Effective Natural Remedies for GERD Relief - Holistic Approach

How can I strengthen my esophageal sphincter naturally?

Straight Leg Raise Maneuver

Leg raise exercises can be done to strengthen esophageal sphincter muscle
Studies have shown it works. You can do them from bed. I had immediate improvement in my GERD. Just did a couple sets of 10.

https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(22)00970-3/fulltext

I have come across this simple exercise that, over time, cured GERD. It was written up as a case study and published in Cureus. Here is how it works.

You put some food in your mouth, kneel (the author kneeled on a 6" platform, but it may not be necessary; a pillow may do it) and put your arms down on the floor as you bend over, and lay your head into your hands. Chew and swallow the food. (The key is that your head is below the level of your stomach.) The author did part of his breakfast and lunch this way. He got significantly better after 67 days. He was cured after another 5-6 months. The exercise strengthens the lower esophageal sphincter.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359946078_A_Simple_Exercise_to_Strengthen_the_Lower_Esophageal_Sphincter_and_Eliminate_Gastroesophageal_Reflux_An_Autobiographical_Case_Report

I will forever be so thankful to this site. I've been feeling pretty crummy all morning with GERD symptoms starting about an hour ago and going from 0-100 real quick. So much pressure in my chest it feels like I'm dying. I tried ACV, digestive enzymes, prilosec & tums. Nothing. I just went to the fridge and drank about 1/2- 1 cup of pickle juice and I can breathe again! Great relief & easily on hand! THANK YOU EARTH CLINIC!

Wondering if anyone has ever tried Iberogast.............made in Germany and from botanicals?

Integrative Medicine for Gastrointestinal Disease (nih.gov)

STW 5 (Iberogast) is a commercial formula that includes nine botanicals: Iberis amara, Matricaria chamomilla, Carum carvi, Mentha piperita, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Melissa officinalis, Chelidonium majus, Silybum marianum, and Angelica archangelica.10 In three studies of functional dyspepsia that included patients with GERD symptoms, those receiving STW 5 were more likely to have improvement in symptoms than those receiving placebo. STW 5 was most effective for epigastric pain, retrosternal pain, and acid regurgitation. Adverse events were similar to placebo and included dermatitis, angioedema, digestive intolerance, and one case of allergic asthma. The product has been sold in Germany for 40 years and has a good safety profile.

Baking Cocoa helps GERD or Stomach acid/Acid indigestion!

I just wanted to share with people what has helped my husband's stomach indigestion and acid problem!

He was diagnosed with GERD. He has tried different antacids for years and nothing helps him. He discovered that "baking cocoa" in warm water or milk as a chocolate drink takes away his acid completely and instantly! This is how he uses it:

1. 1 teaspoon of baking cocoa in a cup of warm water to dissolve it,

2. A little bit of coffee creamer or any type of milk.

3. You can also use stevia or sugar to taste.

Cocoa is very good for your health! Check out health benefits on line.

My husband uses the generic brand to cut cost and it works fine!

hello everyone with GERD

I'm back again for some exciting experience I had just a few days.

i have sooo much things happening in my stomach bec I have eaten different nice but naughty foods during the holiday season.

i woke up spinning and my stomach is giving me too much problem . I can't drive bec I'm dizzy and feeling in my stomach

i want to vomit but I can't I did the suggestions I have posted earlier, it does help but problem always came back. I have been dizzy nearly a week, not vertigo . It's coming from my stomach

When someone had the same experience I had, recommended Eno Fruit Salt. Went to Indian store bought one but the lady owner recommended ‘TRiphala' as well.

Arrived home and took some Eno, seems good.

before bed I took Triphala, next morning took another dose .

The next day morning, the GERD sickness I had for more than 20 years seems fixed

Oh I took some slippery elm that day too, to calm down the spasm in my stomach .

Bec that spasm in my stomach make me dizzy too that urge me to moved my bowel (sorry)

Would you like to try?

