Effective Natural Remedies for GERD Relief - Holistic Approach

I have suffered from GERD for years. I am that magical one percent in the world that cannot take any modern medicine aka I get really sick (no joke my skin fell off last time I took a zpack.) I tried ACV with a straw and my teeth hurt so bad after a week I had to stop. I tried pickle juice and that made me toss my lunch every time. I sucked on mustard bottles (all I can say is eeeek, gak, ugh! ) So I tried half an apple ten minutes ago. Not absolutely perfect but a whole lot better. I'd say I was left with a two on the one to ten scale (ten sucking like Rancor breathe.) I will try a Granny Smith apple next time, this time I had a Gala apple.

Heart burn, Gerd, reflux cure. I took one Milk Thistle tablet for three days on each episode. I found I would get a longer cure each time. It was so effective that I haven't needed anything for three years. Other prescribed medicines would ease symptoms but it returned within days if medication stopped after prescribed times. Good luck.

I found myself very sick at the beginning of this year. Ended up in the hospital twice in one week because I was so sick, could not eat, could not drink.

I went to the GI and they did an Endoscopy but found only inflammation in the LES, no Pyloria and no ulcers. I was diagnosed with GERD, and the doctor put me on Nexium for 3 months. During those 3 months I didn't feel 100% but I felt ok enough to continue my regular life.

I just came off the meds about 3 weeks ago. I lost about 1lb a day. I couldn't even go to work. I had a host of symptoms: weakness, head pressure, stomach pain all the time. I don't even remember the last time I felt hungry because all I felt was pain. I had gas, bloating and pain, not to mention just wanted to get in bed, which is now super uncomfortable because I raised it 6 inches like they recommend. I tracked my calories and at some point I was eating less than 500calories because eating was so painful.

What I've done to help me:
1. Checked for Candida - according to saliva test I was positive: I bought probiotics and stomach enzymes. Not to mention started drinking Kefir and Kombucha.
2. I started a paleo diet. This has been quite hard since I'm barely able to eat period, and restricting what I eat has made even finding what to eat quite hard. But I heard it was good, so I've done it. I eat veggies and meats/protein.
3. I did the HCL test - both the 6oz of protein, and the baking soda test (2 days). It seemed positive, it took me well over 5 minutes to burp. So I started to supplement with HCL. I felt something after the first pill, but ok so continued. I still couldn't eat really. On the 2nd day's dinner I didn't really feel great, but thought maybe I needed more HCL. I took 2 HCL pills on the 3rd day's breakfast/lunch meal and felt so sick I had to drink a glass with a tsp of baking soda, this helped but I wasn't feeling great. Obviously low stomach acid wasn't my problem.
4. Back to square 1. Most sites now, including this one only discuss the need for HCL supplementation. I felt very depressed, but during one small blog line somewhere mentioned that if the HCL test fails, then you should try taking: Alkabase, Gastric Complex-HP and/or Mastica.
5. I bought Similase, which is suppose to be like Gastric Complex-HP, and some Mastica.
6. I started taking DGL Licorice and Similase, along with the probiotics and the enzymes. This seemed to help but not that great.
7. I was afraid of Alkabase because of the high sodium, so I looked for something else that could act like an "alkaline. " I then heard from a friend of the family that raw potato juice is good for stomach ulcers and GERD. I then read that the raw potato juice acts as an alkaline, so I figured this could work instead of the Alkabase. I just peel the potato, chop it, put it in the blender with some water, puree, then pour it into a strainer and get the juice. I drink that, keeping away from the potato bits because I read those are bad.

For 3 days now I'm doing this: fresh raw potato juice 30 minutes before every meal (empty stomach), 2 DGL licorice chewables 10 minutes later, and 1 Similase and 1 probiotic just before I eat my meal.

I have to tell you, it almost brings tears to my eyes to think of how much better I've been feeling. I finally stopped my weight loss, I was down 13 lbs in 20 days. Every day I feel stronger, and like I can eat. I read this potato juice thing should be done for about 10 days. I will check in then. Good luck to you all.

