Do You Suffer From Acid Reflux?

Do you suffer with acid reflux? Do you know whats causing it? Do you even know what it is?

In this post I’m going to break it down and tell you a bit about it and, if you suffer from it what you can do to improve this condition.

Acid reflux is more commonly known as GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It's estimated that 25-40% of Americans of all ages suffer from acid reflux symptoms. The most common symptom is heartburn, but this is actually in more severe cases of acid reflux. So, what can cause this?

Let's take a look....

Pregnancy

Hiatal Hernias

Eating an Unhealthy Diet

Imbalance in stomach acid

These can all trigger a regurgitation of acid with causes the unpleasant symptoms such as belching or that burning sensation. The root cause of this lies in how well the oesophageal sphincter works. The job of the oesophageal sphincter is to close as soon as food passes through, but if it doesn’t close all the way acid from the stomach can creep back up and cause a whole host of problems. If this is left untreated acid reflux can cause severe damage.

Most people turn to over the counter medications for relief, some even go to their doctor. The most common drug prescribed will contain a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor) and in recent years we’ve seen the brand Nexium become an over the counter medication that is also a PPI this doesn’t require a prescription for. While these are extremely effective its really important to remember that these are for short term use only. As long term use can, ironically, make this condition worse.

There are some side effects of taking PPIs - There is an increased risk of SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) when taking PPIs, they are linked to a Vitamin B12 Deficiency, a deficiency here can lead to chronic fatigue and muscle weakness among other side effects.

There are natural ways to manage your symptoms, and understanding what causes this type of digestive dysfunction could mean the difference between stopping it completely and continuing to suffer.

What are the symptoms of Acid Reflux:

Heartburn

Bitter tase in mouth (throughout the day or sometimes periodically)

Waking in the night coughing or feeling like you’re choking.

Dry mouth

Bad breath

Regurgitation

Belching, gassiness, burping or flatulence after meals

Difficulty swallowing

Hiccups and a difficulty stopping them

Unexpected weight loss

Increased discomfort when bending over or lying down

Hoarseness upon walking or during the day

Chronic throat irritation, soreness and dryness

What Causes Acid Reflux?

Contrary to popular belief acid reflux symptoms are not caused by too much acid in the stomach but rather too little. Acid reflux is caused by acid rising up to the oesophagus (this is the tube that connects the throat to the stomach). Acid enters the oesophagus because of a leaky valve, and there are a number of reasons why this happens. The oesophageal valve that connects the oesophagus to the stomach is unable to shut properly and gastric juices end up enter the pipe and working their way back up then without proper levels of acid in the stomach, digestion is altered, often causing a whole host of unpleasant symptoms.

Everyones gut is different, and everyone has food sensitivities - but what one person is sensitive to can and will be very different to the next.

So, clearly diet matters! You might be wondering at this point what foods can help improve your acid reflux symptoms:

Kefir and yogurt

Bone broth

Fermented vegetables

Kombucha

Apple Cider Vinegar

Green leafy vegetables

Asparagus

Cucumbers

Pumpkin and other squash

Wild caught salmon and tuna

Healthy Fats

Almonds

Honey

Organic Dairy

Here are some foods that aggravate acid reflux:

Alcohol

Carbonated beverages, sugary drinks or energy drinks

Artificial sweeteners

Vegetable oils, including canola oil

Spicy foods

Processed foods

While every bit of research done on this condition links diet as the number one aggravator - it makes sense that the natural remedies involve what you eat.

There are supplements you can take that can ease acid reflux, obviously you need to ensure that your diet is 100% first, you can’t expect supplements to help you without making the necessary changes to your diet - supplements are just that, they supplement a healthy diet!

Digestive Enzymes - these help you to fully digest foods and make it easier for the body to fully absorb the nutrients.

Probiotics - adding healthy bacteria helps to balance the digestive tract

HCL with Pepsin - aids in replacing lost stomach acid

Apple Cider Vinegar - the acidity and beneficial bacterial can improve digestion and help alleviate reflux symptoms

Try adding some herbal teas to your day too, Chamomile, Papaya and Ginger are great options.

Chamomile helps in reducing inflammation in the digestive tract, Papaya contains an enzyme that will aid in digestion and Ginger is a great all rounder for your digestion.

At Home all natural , do-it-yourself treatment

Chew Your Food:

Not chewing enough is the number one cause of low stomach acid which contributes directly to reflux symptoms. The action of chewing tells the brain to start the digestion signalling your stomach to be ready to receive food, this is the action that tells the stomach to create stomach acid.

Quality Diet:

Following an intensive healing regimen can restore stomach acid and provide relief from reflux. This is done by way of a quality diet.

Apple Cider Vinegar:

ACV helps to boost stomach acid levels

HCL with Pepsin and Quality Supplemental Regimen:

HCL helps people with low stomach acid, while taking probiotics and enzymes aid in healing the digestive tract.

Bonus:

Intermittent Fasting - fasting gives the digestive system a break and allows it to catch up, depending on how long you’ve been experiencing acid reflux you might want to show your digestive system a little TLC and fasting can provide this.

Disclaimer -

the information in this post is for nutritional purposes only, there may still be a need for you to see your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned in this post. Though diet is an excellent place to start there may be an underlining condition causing these symptoms that is not specific to the condition mentioned in this post.

the information provided in this blog post is not intended for treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment or advice. Please seek a licensed medical practitioner if you believe you are affected by anything mentioned in this post.