Go to Indian store or store online

LoveElsa

GERD caused by Hiatal Hernia (HH), diagnosed thru endoscopy. Started my GERD with too much burping, I got worse, I have strong palpitation in my stomach and feeling like I have heart palpitation but it was my stomach. This is my own sickness that cannot be cured, I think bec it was caused by HH.

My treatments: Chiropractor will pull down HH. Acv, baking soda, DGL, LIFE Extension brand of ESOPHAGEAL Guardian tablet sucked during bedtime Elevate my head when sleeping And most of all, I used my fingers to press the stomach, chest, neck, all parts that is painful . Breathing problems is solved and it happens bec your intestines is full of air that goes up . Press upper bone on the chest and burp so acid reflux will not go up to the throat. Occasionally use a belt between my diaphragm and stomach to prevent acid going up to the chest . It caused anxiety too when acid is up, Lobella is calming. Lots of warm water. Chew the food.

When there is pain press it or poultice clay leave it overnight. The remedy is to press and burp plus all remedies mentioned above to manage it. Don't worry you will not die, something had trigger it and you will be sick only for three days. Don't worry too much and carry on with life as long as you can IF not have a rest.

I inherit this weakness from my mum and she is 86 yrs old now, not taking any medication and I am 70 yrs old, started this ‘pet' when I was 52 yrs old, on menopause- life still beautiful and living the dream.

Love Elsa

Hi Ellen,

Melatonin is established as an effective treatment for GERD, but is also noted for potentially helping in the repair of gastric ulcers and for its esophageal protective effects against the damage caused by acid entering the esophagus from GERD. Melatonin may also be useful in the prevention of esophageal cancer!

Here are several study links confirming that melatonin is effective for GERD and possibly healing of peptic ulcers and some esophageal issues :

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24251671/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC2821302/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6073539/

https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/369656

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3240674/

Art

I was on PPI drugs for over a year for GERD. The GERD gave me syncope, coughing, and dizziness related to low blood pressure. The drug only made things worse by suppressing the acid. I had some improvement from choosing alkaline foods over acid ones, and paying attention to food combining, but I could still get very ill from even alkaline foods, including GERD cures aloe Vera juice and apple cider vinegar.

Nothing worked until I did two things. I took liquid melatonin once every day and I made sure I was drinking at least 3 pints of water a day, shooting for 4 when I could. I put a pinch or two or unrefined salt into each pint. This helps to prevent low blood pressure and helps the body to not just urinate out the water right away.

After a couple of weeks (relief/success was instant! ), I got off of the antacid drug (I chose to taper because it virulently I suppressed acid when you try to kick the drug suddenly), and I have never had a return of the problem that made me a basket case afraid to go out (in case I fainted; the acid was always making me feel hot and very dizzy, with a wildly erratic pulse). I went to a general practitioner and several specialists, but it was only by doing my own Internet research and implementing the EarthCiunic suggestion of melatonin (plus following proper hydration practice for someone of my weight and activity level) that I was helped.

I am completely cured of the issue. I no longer lie awake with GERD/cardiac distress, though I do urinate three times a night because of the water I drink. I am 78 years of age and an athlete. Thank you, EarthClinic, and Art from California who posted about melatonin as a GERD cure!

How I cured my GERD was to take a half teaspoon of baking soda with an 8 oz glass of water on an empty stomach three hours after I eat dinner and nothing else.

I did that for so many weeks and I cured my GERD.

Stephen

Bry,

You have to remember that Betaine HCL comes in different strengths and taking 5 to 7 caps of a high strength product can cause damage.

It is also important to remember that if you take too much and you are feeling the burn, you can neutralize the acid with a half teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a small glass of water. To let the burn continue can cause damage to the stomach.

Art

Betaine HCL worked like a miracle for me too after many months of suffering from GERD (chronic heartburn or acid reflux). It felt like a rat was living in my tummy, gnawing my insides every day.