This is a total shock! I have been suffering from GERD symptoms for about two weeks. I realized I have been eating all the foods that trigger it from reading this forum. I tried ACV, baking soda, even drops of food grade hydrogen peroxide in water. Nothing worked. Out of desperation, I looked in the frig for pickle juice after reading all the comments and voila, the symptoms are dissipating. Amazing!

My mother has GERD pretty bad a many senior citizens do. Of coarse things like dairy, sugary products, fatty meats, etc, exacerbate it. Controlling her diet is helpful but not always possible as she feeds herself as well. She used to be on nexium which I hear is the number one selling medication in America. I guess a lot of people have GERD. This worked but was expensive. I also found out not told by our doctor but through personal research that people who take nexium have an increasingly high risk of hip fractures as the medications stops the acid but also blocks to uptake of Important minerals like calcium.

So I got her off the nexium and started giving her all natural antacids which contain blueberry leaf and power. This worked much better than the tums which actually seemed to make things worse. But still it was a battle.

Finally I read a doctors newsletter that spoke of this condition and he among other things recommended digestive enzymes to relieve the stress on the digestive system. This worked like a charm. I give her usually just one digestive enzyme with her dinner since the evening is when it acts up the most. Since then not a single bout of GERD has come up. Thanks God this did the trick. I can't highly recommend this remedy enough.

Hi there, three years ago I suffered from whooping cough which made my asthma worse as well. I needed to take prednisolone (steroids), as well as other asthma medication by the bucketload to be able to breathe. I ended up with systemic thrush and GERD (reflux for short) and was put on nilstat and nexium. If I ran out of nexium or ate something fatty, the reflux would almost choke me, to the point where I went to hospital to see if I had cancer of the throat. I had also gone back to study and was really stressed, which made the reflux worse as well. No cancer, but no reason for the the reflux to be so bad.

After a bit of research, I started to take apple cider vinegar with honey as I was desperate. The reflux disappeared almost immediately. Goodbye nexium. It has been over 4 months now and I have had no problems with reflux whatsoever. If I have had a spicy or fatty meal, I chase it with Apple Cider Vinegar and honey and I have no problems. I now have a cold and am sipping on Apple Cider Vinegar and honey.

Orange Peel Oil aka D-Limonene has saved my life. The instructions say to take 10 softgels; one 1000 mg capsule every other day for twenty days. It says to take it with or after a meal. I have read that some people are bothered by the orange flavor in their system. I like it, but I have taken the pill first, and then ate my meal after the pill. Food on top of the softgel still seems to work quite well, but the orange doesn't seem as strong. I do feel a warming sense in my stomach when taking the first couple of softgels, but I feel it's only from the orange peel oil doing it's healing and coating.

The label says the results of taking an orange oil pill every other day for twenty days lasts about 6 months and they are right. It can last a few weeks more or less depending on my diet or stress level. I now have it on my calendar so that I don't have to have a GERD attack before I remember that 6 months are up. I have also tried taking 8 or 9 pills so that I have 1 or 2 left over for the next time I have problems, but taking all 10 pills works the best to keep all symptoms, all the way gone for the next 6 months.

I've read that they aren't really sure why Limonene works. They think the immediate results are possibly from the oil's surfactant properties. I think the oil floats on top of stomach juices or something so that acid bubbles can't form. You can read more on why it works for the long term on the net. Discussions on user reviews of the different brands of 'orange peel oil' and 'limonene' were helpful to me. If you think about it, I have orange oil to clean gummy price tags off newly purchased items. I have orange oil to clean grime and make my kitchen cabinets shine. I have orange oil spray to clean my counter tops. It is said to be anti-bacterial and such. Of course, I won't ingest these, but maybe the orange peel oil softgel tabs are similar in that it cuts the grease and grime, etc. Inside me too! Maybe the oil creates a nice coating on the esophagus and stomach lining so any irritations can heal.

