48 User Reviews
★★★★★
I had AR for years until I finally stopped and considered the simple mechanics of digestion and modified my behaviour so that I was not interfering with that process. When we eat the stomach produces acid in the volume necessary to digest the food consumed. That acid is also at the necessary concentration to digest the food. When we drink just before or during meals, or just after meals, we dilute the stomach acids to the point where their function is greatly impaired. The body naturally detects this and produces more acid to restore the required acidic concentration. The result, depending on how much liquid is consumed, is a much greater quantity of acid than was needed to digest the food. This requires a commensurately larger quantity of bile to neutralize when the chyme enters the small intestine. When I stopped drinking before, during or until about 30 minutes after meals, my acid reflux ceased immediately and completely and has never returned except on rare occasions when I broke this rule on social occasions. Primitive man not only feasted and fasted, he ate and drank mostly at different times. Give it a try!
Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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But even when I did not have heartburns, I could not lay down to sleep because I would feel the burn come up to my throat, nose, ears and gums. My doctor diagnosed me with a loose lower esophagal sphincter (LES). This meant that the sphincter at the entrance to the stomach could no longer completely close up, which explains the backflow of stomach acid when laying down. Like many, I refused to take medication which lowered the level of acid in the stomach instead of addressing the real problem: the loose LES.
In the end, what really worked for me was probiotics and a dietary change. I tried the candida diet and later the Paleo diet, which have many similarities. The purpose of the candida diet is to eliminate the bad bacteria from one's body, especially from the stomach, by cutting out the foods that feed them and by promoting the growth the good bacteria. The philosphical premise of the Paleo diet is that, to be healthy, a person should eat a diet resembling what man ate before the advent of agriculture. This means primarily meat/fish/poultry and vegetables, with a few fruits and nuts. Of the fruits, one should only eat berries and avoid fruits that have been bred throughout time to be high in sugar. In addition to sugar, the main other thing to avoid is grains, since these are a product of agriculture, and were therefore not meant to be eaten (according to proponents of the diet). But the candida diet, sugar and carbs (most of which come from grains) are exactly the foods that feed the bad bacteria in the gut. The other similarity between the 2 diets I noticed is that both tended to eliminate chronic conditions of various sorts. Many followers of the Paleo diet have declared having fewer health issues and just feeling better overall.
After a month of taking probiotics and avoiding sugar and grains/carbs, I noticed I could lay down to sleep again. My tolerance for what used to be my trigger foods seemed to have increased as well. I am hoping to slowly phase out the probiotics, and just continue to eat well.
Side thought on the vegetarian versus meat-based diet: I was vegetarian primarily because I did not enjoy eating meat. However, I had IBS for as long as I could remember and the vegetarian diet did not do anything to alleviate the problem. I found it hard to incorporate what I thought was a healthy amount of veggies and ate large amounts of pasta and rice instead. But on a meat-based diet, I found that veggies, especially leafy greens, were much easier to include in meals. And I was using more spices too. I no longer suffer from IBS. And while I still do not always enjoy the taste of meat, I believe it to be the best source of protein. TVP-based fake meat products seem too processed. Soybeans has its own controversies (of which you can find discussions on the web). And the fact that beans make people fart is a sure sign that they are not easy to digest. Of course there are a lot of meat products that one should avoid. I always try to get the highest quality stuff I can find.
Finally, I would like to offer a list of resources that helped me find my way to better health:
* your doctor: only he can give you a proper diagnosis and let you know the true culprit in the matter.
* the web: this website and others like it were not only a source of information, for remedies to try, but also support
* books: there are numerous books that offer alternatives to medication. The one by Ms. Whittekin was particularly helpful and extensive in its coverage of solutions. I learned that marshmallow root and slippery elm will help heal the throat by coating it, and this was the book that initially introduced me to the candida diet. "Good calories, bad calories" is an important book that will reshape the way you think about food, especially regarding the latest opinions on what food is considered healthy and what is not.
