Top 10 Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux - I have put on a considerable amount of weight since I turned 40 (I am not 45). I have found it hard to lose the weight and have excrutiating acid reflux, flatulence, strong urine and constant bouts of low blood pressure. I decided that I was not well and needed to do something and researched the internet and found the Hallejah diet. However, I just wanted to detox as a starting point and wasn't completely happy with the diet as I understood from reputable sources that a vegetarian diet only is not healthy. However, the detoxing itself .. eating only veggies and fruit for at least 5 days resulted in all of my problems disappearing.. and this was because my PH balance was too acidic. So my advice is DETOX to achieve at least a 7.0 PH balance.

Chewable DGL Locorice extract works great for heart burn and it works immediately. I keep it on hand. The reason I use DGL is because it removes the substances in licorice that raises blood pressure.

I also found that lowering my carbs eliminated the acid flux problem. Was having significant reflux 2-3 times per week. To lose weight I lowered my carbs to 40-50 per day. About 7-11 days after starting the diet, I realized I hadn't had any bouts of reflux since a day or two after lowering my carbs. This was a complete surprise as I had gone into the diet without any thought that it might have this happy result. It also eliminated the armpit rash I'd been having. It has been about 8 months or more since starting the low carb diet and both issues have remained resolved as long as I watch my carbs. The only times the reflux has recurred was after I had been backsliding for a few days. I can get away with higher carb intake for maybe a day or three but then the reflux comes back. It's a great motivator! I'm 5'3 and weigh 165 now after losing about 15 lbs on the diet, if that is pertinent. Hope this helps someone.

I have my acid reflux under control, mostly to Dietary Changes so I wanted to reply here. One huge change for me, was to eat no later than 6pm, but mainly, just don't go to bed within 4 hours or so of eating. I can eat toast as a snack, or anything that is very, easy to digest. I've had a few nights where I had eaten something I shouldn't have, pretty late, like only 2 or less hour before bed. If I do get it, I elevate my upper body, take a bit of baking soda in water usually. I did have a bottle of Gaviscon beside my bed, but no longer needed. I do eat mostly fish, poultry, and vegetables, but I'm more about moderation than anything. I do incorporate some things into my diet such as Apple cider vinegar (Mother's type) Coconut Oil, Blackstrap Molasses in my grated Ginger Tea, and nutritional yeast I just started recently. I also supplement with C, B50, extra B12, D3, Zinc and Magnesium. I love this site as I wouldn't have known all the things to try.

I used ACV and baking soda for years, then I got into a Plant Based eating program and all my acid reflux went away,,, watch the documentary Forks over Knives on netflix when u can.

Regarding reflux. My hubby had pains once that we thought might be a heart attack so we went to our local doctor. She asked if he drank a lot of coffee, he said he did (at that time). The doc told him to stop drinking coffee and come back in a week if the pains persisted. They didn't. He hasn't drank coffee since. If you are a coffee drinker try getting off of it and see what happens. Well wishes for you ;o}

I was vegetarian when I first started suffering from acid reflux. Apple cider vinegar, ginger chews and almonds would offer temporary relief from heartburns. The medication prescribed by doctors, a proton pump inhibitor, did not seem to make a difference. I started avoiding the foods that would trigger heartburns, which did help. But identifying these foods was far from obvious. Mine did not fit the usual list. Spicy, and fatty foods did not bother me. Some acidic foods did and others not.

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!

Barring there are no underlying conditions & there is 'typical' acid reflux then diet is essential. Poor food combining added to diminished enzymes & hydrochloric acid production causes food to rot. Enzymes & digestive acid production decline with age due to the constant eating of lifeless cooked foods. I am not recommending a raw food diet as all foods cannot be eaten raw. 1/4 to 1 tsp of air dried pink salt in a glass of water in the a.m. stimulates hydrochloric acid production. Enzymes may be taken before each major meal, not after, & followed by betaine hydrochloride after the meal. Dr. David Brownstein, M. D. wrote a small book on salt which is helpful for many ailments. Dr. Bob Marshall, PHd, CNC has a site that addresses these issues.