It is necessary to take 5-7 caps instead of the 1-2 the bottle says, and ONLY take it with protein meals, never with light meals. Made my suffering that lasted for months go away in several days. I still maintain my stomach health by using this supplement occasionally with a heavy meal. (If you take betaine HCl with a light meal you will probably feel burning in your stomach.)

If you have been suffering, you have got to try this method. The reason it works is because when we get older and the stomach acid level drops, the signal sent to the brain weakens and the sphincter closing the esophagus off from the stomach relaxes and lets a tiny bit of the very strong HCl (hydrochloric acid) through. It is counter-intuitive, but raising stomach acid during a protein meal will send a stronger signal, and the esophagus sphincter will shut tightly again.

Using a drug that shuts off stomach acid can be detrimental since stomach acid kills germs that you do not want entering your intestines, and makes minerals from food available to the digestion. Mineral deficiencies can start a new host of illnesses.

Actually, sipping a slightly strong ACV drink with a protein meal *might* create the same situation of raising stomach acid during a heavy, protein-laden meal. God bless!

Ok folks here we go. I got rid of my GERDin about 7-10 days doing everything I was told not to do. I refused to take PPI's and the aluminum packed ant-acid pushed on my by doctors.

1. I started with the traditional tsp. baking soda in small amount of water morning and night. It helped.

2. I ate a thick slice of raw organic ginger root with every eating. It has natural antibacterial and huge amounts of digestive enzymes. And it really helped.

3. I ate lots of dill pickle spears. Felt good.

4. Soak in a glass jar, steel cut organic oats in pickled juice / water over night in fridge and ate by spoonful as needed. Lasted several days. Was filling and stopped acid. This was working but I felt this overwhelming hunger to rinse my stomach with beer. Previous to this it had been about 10 years since I drank alcohol.

5. One evening I drank 6 lights beers. It felt SO GOOD RINSING MY STOMACH WITH THE SUDS.

6. The next morning (with a little headache) I felt a need for grapefruit. I bought a bag of 9 grapefruit and ate EVERY ONE of them. And it felt so good. Citrus is supposed to be a no-no.

7. I started eating about two big salads of whatever MIXED GREENS DAILY. With 2-3oz fish protein, canned salmon or shrimp. THIS DID MORE FOR ME THAN ANYTHING.

Today, although I am not thrilled with drinking beer, I drink a light beer on the days I feel the need. BEER WITH CORN STILL HURTS MY STOMACH. BEER WITHOUT CORN SOOTHES MY STOMACH.

No more butt burning acid gas, hoarse sore throat or upper stomach pain.

Here is the biggest thing I learned from this. Have you ever watched a dog sniff food before it eats. If it sniffs good he scarfs it down, if it sniffs bad he walks away. SNIFF FOOD BEFORE YOU EAT. YOU WILL KNOW IMMEDIATELY IF IT IS GOING TO HEAL YOUR STOMACH OR HURT YOUR STOMACH. For instance, any kind of apple does not smell good to me, and if I eat it my GERD will flare up.

CONCLUSION: For me eating lots and lots of mixed green leaves is the number one thing that keeps GERD away. A daily grapefruit is refreshing and soothing. An occasional corn free beer. A few dried cranberries WITHOUT SUGAR is good.

Experiment with small amount to see what your body wants and does not want.

Grapefruit hack: Stop trying to spoon out a grapefruit half, that is just plain silly. Cut the grapefruit into six wedges; then eat it holding like a watermelon or easily pull out of the peel to eat in one piece.

Ohhh thank you me my GERD coming 4months this July 20 and I'm healed by okra I'm sure I'm almost ok now with the help of good diet and PRAYERS ..thank you OKRA

Dear Steve and MtM,

I am old and never heard of liver/gallbladder cleanses until joining EC and know nothing about them.

When and how was it discovered they needed to be done and why? Please explain what a cleanse is and how does it work? Wouldn't this damage internal organs? If I get indigestion, which is rare now that I know what has happened to our food supply, I take 1/2 tsp. BS in 1/2 cup water.