Whatever. I just know that the first softgel almost immediately takes down the bloat and pressure in my stomach and calms the acid bubbles. As long as I have remembered this regimen every six months, I have never had a GERD attack. No more esophagus on fire. No more coughing attacks to the point of not being able to even take in a breath from acid bubbles tickling and burning my lungs. No more red and burning sore throat. No more unbearable killer headaches from acid burning my sinuses. Heck, my ears were even very painful on the inside from acid reflux. No more! OMG. Not even a little burning. Nothing. Regular life. Ahhh!

For immediate needs, ask for 'orange peel oil for reflux' at the organic foods store. The box of 10 softgels is worth it. Trust me! It is a little expensive, but I know I need it every 6 months now or will DIE from the next GERD attack. Since my first box, I have found that any 1000 mg limonene softgel will work. The best word to search on any buy/sell/trade website is 'limonene' to get the cheapest cost per pill. (Better than searching 'orange peel' or 'reflux remedy' and the like). I now have a bottle of 60 softgels of d-Limonene with an expiration date that will take care of me for the next couple years. Much cheaper, and with extras on hand if I have break-through reflux from overeating or trying an offending food. (I have tons! Of food allergies).

I haven't found anyone mentioning side-effects, except the orange flavor being intense or it not working for them. I'm not allergic to it and that's saying a lot since I am allergic to so many things. I am also happy knowing that I am not taking an acid reducer pill that is known to leach calcium out of the body. I don't want a broken hip later in life!

If the 6 months are up and I forget limonene, I still use the standby of apples, ACV with the mother/honey mixture, and aloe liquid along with the limonene softgels. I drink and sip ACV/honey all day. I get at the aloe liquid, formulated for digestion, at the organic foods store and use as directed. I keep apples and ACV drink by my bed at night for when I wake up in a coughing fit. I sleep on my left side, which absolutely works to pinch the valve at the top of the stomach closed, keeping bubbles trapped. I look up to cough when my back hurts. Limonene helps me avoid all this now. It's wonderful!

Organic apples are great for GERD and IBS. To supercharge them, take COLD CHAMOMILE TEA. A couple of cups in between meals or at night. Together, they will save you from doctors and their procedures, medications, pain, anxiety, etc.

Trust me on this one. You can do no better!

Hello Krishna, Looks like your daughter is having low stomach acid. When there is low stomach acid, the Esophagus Sphincter will not close properly. This results in vomiting, burping, indigestion, infection.

IMO, high stomach acid is better than low stomach acid.

Clintodac what your daughter is taking now is a protob pump inhibitor. Which worsens the problems more. Now to increase the stomach acid. First stop cintodac.

After every meal drink lemon juice. Lemon juice made with half lemon squeezed and mixed with jaggery not white sugar in a glass of water, if you don't get jaggery then you can use sugar or honey. If your daughter sees any improvement make this to 1 lemon. If she feels good when taking this, she has to continue this for 1 - 2 months. During this time the stomach may heal and start producing its normal acid. This is like giving rest to your stomach so it can recuperate. If lemon juice works you can notice improvement in the 2nd day.

Alternatively, there is a supplement called Betaine Hcl which provides acid to your stomach. I am not sure whether you can buy in dubai. you can buy it online.

Take 1 betaine hcl capsule with meals. If you are feeling comfortable, then take 2 betaine hcl capsules in the next meal. If you are feeling good then take 3 betaine hcl in the next meal. Now if you are feeling acid reflux or stomach burning sensation then drink a glass of water mixed with half teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize stomach acid.

Now, the result is you have low stomach acid and you have to take 2 capsules with your meal for some time.

Some people are very low in stomach acid for which they have to take 4 - 6 capsules. Try Betain Hcl with pepsin. Betaine Hcl does not cure GERD, it just supplements Hcl, But the idea is lessen the burden of the stomach and give it time to rest and heal. If you don't find Betaine HCL, lemon juice is the simple and best remedy.