* yourself: maintain a food and symptom diary, research your options and experiment. Good luck!
(Serbia)
01/10/2015
To be honest, I don't think that the loose LES is your problem. By the sound of it, I think it's too low acidity of gastric juices. I think that when your gut flora is OK, you won't be having problems with digestion.
Dietary Changes
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As a bonus, several other health issues have resolved since eliminating soy, including a decrease in chronic arthritis pain, brain fog/short term memory issues, loose bowels, insomnia, and vitamin B and D deficiencies. After some study, I've found that these are all common side effects of adult soy allergies.
Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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(Ny)
08/08/2017
Some older people who have high blood pressure can't take salt. I test it alot and if I eat more than 600mg sodium a day my blood pressure sky rockets. The other day it was 121/77 and that nite I ate two bowls of chinese egg drop soup and today it was 153/95. The other days it's in the 120's/80 except when I eat salt the nite before. So be careful with the salt. One hot dog can contain about 500 mg of sodium. I boil them to get the salt out into the water and I boil smoked sausage the same way and I believe that 90 percent of the salt comes out. I do it with ham too. You can tell cuz there will be no taste., but you can sprinkle a TINY amount of Celtic salt to make up for it and yet it will be way less than before.
(Columbia, Tn)
08/10/2017
I love salt. However I do take 400mg Potassium Citrate twice a day to attenuate the effect of higher sodium intake. I keep packaged and fast food to a minimum. This keeps the BP fluctuations to a minimum for me. Always use Himalayan Pink salt for the spectrum of minor minerals in it.
Dietary Changes
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In Truth, these acids have nothing that's wrong about them, but I am not metabolizing them correctly for now. I cannot take aspirin or even White Willow Bark For now. (high in salicylic acid) Foods high in salicylates don't seem to be a problem.
Foods high in citric acid are troublesome now. I may have moderate amounts of naturally fermented foods. (lactic acid) Acetic acids are also troublesome now. Even Rose Hips tea caused a disturbance. (ascorbic acid and citric acid) I have trouble metabolizing sulfur. It is acidic, but moreover, the body conducts a very complex process with it in order to use it. (when I try to understand what all the liver does in this, I have to "roll out the fainting couch"). If sulfur isn't properly methylated, oxidized, etc., its unfinished business will be expressed to and from an unhappy colon.
What brought me to realize that my case was some "gross acidosis", was (I must admit this), 5 years of Hcl supplementation. I began it after a lifetime of digestive ills that peaked with a 3 month period of upper stomach pain, projectile vomiting, and dry heaves. (liver problems too) Scope showed no ulcer, no H. Pylori, but there was inflammation. After research, I began Hcl with Betaine (sounds like beet uh een). My results were great, and I could eat well. After a couple of years, I began to have negative symptoms that seemed unrelated to the Hcl. (no stomach pain). After 5 yrs., there was pain nearly everywhere but the stomach. I increased Hcl. Pain increased. Kidney pain increased exponentially. Ted's words, "acid kidney", came to mind.
I went for a scan. The results were; No stones, no obstructions in kidney, but a small liver lesion and a small hiatal hernia. I stopped Hcl. The pain began to subside. I now have somewhat low stomach acid, but I choose B-complex with an extra pinch of niacin to treat it. These are the acids that I may have.
The rewards for the practice of finding my troublesome acids are: no more kidney pain, minimized liver and stomach pain, much reduced bleeding, (purpura, gums), very few canker sores, (autoimmune), and very few shingles outbreaks, (herpes). I am now able to slowly reduce my meds. I have learned this practice from reading the brilliant posts here, and I am again grateful. Connie
Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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God Bless and good luck,
Carolyn
Dietary Changes
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(Bend, Oregon)
11/20/2010
At 40 I developed acid reflux and tried traditional medicines off and on, but found 10 years relief from not drinking beer. Oddly, wine and coffee didn't bother me. After reading from others, I see it's the grain connection. Unfortunity, at 52 my acid reflux has resurfaced and is miserable. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to reduce eating all grains and see what happens.