I do not experience indigestion until I have ingested too many carbohydrates and now that our food is being engineered to last longer I have learned this can come from any combination of dairy, eggs, meat, produce, medication and/or supplements. It's been a piecemeal endeavor by the process of elimination for over two decades.

Thank you in advance for any reply.

KT

Josh, I think you are on the right track. This is what has worked for me. Betaine hydrochloric acid 2-5 with every meal, aloe vera sips a couple of times a day and apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon in 12 oz water drunk throughout the day. You can find out more about betaine in other entries on Earth clinic.

Dear Josh,

You have gotten many good suggestions. I will add a couple of thoughts.

I agree with Steve that a liver flush may help. Whenever I get heartburn it means it is time to do a liver/gall bladder flush for me. Then I am usually good for months.

Activated charcoal tablets may help with the bloating and general detox.

Have you tried slippery elm to heal the GI tract? Highly nutritious, very gentle and healing as well.

~Mama to Many~

Hi again,

I think we are not supposed to share links here anymore so I copied a statement that may give you some hope...

Cayenne can rebuild the tissue in the stomach and the peristaltic action in the intestines.

KT

Thanks for mentioning that because forgot to add I had jaundice when I was around 16 or 17 from taking pro hormones while I was working out. I used to think I was invisible and drank alcohol while I was taking those and I ate fast food like there was no tomorrow. The jaundice cleared up after about 6 weeks I think and I was back to my normal self but I always thought there might be a connection between that and my stomach problems

I haven't had any blood work done in a while and my GI doctor at the time told me I have GERD and IBS but there was nothing else he could do for me. I've been wanting to get a second opinion because I really didn't like my GI doctor as he didn't seem like he was that invested in helping me out. I don't have insurance anymore since my parents took me off their plan so I'm not sure when I'll get that second opinion

Thanks for your help I will keep everyone posted if I make any progress

Hello again Josh,

I neglected to mention the Nutrition Almanac declares "A mineral deficiency often results in illness, which may be checked by the addition of the missing mineral to the diet." Minerals are not always shown with a CBC (Complete Blood Count) so you have ask for specific ones.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is you could be having trouble with binders, fillers and even capsules. During production of various ingredients a manufactured form of glutamic acid (MSG) is created that can destroy nerve cells needed for peristaltic action. MSG is a nerve stimulant and when it is a consequence of manufacture it is more damaging.

Since you had trouble passing the pill cam you might want to incorporate cayenne pepper with your meals. Cayenne pepper is reported to restore peristaltic action. I have been using this myself to help with elimination.

KT

https://ted.earthclinic.com/cures/gastrointestinal_disorders2.html

According to Ted, "The simplest remedy for people who can't stand the ACV is the lemon and baking soda (8 teaspoon of lemon and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water), or just 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass taken twice a day. The alkalizing should detoxify most of what is going on. However it may take about a month before the negative reaction of foods are reduced. The liver needs to clear them of fats and vitamin E may help.

I have had a similar case like that, which was toxicity buildup in the liver and heavy metal. The more chinese parsley cannot be tolerated, the more important is the remedy, but the less the amount the body needs such as once or twice a week, taken at 1-4 leaves only.

This has happened and after the baking soda and quite possibly magnesium supplements, the allergic reactions to many foods were reduced gradually until the second month where it was possible to eat most of the foods quite normally.

Magnesium, baking soda and sometimes sea salt is used to detoxify the body fluids, while lecithin detoxify fats and oil buildup since it is a fat emulsifier. Other supplements such as taurine and milk thistle may further help. Sea salt such as 1/4 teaspoon in 1 liter of water may help reduce the irritable bowel syndrome taken throughout the day for a couple of days.

Getting both urine pH and saliva pH to 7, is important to reduce the cancer problems by increasing the body's oxygen by reducing the body's excess acidity and carbon dioxide much like adding baking soda to a soda water. It takes about a month of alkalizing to notice improvements in cancer conditions or at least 3 weeks. Most gastrointestinal problem is the body's inability to neutralized the digested acidic foods where the digested acid food has a tendency to digest the persons' gastrointestinal organ, and hence the sickness."