Let us know how your daughter is proceeding, it can help many here.

Good Health.

Thanks

Re: Gentle Remedies Needed for Daughter With Gerd

When my daughter was 8 years old she had this problem and now she is 16 and completely out of it. This is what I did with some ayurvedic medicine. Soak raisins at night and give her that juice in the morning. It is very cooling. Also I gave her sometimes chia seed. You have to soak this seed for couple of hours (This is what they used on top of faluda icecream in India. In Gujarati we called it Takmaria) This is also very cooling. My daughter completely stopped taking any kind of soda or diet soda. I was reminding her to drink lots of water. Also ask your daughter to eat little food one at time not to full stomach. This is a big help. It took my daughter one year to recover complety but she is completely out of it. Also at night we raised her bed so food does not come up. I hope it helps.

My daughter aged 20 years has been suffering from GERD since one year. We are based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Her symptoms are:

- Loose Esophagus Sphincter.
- Prescribed Clintodac one tablet daily after dinner.
- Initially she was vomiting as soon as she takes food.
- Started taking juices, coconut water, Glucose water, milk.
- She cannot take Paracetomol etc due to acidity.
- Started Ayurvedic medicines and after five months she started taking Salads, Curd, Milk, Oats, Bread, Eggs, cereal, Vegetables (without spice). No spicy or oily foods or fast foods. Most of them alkaline foods.
- Due to college activities she may not have taken regularly her medicines or food. She had stomach infection and fever that lasted for 10 days.

- Now she is back to beginning and vomitting whatever she takes. We are again starting with Juices, Coconut water, milk only.

Is there any treatment that would help her eat food without vomiting them?

I have been suffering with GERD since March of 2012, I am 52 years old, and recently after many months of researching the best natural treatments, I must say that Glutamine along with Chamomile tea is absolutely amazing. My GERD is nearly 90% gone. I take the Glutamine on an empty stomach or between meals, 1/4 teas. In water. And I drink a cup of chamomile tea about 20 minutes after I eat a full meal. And now my GERD is nearly gone within a few days. Brown rice and sweet potatoes are a staple side dish in my everyday meals and this has also helped tremendously. I just wanted to share this with those suffering from GERD. All the best~

Most common information in the internet is, GERD is because of the high stomach acid.

The real truth is if there is low stomach acid then the lower esophageal sphincter valve LES VALVE that is connecting the esophagus and the stomach opens and cause the food juices to flow upwards causing GERD or ACID Reflux.

The best emipirical test to confirm low stomach acid is the Betaine Hcl test. The test is done as:

Take 1 betaine hcl capsule with meals. If you are feeling comfortable, then take 2 betaine hcl capsules in the next meal. If you are feeling good then take 3 betaine hcl in the next meal. Now if you are feeling acid reflux or stomach burning sensation then drink a glass of water mixed with half teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize stomach acid.

Now, the result is you have low stomach acid and you have to take 2 capsules with your meal for some time.

Some people are very low in stomach acid for which they have to take 4 - 6 capsules. Try Betain Hcl with pepsin. Good Health

Hi Mark... The fact that your symptoms go away when you take Pickle Juice, ACV or even Vinegar tells me that the reason for your GERD problem isn't caused by too much acid in your stomach but is, instead, caused by TOO LITTLE stomach acid production. Pickle Juice is acidic so when you take it at mealtimes this raises your stomach acid to the correct pH strength -- hence no GERD. But taking Pickle Juice will only accomodate and remove the symptoms of your problem -- it is therefore not a cure. To address and repair the root cause of your problem -- lack of stomach acid -- you will have to supply more chlorides to your body.

Here's how it works. When you eat, the stomach acid pH must be at a pH of between 1 - 3(very acid) for proper stomach digestion. If it is higher than that, more alkaline in other words, then the stomach will fail to kill all the pathogens incoming with your food. This will eventually lead to dysbiosis -- pathogens like E. Coli, H Pylori, Candida, Gardia etc will begin to dominate your upper intestine area leading to all sorts of other serious problems. This is also the main reason and cause for your reflux or GERD problems.