(Bowling Green, Kentucky, Usa)
11/21/2010
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Lisa,
I am 50 years old and have had difficulty with acid reflux for over a year. I, too, have noticed that beer is a big aggravator for me. There have been numerous things that help temporarily, but I have finally figured out that the acid/alkaline foods and beverages I drink seem to determine my level of reflux.
I am using 1/2 tsp baking soda with lime in the morning and at bedtime. I use more during the day if I am having heartburn or know I am going to eat acidic food. I also try to eat more alkaline foods than acidic. You can google and find a list of foods and where they fall on the list. Beer is very acidic, as is sugar, which may be why so many people find relief by eating low carb. Baking soda is very alkaline. I am also eating a grapefruit for breakfast and an apple for snack on a daily basis. Hope this helps. It is a miserable feeling to have reflux, but even worse is not knowing how to help yourself. Using the acid/alkaline food chart has helped me manage myself very well.
(Ballymena, Northern Ireland)
08/18/2012
★★★★★
My acid reflux started about 1 year ago. I wasn't sure at the beginning why I was so sick, had a nausea, was dizzy sometimes, tired.. Then I found out it is acid reflux. I was trying to heal it with Aloe, Apple cider vinegar and baking soda.. It did help for awhile but definately didn't heal it. Then I said to myself STOP. If I wont heal it, I can develope a cancer of aesophagus. I stopped to drink coffee, stopped to eat chocolate, began a vegan, started to make vegetable and fruit juices everyday and I feel 100% better! When I eat chocolate, I start to feel sick again. So I am better off from all these things.
I definately recomment lifestyle changes, because your body is trying to say: 'Stop to put all this rubbish to me! I need much more nutrition to keep you healthy and happy! ' I am quite glad now, that I started to have a GERD, because that made me think about my lifestyle and now I started to live healthy again with right choices of food as I used to do years ago. I make vegetable and fruit juices for my wee son as well, buy lots of vegetables and fruits everyday, try to make some new healthy vegan food nearly everyday. And I am very happy when my son eat it and like it, because I know, that I am giving him the best nutrition. So people. Don't be afraid to change your diet. It is the best think you can do for yourself in long term. I didnt want to take medicines for this, because I knew, it will only make my problem worst and then I will really get sick. I don't even need any medication anymore. Food is my medication. And avoiding coffee, chocolate and meat was the most important thing for me.
Dietary Changes
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(Sacramento, CA)
04/30/2009
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I went on the Atkins diet twice in my life and both times, my GERD disappeared. I have mentioned that to all the Drs I have ever seen and they all just shook their heads and blew it off as an anomaly. I am happy to hear of someone else having that same experience. I won't go back on Atkins, but now I am motivated to once again cut most of the bad carbs out and see if it helps.
(Jackson, Wyoming)
01/28/2010
I'm not an expert on this matter, but it may be that carbs aren't the issue. It could be what is in most carb foods, and that is gluten. An amazing amount of people have some sort of intolerance to the gluten protein. The good news is there are several foods that are gluten free or low in gluten. I had severe GI problems (including awful reflux) and found out that I'm intolerant to gluten. Once I removed it from my diet I felt great! Good luck.
(Smithfield, Pa)
12/30/2011
I have done low carb and I have also done plant-based nearly vegan diet for over 2 years. I found that either of these diets works to eleiminate both acid reflux [GERD].
I think the main thing is to avoid all processed foods. No processed sugar or flour. [I don't like to call them "refined" cause there is nothing fine about them.]
I took prevacid for a year and would wake up in the middle of the night choking on the taste of stomach acid in my mouth. Then, because I also had diverticulosis, I started eating oatmeal 5 days a week for the fiber. For the longest time I became convinced that animal foods were one of the bad things that contrubuted to disease but now I am not so sure.