Try doing the Hulda Clark liver/gallbladder flush. Once you get the liver/gallbladder flushed out your digestion should improve.

Hi Josh,

I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles. Have you had any blood work done recently? What does your doctor advise?

It's hard to know what to suggest but I would try a Tablespoon of BSM (Blackstrap Molasses) in warm milk or water. It is rich in minerals and a good source of B vitamins which may help stimulate your appetite.

If you have trouble keeping that down maybe you could start with 1 tsp. of BS (baking soda) and 1 tsp. of BSM in the morning.

Hopefully someone else here can provide helpful information for you.

KT

I have been dealing with bad GERD since I was 18 and have not gotten any relief exept taking prilosec which I know is horrible for you. I have tried Nexium and other antiacids but Prilosec seems to work the best. I'm now 25,6'0 and weigh around 125 pounds because it's a struggle to eat everyday. I eat about 1 meal a day which isn't a lot and after about 4-5 days I have to do a day of fasting to get my stomach to settle down and relieve the bloating and reflux. I've also been taking senna laxative because that seems to help me out too. I have done a lot of medical tests including the pill cam which didn't pass through me before the battery died (7 hours) so they had me do it again but made me drink laxatives first and it passed through fine and they didn't find anything.

I tried the FODMAP diet which didn't help and I also tried align but that seemed to upset my stomach. I recently bought aloe vera juice, digestive enzymes, AVC, honey and a colon cleanse called Oxi-Powder. Been thinking about trying some CBD oil too but the good stuff can be pricey. I'm open to pretty much anyhthing if anyone has suggestions... I can't keep living like this.

Apple Cider Vinegar helped my GERD pain

I have suffered with GERD most of my adult life. It comes and goes but this time it came and would not go. My DR put me on Prilosec OTC, Zantac, AND Sucralfate. It finally kicked in around 2 weeks in. My Dr tells me to back off the Prilosec because of bone issues. Once I started to feel better I did this. After about a month of feeling "normal" the reflux came back. So I searched the internet and found this site. I gave it a shot. I took 2 TBL of apple cider vinegar, 1 TBL of honey in 8oz of water twice a day. I FEEL GOOD! I eat an apple between meals. I'm eating smaller portions at meal time. I also try to drink plenty of water and stay away from foods that start reflux. I'm hoping this will continue. I hate taking drugs but I hate acid reflux more. Thank you for the welcome information.

In my case AVC did not work. It exacerbated the issue!

Try it with some organic honey. It makes a bit more palatable.

We take Indian Basil seeds (we call it Tutmalanga in Fiji Islands, large Indian population) for acid reflux, cured my problems over time. I took half teaspoon seeds in 12-16 oz purified water (non-chlorinated, non-fluoridated) twice daily for several months. Have been eating all kinds of spicy foods, meats ect with not a hint of problem. I was eventually diagnosed as having GERD and was on western meds for a long time. Haven't taken any basil drink in 3-4 years but I keep a packet in my kitchen just in case. In the US I buy it from oriental and Asian markets.

I have been suffering with GERD for many years now, and have been on everything imaginable when it comes to prescription drugs. I've tried all of them - Nexium, Pariet and now Dexilant 60 mg every night. Without the Dexilant, I get severe heartburn that keeps me awake all night, to the point of throwing up. My esophagus tube doesn't close like it should, so I have a swooshing of acid going up and down, all the time. The only way to fix that, according to my doctors, is surgery to repair the tube, but that's something I do not want to go through if I have another choice.

Does anyone out there have the same problem, and does ACV actually work - also, have you been able to come off your prescription medication completely. I imagine stopping your medication cold turkey is not advised, but any information you can provide or suggest at this time would be greatly appreciated. I'm scared to come off the medication because the GERD symptoms are so severe without it.