Hi Sheila; Yes, it is an "acid thing" to me too because I'm still trying to give it a figure. Whatever this thing is, It's been "Born Slippy" to my gripe. (possibility of a joke here). I'm still rummaging through my diet and supplements to find which acids trouble me at this time.

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

About 10 years ago, I went to my doctor with complaints of heartburn. Refered to specialist. Scoped and diagnosed acid reflux. Presciption. I asked the doctor if I would be taking this the rest of my life, he said yes. I determined that I would not. After 3 months and 3 different precriptions that made me feel worse I quit taking them. Felt better right away, but still had heartburn sometimes. I now know in my case it is chocolate. Just a small amount can make me feel like i'm having a heart attack hours later. Experiment, don't let them put you on a lifetime of prescriptions that will make you sicker.

For laryngopharyngeal acid reflux, I must stick to small meals, stop eating 3 1/2 hours before lying down and avoid all fats. How then can I maintain my weight? Is the fat in nuts or avocadoes OK? I have been eating sunflower seeds and cashews because I have them around the house and they are fattening. What are good fattening foods, and how far apart should meals be taken?

I want to share my recent experiance after useing prilosec OTC prescribed for acid reflux by my Dr. I recently had an endo scope and the Dr removed several polips from my stomach that he said was caused by long term use of prilosec OTC. I just went back for a follow up visit and he wants me to have another endo scope in six months because he is concerned about two of the polips he removed. He informed me that in order to get an accurate test for h pylori which can cause acid reflux a person must be off of any type of meds such as prilosec OTC for 6 weeks prior to the test. He said all of the meds for reflux treatment cause polips. With this being said I received some information in the mail from a farmer that said people must have the high acid content in the stomach and when we do not produce enough stomach acid the food in our stomach does not digest completely but it ferments and then backs up as reflux. This can cause malnutrition also. The farmer suggested eating fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, I bought Bubbies old world receipe from the health food store because it has no sugar vinegar or preservatives in it. I also bought a cow share so I can start drinking organic Raw Milk which contains enzymes and has cancer fighting abilities in it. I will get my first gallon of raw milk tomorrow. Because of processed foods and chemicals in our food it has harmed our stomachs and over all health. I am working on going on an all raw diet and juicing. A good juice for acid reflux is orgainc carrots, apples, potatoes. Also the keefer grain is something that is better than even yogurt. I will be making this with my raw milk. The butter fat in raw milk is very healthy, the body knows how to use it and benefit from it and one can actually loose weight from it, I know this goes contrary to what we are taught! I have been off of prilosec OTC for a few days and am doing well! I use a little malt vinager which helps when needed. Malt vinegar seems to work better for me than Heinz apple cider vinegar perhaps cider vinegar is best if it still has the mother in it. Eating light meals also helps. I hope my story helps someone else. God bless.

I am writing to tell you of a discovery I made when I stopped eating carbs for weight loss. As long as I kept off carbs, I had no, zero, nada acid reflux! So, I have come to the conclusion that for myself, carbs are the cause of my acid reflux. It is hard to avoid carbs without planning and it takes a week to clear the sugars from your muscles and liver...but soon you will not have cravings for carbs and I hope, no more acid reflux. Good luck!

To Rosetta from Rogers, Ark.

07/18/2008: Rosetta from Rogers, Arkansas writes: "Thankyou. My husband has tried prescription drugs for his acid reflux.Nothing seems to help. I am going to go and buy apple cider vinegar.Thankyou so much.I will let you know how it works.Your site is like a breath of fresh air.

Thankyou Again.
Rosetta"

Hi Rosetta, If you diligently work at eliminating all bleached flour from your husband's diet, you might find that you also eliminate his acid reflux problem that nothing helps. It works for me and I can tell you that unless breads and cereals state l00% whole grain, they aren't, and probably contain some bleached flour. You will also find that many products contain both bleached and unbleached flour. The above has been working for me for over 30 years now. I don't know what it is in the bleaching process that creates the problem, but since I can eat whole grains or unbleached products without getting the problem, I know that is where the problem is.

I am age 83. I suffered from canker sores continuously my whole life until 2 years ago when by accident I discovered that I had celiac disease, that is gluten intolerance. Since going on a gluten-free diet I have not had even one canker sore. NADA! Also the acid reflux that I had all my adult life has also almost completely gone away.