Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux (GERD & LPR)

Slippery Elm

Posted by Gena (Westport, Ct) on 12/09/2014
★★★★★

I have acid reflux and find that taking 4 capsules of slippery elm settles my stomach and makes the acid reflux disappear. I highly recommend it for anyone who suffers from it!

Acidophilus

Posted by James (Hartford, Ct) on 04/03/2013
★★★★★

I take acidophilus every night for its beneficial bacteria. I noticed about a week after I started taking it that I no longer get acid reflux. I take 2 refrigerated pills with a glass of water just before going to bed. Highly recommend this.

Sauerkraut

Posted by Gokhals (San Francisco, Ca, Usa) on 02/20/2013 34 posts
★★★★★

Acid reflux, especially in people over 25 is generally caused by too little acid, rather than too much acid in the stomach. I saw miraculous results with unpasteurized sauerkraut on my friends and family who had GERD.

Sauerkraut is made by mixing shredded cabbage with a tablespoon of sea salt, covering up with a cabbage leaf and leaving on the counter 3-5 days, until the cabbage is soured. Then refrigerate. Eat a tablespoon when you get acid reflux, or related stomach problems. They will disappear instantaneously. Your heartburn will vanish. Your bloating will vanish. Your stomachache will vanish.

The whole proton pump inhibitor industry is a gigantic scam. PPIs are also extremely detrimental to health.

Slippery Elm

Posted by Lenore (Chicago, Illinois) on 04/01/2009
★★★★★

My husband had a bad case of acid reflux for years and I found out about Slippery Elm Bark tea. I made him a cup of it and he drank it down and has not been bothered with it for months.Slippery elm bark tea is said to soothe and heal anything it comes in contact with and is very nourishing. The tea is reputed to stay in a sore and ulcerated stomach where nothing else can and can be purchased in powdered for at any health food store. By the way I love your website and told a friend about using ginger while undergoing chemo. He now thinks I am a genius and said it works so well that he can eat again and is gaining weight.

Betaine Hydrochloride

Posted by Woody (Frankston, Australia) on 09/08/2008
★★★★★

I have suffered Gastric Reflux for about 6 years, tried eveything including Tagamet, Zoton and all the beta blockers and Proton pump inhibitors but nothing worked. One day I tried Betaine, one tablet at breakfast and 6 years of grief have been replaced with zero reflux. This has been good for 3 months now with no problems at all. What causes Acid reflux is slow digestion, the added Acid from Betaine speeds up digestion. And the food goes down.

Turpentine

Posted by KS (Vienna, Austria) on 10/03/2021
★★★★★

Turpentine for Stubborn Acid Reflux (GERD)

This is how I cured my acid reflux which I suffered from for 17 years (nothing else had helped):

1 teaspoon daily of purified gum turpentine. (I took it in my mouth and washed it down with a glass of water. do not swallow without water as it can get into the windpipe.)

I paused for 1-3 days when side effects like diarrhea were too much. Side effects subside the cleaner your body gets. Turpentine kills of biofilms which cause the acid reflux.

Sea Salt

Posted by Patricia (South East) on 05/11/2017

KennyWally,

Could you elaborate on the Sea Salt? How do you use it, and in what quantities? Thanks for sharing.

Acidophilus

Posted by Carmel (Essex, England) on 05/26/2022

Most yoghurts are heat treated and then the "live" bacteria is added after. Any that was there before was killed in the process.. Same as vitamin d is added to fish oil capsules etc. You need a few biotics to work, and one month is nowhere near enough anyway. It also depends on when you take them and if you use prebiotics before and during taking them.

Acidophilus

Posted by Christina (TN) on 04/07/2023

Have you been checked for H. Pylori? It may be that.

Zinc

Posted by Evelyn (Thousand Oaks, Ca) on 05/13/2014
★★★★★

I've been suffering with acid reflux for a long time. I finally realized from research that a zinc deficiency can cause this, so I tried supplementing with zinc and it has helped tremendously even though I still have to be careful with the types of food I eat and not eating before bed time, etc.

