pancreatin enzymes and betaine hydrochloride tablets daily with every meal to help with the lack of stomach acid.
First thing you should do is get a complete doctor's check-up including blood and liver work up. Also I would ask your doctor for a proper and more accurate stomach acid check by one of the above methods that I have already mentioned.
I suspect that you will be severely lacking in stomach acid, severely lacking in energy and you will also be severely mineral deficient -- especially magnesium and iodine deficient -- all caused by the PPI's. This means that your calcium levels will be way too high --> excess blood calcium causes tissue pain, blood problems and also inhibits the absorbtion of iodine in the body, so you may well have low thyroid or hypothyroid symptoms as well (low energy, intolerance to hot/cold, low basal body temperature etc.).
Acidophilus
Posted by Toomba (Kuching, Malaysia) on 05/27/2007
★★★★★
66 percent of cases, a treatment consisting primarily of acidophilus and digestive enzymes will usually do the trick. In Dr. Spreen's words: "Acidophilus supplements (powder form, the liquid tastes awful) protect the oesophagus without killing acid (while killing the pain almost immediately). The hassle is, you have to keep it handy and take it often if you don't solve the whole problem, which involves tightening the gastro oesophageal sphincter. Dr. Spreen describes his treatment as "ridiculously simple and cheap." And while he feels confident that he can stop more than 2/3 of all heartburn and reflux cases.
Banana
Posted by Sean (Seattle, Wa) on 10/15/2009
How much water do/have you been drinking? The one thing that I have noticed about people with acid reflux...Not enough water and not enough fibrous foods. Cut out bleached white flower products and bleached white sugar/corn syrup products. They can easily account for 1/2 of your caloric intake if you don't wage a war on them. I feel that we are in the midst of a nutritional holocaust. Stick to natural foods. I know a lot of people that don't like water! They even go YEARS without getting enough. -Just a thought
Aloe Vera
Posted by Larry (Arlington, Texas, Usa) on 08/04/2011
★★★★★
I've had acid reflux since 1989. Started drinking aloe vera and after 16 to 20 weeks of drinking twice daily, I don't have acid reflux anymore.
Chamomile Tea
Posted by JohnnieLou ( Lawton, OK) on 02/20/2007
★★★★★
I had suffered from severe reflux for months. Nothing seemed to help. While surfing the internet, I found some information about chamomile tea helping with reflux. I bought the green tea with chamomile and started drinking it at the first sign of reflux and always about an hour before bedtime. The chamomile tea helped immediately and I no longer have reflux. I guess Peter Rabbit's Mom knew what she was doing when she gave him chamomile tea and put him to bed after he ate too much in Mr. McGregor's garden! Regular chamomile works as well as the green tea/chamomile combination.
Betaine Hydrochloride
Posted by Katzie (Canada) on 11/18/2022
OR - you could try Manuka Honey, which is great for acid reflex and heartburn. Many Naturopaths prescribe it for same.
And since HCL is what you have used with success, wouldn't ACV be cheaper and work just the same?! ; also its easier to find!
Betaine Hydrochloride
Posted by John (USA)
★★★★★
If apple cider vinegar cures acid reflux then you do not have enough acid. An acid supplement like Betaine Hydrochloride can work wonders. It did for me. I lived on acid reducers until I figured it out. Quick test take a teaspoon of baking soda on empty stomach. A good belch with normal stomach acid should occur in 2-3 minutes. Mine took 15-16 minutes. Goodbye to Nexium/Prevacid etc.
Mustard
Posted by MrsAcon (Indiana) on 04/23/2024
★★★★★
I also was skeptical about this but it works immediately and every time! Just a spoonful of any yellow mustard does it. I even carry mustard packets with me now.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda
Posted by Jane (Folsom, CA) on 09/21/2023
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar for acid reflux, GERD, sour stomach, etc.
Wow, I'm just so happy that I have to share my experience with you and hope that it will help you. I was experiencing so much acid in my tummy to the point that I constantly had to eat to alleviate the discomfort. At night was the worst. It's when your stomach has no food, and that's when I felt so sick that I had to get something to eat, at night. Even that, in the morning I felt nauseous because of all the acid in the stomach. Luckily, I went to this lovely website. I read about Ted's remedies for GERD. I'm familiar with this site ten years ago and read a lot about Ted's remedies. I wonder how Ted is doing now. I learned so much from Ted. Sorry for getting off track. Back to this remedy, I mixed 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in an 8oz of water and drank it 3 times a day. This drink really tastes like Alka Seltzer without the aspirin. I felt a difference soon after I drank it. It really changed my well being. I was feeling so sick in the stomach and it made me lazy and not felt well.