When food is eaten, a hormone called secretin is put out into the blood which triggers the secretion of the pancreatic juices and main stage digestive enzymes -- and this process is triggered only if your stomach acid pH is between 1 - 3. So if you pH is higher and at incorrect strength, then the pancreatic juices and digestive enzymes for mainstage digestion will not be triggered and so your food will just sit there in your duodenum rotting and fast breeding pathogens also causing your GERD and reflux problems.

The remedy is as follows:

* Take betaine hydrchloride tablets at with every meal. This will help to supply the necessary chlorides and will address the root cause of your stomach acid problem.

* Take pancreatic enzymes containing bromelain and papain at every meal. This will aid proper protein digestion in both the stomach and duodenum.

* Take Sea Salt(not refined table salt) -- 1/4 to 1/2 tspn with water once per day -- outside mealtimes. This helps to supply chlorides for proper stomach acid production.

* Take Magnesium Chloride -- 1/4 teaspoon once per day -- taken at mealtme. This also helps to supply chlorides for proper stomach digestion.

* Alkalize the intestines using Ted's Sodium Bicarbonate and water remedy. Take this remedy 1/2 hr to 1 hour after every meal. This remedy helps to promote proper alkaline digestion in the upper intestine and also addresses a possible lack of bicarbonates in the pancreatic juices.

*(Optional) Kelp Extract -- regular advised dosage -- Iodine is also necessary to help regenerate stomach acid.

The above remedy can also be taken together with the Pickle Juice if you want.

I'm 29 years old, I've had Acid Reflux / GERD since at least 2009. During 2009, I was in a bodybuilding transformation contest, and I worked out 5 days a week. After 4 months of weight training, my acid reflux became severe, and I went to the hospital to get an endoscopy. They found nothing, except that my esophagus was red. Well I laid off the weight lifting for a couple years and started again in 2011. It took a whole year before the acid reflux kicked in again, and this time, it returned with a VENGEANCE! I felt paralyzed by the pain, I was getting tingles in my arms and legs, had a hard time breathing, could barely swallow, felt like I was going to choke on every bite of food, had panic attacks, even felt like I was going to randomly swallow my tongue. I couldn't lay down at night, without feeling like my whole body was in shock, due to the acid in my esophagus. I had a hunch that it was the acid hitting some vital nerve in the esophageal area, which was subsequently causing the all of these other symptoms I described above. Sure enough, I was right!

I went to the E. R. In August of 2012, and they put me on a 2 month supply of Protonix. This immediately stopped all of these symptoms, including all of the acid reflux. I have also tried Aciphex, which works well too, but it has a lot more side effects than the Protonix. I'm a health nut though, I've never drank, never done drugs, I work out, eat well, etc.. So I wanted to get off of these PPI pills. I decided to look on here, where I found Pickle Juice. I have also tried apples which helped for a short time, but then they stopped having a powerful effect, and I started waking up in the middle of the night with acid in my throat.

Well I just now came across this site, looking for other remedies that might help, instead of the pharma-pills. I saw all these about pickle juice, and figured I'd give it a shot. I went to the store and bought 2 bottles of 'Polish Dill pickles with garlic. ' I ate one spear of a pickle, just to test the waters. I was afraid it might cause a worse worse reaction, but to my surprise, not only does my acid reflux seem gone, but I noticed that it made me feel like I could breathe better?? I'm not sure if pickles have ever helped people breathe better, but I certainly noticed that my lungs seemed to open up more and the congestion in my chest seemed all but gone! I will post more as the days go on, and I try more pickles each night. Thank God for this site!

Hi Beryl... There is a very simple way to improve digestive problems. First, take both betaine HCL and pancreatin enzymes at mealtimes.