Avocado

Posted by Sergio Rossi (Mansfield, Texas) on 11/26/2011
★★★★★

Have had acid reflux since I am 12 years old. Tried all kinds of things thoughout the years, I learned that my stomach changes with time. ACV is good and I add it to most meals when possible. Pickle juice is also very good. The one thing that provides me with almost instant relief is avocado. The curious thing is that I didn't see it in the list and makes me wonder why? Hope it can provide some sort of help to some. Best luck!

Slippery Elm

Posted by Cris (Sydney, Australia) on 04/09/2008
★★★★★

Hi! I have tried different remedies to help me with my acid reflux due to my hiatus hernia and 1 tsp. of slippery elm powder mixed with water works for me. It coats the esophagus and helps with the burning behind the throat and acid tongue feeling. I can pretty much eat anything but when I take slippery elm but of course, I try to eat healthier foods most of the time.

Slippery Elm

Posted by Kathleen (New York, NY) on 09/04/2007
★★★★★

Acid Reflux - Slippery Elm -- Cured my acid reflux after trying everything for a year. A herbalist in my neighborhood said get a bottle of water and put 2 Tablespoons of powered slippery elm in it and sip it all day long. Also, the Thayer's Slippery-Elm lozenges -- you can let one after the other dissolve and always at night when I go to bed (and during the night). Put more slippery elm powder in a little water and drink it straight, after meals -- it will be a little thick, but it absolutely works.

Sleep on Your Left Side

Posted by Jay (FL) on 09/21/2025
★★★★★

The stomach is on the left side and the orifice to exit the stomach is on the right side but can't open to let out digested food when it is covered. I tried laying on my left side and it does seem to help.

Celery

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 07/29/2023
★★★★★

A friend and I were eating at a Mexican restaurant. We had several dishes that were acidic, plus a few glasses of coke. After the meal my friend took out a 4 inch stalk of celery from her purse, and began eating it. She told me that she had been living on Tums since she was young, but had just recently tried celery. By the time she had finished the stalk of celery, the severe burning sensation in her throat and chest were gone.

Since that time, I have learned to use this protocol for anyone experiencing acid reflux or heart burn.

After eating, always eat a 4 inch piece of celery behind it. I've seen people's reflux disappear completely in as little as 24 hours and as long as they stay eating the celery, they do not have a relaps.

Why does it work?

During ancient times, celery was considered to be a medicinal herb before it became a food and used to treat a variety of ailments. Celery is an old folk remedy for heartburn.

Celery is highly anti-inflammatory. It may help in reducing the severity of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchitis, asthma, lupus, gout, Crohn's disease, leaky gut, etc. (1). This activity is attributed to the active ingredients like apigenin, apiin, and luteolin in celery juice (7).

Celery heals and activates the gut by restoring hydrochloric acid which helps us digest things faster and more efficiently. Celery juice helps raise stomach acid, which is necessary to help break down food, especially protein. Especially good for those on a high protein diet. If our stomach acid is low, the body has to use more resources to digest that food, often leaving us feeling tired and lethargic. Celery juice has the ability to significantly replenish depleted levels of gastric mucus that is needed in the stomach lining to heal and prevent ulcers and acid reflux.

Try it and let me know.

Kefir

Posted by Christopher (New York) on 12/21/2020
★★★★★

Since I started drinking a cup of kefir in the morning my stomach acid discomfort has gone away. I just bought grains and within a week I will be drinking my own homemade kefir. Good luck, everyone!

DGL

Posted by Peter (California) on 02/08/2020
★★★★★

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.

Kefir

Posted by Sara (Texas) on 06/24/2018
★★★★★

KEFIR for acid reflux works for me. I use only the plain Kefir and drink about 1/2 to 1 cup, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It is full of nutrients, probiotics and has antibacterial properties. I wait and do not eat anything for about 1 hour or longer so as to let the probiotics work effectively. I have not had any problems with acid reflux since. I realize everyone has different body chemistry's, but this has sure worked for me.