Eventually I went vegetarian and from that I went nutritarian based on a book by Joel Fuhrman, MD called Eat To Live. I stayed on that diet for over 2 years up until 2 months ago when I went low-carb high-fat. Low-carb high-fat is really what all the low-carb high-protein diets are about. They don't want to emphasize the high fat part cause it would scare folks off. Reading Gary Taubes Good Calorie, Bad Calories is what got me interested and turned me around into accepting that animal foods may not be all that bad as long as you avoid processed animal foods and those with hormones and antibiotics.
Anyway it has now been about 5 years since I have had any symptoms of GERD or diverticulosis. Plus after going on the vegetarian diet followed by the nutritarian diet I lost 40 pounds and since going low carb and eating much more meat & fat but no potatoes, bread and the like I have not gained back a single pound but in fact have lost a few and my lipids have gotten even better as well as my blood sugar which went from 99 to 89. I also supplement with DHA, vitamin D and magnesium taurate.
I will be 65 years old in another month. Wish I ate better when I was younger.
(Ny)
08/08/2017
You are so right about the carbs, becuz I remember 12 yrs ago when I went on the Atkins diet for 4 months my heartburn went completly away!! I think I will try the paleo diet.
Dietary Changes
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I read about the alkalizing diet and started on it right away. I start my day with 2oz of Aloe Vera Gel, then I take enzyme pill and eat breakfast. I am taking enzymes right before every meal. Then I drink a cup of chamomile tea with honey or molasses instead of sugar. I eat an apple around 10 am. Sometimes a pear. After lunch I take B complex vitamin, don't forget the enzyme pill too (it helps to digest the food better) Sometimes I feel a little bit discomfort in my stomach and I become afraid of getting the acid back, at those moments I chew raw almonds ( I always have some in my purse) and I feel fine! And , at last but most important I take PROBIOTICS, 5 or 6 per day, just anytime during the day. The more cultures they contain the better you feel, because we all need to replenish the good bacteria in our intestines (we live in a very stressful and poisoned environment)
Thank you all for the valuable information on this website! God Bless You all...
Dietary Changes
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(Ny)
08/08/2017
You are right too. I think it is the "bromides" in the flour that is upsetting the stomach. They used to use iodine, but not anymore. And the bromide blocks any iodine from getting to the body and the thyroid and therefore more people are getting thyroid nodules and goiter.
Dietary Changes
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(Port Washington, NY)
10/23/2008
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I have taken Prilosec or Nexium for 45 years straight, and have recently detoxed as part of a program to help my thyroid and adrenal fatigue. Long story short, I simultaneously stopped taking my Prilosec, and I was fine. My detox consisted of raw veggies, fruit, fish and chicken. When I went off detox, reflux returned with a vengeance. My Naturopath suggested that I remove gluten from my diet, and I have been completely acid free for 2 weeks without any medicines. This is unheard of for me. I strongly believe that for some people reflux is a sign of gluten intolerance or worse. By removing Gluten, everything improves...skin, brain, energy, etc.
Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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Dietary Changes
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For 3 months my husband and I ate nothing but veggies and meat. Cut the wine and beer from diet too. Also took supplements that rid the body of fungus as well as very strong acidophilus.
Winthin one week, sore throat was gone.
2 Weeks - acid reflux disappeared completely (yay no more prilosec). Sore arthritic feeling knees stopped.
3 or 4 weeks - husband and i who suffer sinus infections frequently quit sneezing, coughing, etc. No more sinus infections for either of us.
3 years later - unfortunately I quit the diet because of pregnancy and dr. advised it would be bad for baby. Now sore knees and throat are back, and now have MRSA. With a lot of the cures here dealing with toxin cleansing etc. I wonder if yeast helps breed the MRSA?? Unfortunately, when I tell friends of my miracle cure when they are ill, their response is 'i could never change my diet that drastically' and they continue seeking that quick fix. Our forefathers had it right -- "You are what you eat".
(Flushing, New York, USA)
02/01/2013