Thanks for this detailed review. I am going to try a lower dosage to see what happens...but your review was great. I will add to this remedy if it works. If the lower dosage does not work, then I will do the 1000 mg. Thanks again!

Hi. I have been dealing with gerd for about two months now I have tried ACV for about couple weeks now it seems too help me but I get flare ups every now again I take pepcid ac occasionally I also have seen my dr because I have gurgling and chest congestion as well and she says not too worry about that. I do 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and chase down with water in the am and before I go too bed should drink more of the ACV.

Gerd: Melatonin seems to be helping protect my esophagus. There is a vitamin, amino acids, hormones, therapy, with Melatonin I found online. 170 people's I believe. Versus PPI's

R: Thanks for posting this report.

If I may add, in addition to the said benefits of Melatonin, Tryptophan, and the anti inflammatory and analgesic effects, it seems an intended or unintended oversight to not mention the fat burning effects of Methionine, B-12, Folic Acid, and B-6. Maybe it was discussed in the larger content of the study, but certainly worth mentioning here as there is an increase in fatty liver in the western diet particularly due to increase sugar intake and the single worst sugar High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) which is known to cause obesity and fatty liver.

I have been using these fat burning nutrients for several yrs to keep the fatty liver at bay; if I don't take them I get the common symptoms reported of GERD but mostly constipation, both of which are a result of decreased bile flow from F.L.

Also the Lipotropic nutrients listed above are also great "methyl donors" in the extensive biochemical reactions influencing physiological functions over the entire body.

I've been going through the GERD remedies here, and I'm surprised nobody has bothered to quote a 2006 study on a natural treatment for GERD that had a 100% success rate with all 175 subjects cured within 40 days.

The abstract of the study- ( from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16948779 )

"The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing. GERD is a chronic disease and its treatment is problematic. It may present with various symptoms including heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, coughing, hoarseness or chest pain. The aim of this study was to investigate if a dietary supplementation containing: melatonin, l-tryptophan, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, methionine and betaine would help patients with GERD, and to compare the preparation with 20 mg omeprazole. Melatonin has known inhibitory activities on gastric acid secretion and nitric oxide biosynthesis. Nitric oxide has an important role in the transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation (TLESR), which is a major mechanism of reflux in patients with GERD. Others biocompounds of the formula display anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. A single blind randomized study was performed in which 176 patients underwent treatment using the supplement cited above (group A) and 175 received treatment of 20 mg omeprazole (group B). Symptoms were recorded in a diary and changes in severity of symptoms noted. All patients of the group A (100%) reported a complete regression of symptoms after 40 days of treatment. On the other hand, 115 subjects (65.7%) of the omeprazole reported regression of symptoms in the same period. There was statistically significant difference between the groups (P < 0.05). This formulation promotes regression of GERD symptoms with no significant side effects."

I tried everything I could think of to get the ACV down but all it made me want to do was vomit. Then I discovered apple cinnamon tea. I put a couple teaspoons of ACV in a cup of apple cinnamon tea and it's like drinking apple pie. You can barely taste or smell the ACV in it.

I disagree with the thread that states you need to neutralize stomach acid to cure acid reflux, which is the ideology of mainstream meds like Prilosec. Doing so will only exasperate the condition. Hear is why.

Poor eating habits high in crabs cause an overgrowth of starch metabolizing bacteria, like h pylori, in the stomach. These bacteria actively lower the stomach acids to facilitate their own growth, which reduces the stomachs ability to do its job, digest food. If food does not reach a certain acid level, it will not be released into the intestines and will sit in the stomach like a rock. This causes stomach bacteria to begin metabolizing the food in the stomach, which causes a gas byproduct to build and resultant burping. The burping brings up gastric acids into the esophagus, and resultant GERD.

Curing GERD means healthy eating habits (low starch diet) and restoring stomach acids with HCL acid tablets. If your GERD has already progressed to stomach ulcers, you will first need to address that problem before re-acidifying the stomach. Worked like a charm for me.