The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Apples
Posted by Marian (Mooresburg, TN) on 01/24/2009
★★★★★
apples and apple cider vinegar work for me. I use apples more frequently. I can have really bad GERD and have found that when I am under stress it becomes more intense and frequent.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Alan (Windsor, UK) on 10/27/2008
★★★★★
Having suffered for a while with the symptoms of GERD my doctor put me on a repeating prescription of PPI's, Omeprazole and then lansoprazole. The side effects of these plus the reducing effectiveness led me to this site.
I tried 2 tbs of apple cider vinegar once a day in water but gave up too soon - after a few weeks. Well the pain and unpleasant symptoms continued and I jumped backed to the PPIs. After a few days of the side effects and the fact that they weren't treating the symptoms any longer I decided to go back to the Apple cider vinegar but decided to give it a go for a month. I used 2tbs,three times a day, occasionally adding a quarter teaspoon of bicarb. After a few weeks the symptoms went away.
I would like to point out that I gave up drinking fizzy drinks as well & so perhaps the combination worked. Frankly I don't care as I am now sleeping so much better and have even reduced the number of times I have the ACV.
I guess the moral of the story for me was that you have to be prepared to be in it for the long haul.
Hope this helps.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Sunny (Chicago, Illinois) on 10/05/2008
★★★★★
I have been diagnosed with small airways disease. Really couldn't understand the diagnosis(had a cat scan and chest x-ray) because I haven't had any breathing symptoms but kept coming down with bronchitis and sore throats that wouldn't go away. My voice continues to be very hoarse and my tongue does feel like it burns once in awhile.
I recently attended a book signing in NYC for a dear friend and at that party I met a woman who told me she too, had been diagnosed with small airways disease several years ago and was treated with all types of asthma medications and finally got fed up and went to an ENT doctor. The 3rd ENT she visited, diagnosed her with GERD.
She really has saved me from such frustration. After thinking about it for 2 seconds, I decided to start watching what I ate and noticed a difference immediately. I also took some Zantac and felt a difference. Now, after reading all of these testimonials I am going to try the organic ACV mixed with water.
I also had my gall bladder removed several years ago and appreciated so many of the comments on taking digestive enzymes.
I am so excited to give it a try. Thanks everyone!
Marshmallow Root Tincture
Posted by KElly (Madison, WI) on 04/10/2008
★★★★★
GERD: Marshmallow Root tincture. Has Eliminated sore throat, sinus issues not too mention other issues that go along with gerd. Instructions varied on web sites I followed the bottle.
Okra
Posted by Juve Orbista (Parañaque Manila Philippines) on 07/09/2020
★★★★★
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
Almonds
Posted by Sharon (Lockport, IL) on 03/19/2008
★★★★★
Eating a handful of raw almonds stops GERD dead in its tracks. My daughter ate almonds throughout her pregnancy whenever heartburn hit. It worked for her also.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, TN) on 11/20/2007 490 posts
★★★★★
The best remedy I have found for indigestion, acid regurge, GERD, flatulence is elimination of all bleached flour products in the foods you eat - I find I can eat l00% whole grain bread without problems (usually cures most people's constipation problems also). I don't know what chemicals? are used in the bleaching process, but apparently that is where the problem comes from. However, you must really work at getting bleached flour out of your diet, as many pastas are made with bleached flour, many breads say whole wheat but read the ingredients and you'll find that most start off with bleached flour unless the label reads l00% whole grain. Most gravies, dips, sauces, etc. use the cheapest source of thickening agent - bleached flour. So try it and see if it works for you. It's nice having a "cast iron stomach" which has no problems with cayenne pepper, jalapeno peppers, and all that spicy stuff I used to blame my stomach problems on before I lucked up and stumbled upon the real cause of them.
Pickle Juice
Posted by Chris (Jacksonville, Florida) on 04/07/2007
★★★★★
No Way!!!! This was unbelievable!! It's 11:00 at night and my girlfriend was in tears from her GERD pain. I read the pickle juice comments and as a last resort prior to the ER had her try the pick juice remedy. IT WORKED IMMEDIATLY!!!!! totally recommend this to everyone.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Joe (Oak Forest, IL) on 09/17/2006
★★★★★
I don't know why, but whenever I am (able) to stay on a low carb diet, my GERD goes away, I sleep better, my skin improves, etc. And......this is when I am eating all I want, and even late at night. I'm not sure why this works, but I thought I was the only one. (Nexium works great, but I bloat with water weight gain.)