I really hope this recipe will help you. I really think it will.
Sea Salt
Posted by Ken (Midwest) on 01/29/2017 46 posts
★★★★★
FWIW, sea salt, any kind will also give instant relief to acid reflux. I stumbled into a few years ago, and brought a small container to a weekend seminar in Albuquerque in 2012, and folks seen me using it and they wanted to try it too, lol, but it was good for all interested. I carried it in a small 15-ml nalgene bottle on the ready at a moments notice. I no longer need it, cuz I got a hold of some of my dietary issues. Anyways, others had relux and needed the salt and so were grateful, and I was glad to share.
Mustard
Posted by Sidney (Nola) on 07/25/2016
★★★★★
Acidic problems are rare for me; however, I did experience reflux after eating a fatty meal. I read these comments and tried teaspoon of mustard, worked like a charm!
Whiskey
Posted by Judy (Riverside, California) on 07/20/2016
★★★★★
Whiskey cured my husband's acid reflux!
For 2 months now my husband age 71 was suffering from severe Acid re-flux. His condition was so bad that the Acid Re-flux was going up his throat and causing sore throat and even his ears to burn. And eventually was causing severe asthma attacks! This had gotten so bad that he would go into coughing spells and 2 times we had to take him to the ER as he was having trouble breathing!One time his asthma became so bad we had to call 911 on him and an ambulance took him to the ER! He was given an Inhaler to stop the asthma attacks! One doctor told him he would have to learn to live with his asthma.
One day my husband had to go to the store and bought a small bottle of mild and inexpensive whiskey. He doesn't normally drink but thought since Whiskey was once considered "medicinal" he would try it as he was desperate!
He poured himself 2 shots of whiskey in water and drank it down and he said his stomach churned and this stopped his acid re-flux! So far it stopped his asthma from becoming really bad. He has had a couple coughing spells and has used the inhaler about 2 times but he has improved greatly!
This Whiskey treatment also brought out that my husband had a "silent strep throat" he didn't know he had? And he is treating his strep throat with organic vinegar/salt/and water gargle! Another improvement!
We wonder if the mucus from his strep throat was going down his stomach causing all the trouble?
Just letting others know what has worked for him.
White Vinegar
Posted by Rd (Nebraska) on 06/27/2016
★★★★★
I had acid reflux most of my adult life. One day after hearing about what I could do from an elder, I tried it and to this day I no longer suffer from it. It was an old family cure that worked for me and others I passed it on too. Well here it is.
Take 2 tablespoons of pure white Vinegar, heat it up and shoot it down.
Within 3 days the acid reflux was gone forever. All I can say is try it. And by the way don't swallow any water for a few hours. But you can rinse out your mouth.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Becca (Colorado) on 06/06/2016
★★★★★
Blackstrap Molasses works immediately for acid reflux. Now let's see how long it lasts...
Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda
Posted by Deirdre (Atlanta) on 10/17/2015
Hi Frederick,
According to Earth Clinic's contributor Ted, whom I just visited in Bangkok a few weeks ago and the one who has written extensively on apple cider vinegar and baking soda on this site, a remedy should work within 3 days. If it doesn't, he said it's time to try something else. That is Ted's golden rule. He kept telling me this when I visited him.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Norma (Tennessee) on 10/06/2015
★★★★★
I just wanted to say that blackstrap molasses helps with acid reflux, about 2 tablespoons and take that either before or after eating, works either way. I think it has to do with potassium that helps with the acid reflux the same as with the banana I believe that's why it works....
Ginger
Posted by Lady Constance (Beaver Falls) on 04/27/2015
★★★★★
Also, re: Ginger, I use pickled ginger like they have at sushi restaurants. Works in seconds on the acid! And yummy too. Also candied ginger is yummy and works well. I always have baking soda in the house, 1 tsp to a cup or less of water, bobs your uncle, pain gone! God bless you.
Don't Eat Before Bed
Posted by Lily (Nashville, TN) on 11/09/2014
★★★★★
Yes when I had reflux due to lack of acid Apple Cider Vinegar helped but so does changing the diet to more clean foods and not eating close to when you will sleep (elevate your head if you need to).
Water
Posted by Michael (Alton, Il) on 05/27/2014
★★★★★
After suffering 2 years with acid reflux I was cured in 3 days drinking water.
Directions:
1) upon waking, drink 44oz glass of water.
2) Required... drink (Only) water with meal.
3) Drink large glass of water before bed.