If you are low in stomach acid then keep increasing your bretaine hydrochloride tablets until you feel your stomach is too acid. Then cut back by one tablet and stay at this dosage until you again feel an acid feeling in the stomach. Keep cutting back like this until you no longer have to take the betaine.

Secondly, taking half a teaspoon of Sea Salt twice a day with water outside mealtimes will help to supply the the necessary chloride to help regenerate your stomach acid to proper levels again.

Bentonite clay should normally be taken outside mealtimes. It has a gentle action (I've used it) which helps to remove pathogens, heavy metals and toxins electrically from the intestines. The Bentonite clay particles have a negative charge which attracts positively charged heavy metals, pathogens etc which are thereafter safely excreted later.

Hi Beryl, If you feel you have low stomach acid, add betaine hcl. You can take tablets when you eat. I read about it here on EC about a year ago and added it in because it just felt like my food would sit in my stomach for such a long time! That alone creates so many problems and according to my Traditional Chinese medicine doctor, is a root cause of many disorders that most people don't even associate with their digestion or lack of, I should say.

I don't think the bentonite clay would add to the low stomach acid. As a matter of fact, the benefits of bentonite clay are amazing! It always needs to be taken on an empty stomach and will help regulate your intestines, whether it is constipation, diarrhea, indigestion or even ulcers. Clay works to help heal the whole body so its benefits I think outweigh your fear of it causing low stomach acid. One thing you must be aware of though is that because it has such powerful binding abilities, you must separate any medication use from clay use by 3-4 hours.

Hope this information helps you make an educated decision. Take care, Lisa

Hi - I've been suffering with digestive problems for some time now, belching, pain, and the doctor two months ago prescribed Lansoprozale, which for the first two weeks was very successful in relieving the symptoms and also vertigo which I'd had for three years, but then I started with dull pains in my back and arms, which I attributed to the Lansoprozale. So I had a two week break from it and, of course, the pains in my stomach and the vertigo returned. I tried again with the Lansoprozale and started with a nasty cough which disappeared after I stopped taking it. The doctor then put me on Omeprazole, and after just two capsules my throat felt as though it was swollen and my chest hurt.

I'm now wondering whether I have low stomach acid, though when I mentioned it to the doctor she dismissed the idea. However, today after experiencing stomach pain I took apple cider vinegar and got almost instant relief.

I've also been taking bentonite clay this last week, but I am wondering if I have low stomach acid whether taking the clay would make things worse, by removing what little acid I had from my stomach. Goji

Wild guess:

1] you are addicted to milk and drink it every day.

2] your body is in-tolerant of milk, and gives you a burning gut syndrome. [= inflamed intestines]

For the past year, I've been suffering from what I believe is acidosis. My medical doctors initially thought it was GERD, but couldn't find any significant evidence of GERD. I tried all medicines for GERD and even went through surgery to fix it with no avail. In the past year, I began breaking out in Eczema for the first time in my life. My current symptoms are a dull/burning pain in my stomach, throat, mouth, tongue, and lips. It's pretty constant throughout the day. I've read so many good things about ACV so I decided to try it. I've been using 2tps in water 3-4 a day for the past 10 days. My skin is slowling improving amazingly as my dermatologist just gave me a steriod cream which barely helped. The dull/burning pains in my stomach, throat, and mouth still remain but I believe it is linked. It could be inflammation or something similar. But the skin changes and digestive issues happened around the same time so that's why I think they are linked.

People of Earth Clinic, what do you think? Do you think my issues with my skin and the burning pains are related? How long do you think it will take for my body to get the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar? Thank you.

At this writing, I am happy to report that I am still gerds and cough free. The ACV has worked well for me. I am no longer taking any of the prescribed medicines. My energy level is returning to its normal state.

I use two tablespoon of ACV, six to eight sodium Bicarbonate pills disolved in eight ounces of water with two table spoons of Honey added. I use local honey in hopes that it will help with my allergies.

Thank you Earth Clinic and to the Lord for answering prayers.