Apples
Posted by Lura (CA) on 05/06/2006
★★★★★
I ate a mini red small apple from Trader Joe's that actually seemed to make my GERD worse. But on days I ate other kinds of apples I don't recall having too many problems. I just ate some red delicious apples and didn't have any problems.
Apples
Posted by Carlos (Baltimore) on 04/23/2006
★★★★★
I am so glad I found your website. Last year I started developing some strange food sensitivities and terrible dizziness and fatigue. After numerous doctor visits and many many tests I was diagnosed with acid reflux! I was taking aleve for joint pain and levaquin for an infection and my health started going downhill fast. I started taking Prilosec & Zantac and noticed remarkable improvement for a few weeks, but then my heartburn and problems swallowing got worse than ever! One day I noticed that a nice crunchy green apple helped my GERD considerably, and now I can't live without 2-3 green apples a day. I'm going to try that apple cider vinegar too - antacids are just like painkillers, they don't attack the real problem they just try to minimize complications without addressing the source. Thanks for the info!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Gurt (USA)
★★★★★
I did research in medical journals over gerd/acid reflux since it was causing some health problems. What I found was that carbonated drinks build pressure in the stomach pushing the acid back into the throat. I drink one carbonated drink mid-morning then juice, water and decaf-tea during the remaining day. I also found that caffeine relaxes the muscle that becomes weak with gerd. It was a slow process to cut back on the caffeinated drinks and caffeine but now I am feeling so much better.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Josh (Ca) on 02/05/2018
★☆☆☆☆
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.
Melatonin
Posted by Ron (Port Saint Lucie, Florida ) on 07/24/2016
★★★★★
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
Supplements
Posted by Beverly (Texas) on 03/09/2022
★★★★★
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.
Betaine HCl
Posted by Bobbie (Burbank) on 04/28/2016
★★★★★
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.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Maryann (Sacramento ) on 09/11/2016
★★★★☆
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.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bodulica (Barrie) on 03/10/2015
★☆☆☆☆
For me, after 3 days - absolute disaster! I don't know how to repair the damage. It is really bad.
Betaine HCl
Posted by Fabio (Sao Paulo, Brazil) on 12/26/2014
What do I do if Betaine HCL flares up my acid reflux even more?
Raw Potatoe Juice, Baking Soda
Posted by Dave (Fountan Inn, Sc) on 04/17/2014
Hello, Reflux Master from Brazil;
You list the things that didn't help and the two that did, both alkalizing in effect. So that may tell you that the issue is largely (in your case) and in most cases the issue on reflux is usually ACIDIC body in nature. Try this experiment... which works for me; For one MONTH... get off ALL acidic foods; really...hard to do but the biggest source of base line acidic issues. Get off COFFEE, even decaffed. (It's acidic too.) No chili products, nothing with tomato, like Ketchup...and I know that in Brazil you may have lots of such acidic food temptations.
Next: reduce your red meat intake after 1:00 pm especially. The body has trouble digesting too much dense proteins. Let up on those a LOT. Eat salads at night and finally: Fish and chicken are OK. NO milk products after 1:00. Like: Ice Cream.
At night take this digestive remedy. Around 9 pm take a tablespoon in a glass of water with one third teaspoon of baking soda...Let finish fizzing and drink. An hour later take an HCL-Betaine tablet.
And finally eat a few bites of papaya...the miracle digester. And careful for too much SUGAR...that's the wild card and often overlooked in getting the body alkaline. OFTEN sugar is the main culprit. SO...NO sugar after 1 pm. The idea is ... let your digestive system catch up with the foods you give it and give it alkalizing items and let up on acidic items. 90 percent of people who follow the DIET logic and the DIGESTIVE logic of the above formula will get substantial relief. I take that back...95 percent. REALLY. Try it. I know the coffee break is hard but the coffee I found was about half of my problem.
