Acid Reflux...too much acid or too little?

[Catherine S]

In the last 6 months i've been suffering with acid reflux, something I never have before...even in the worst years of health anxiety my stomach/digestive system was never upset but these days I find that I have to be careful what I eat or drink. The thing is, there seems to be conflicting advice about what to do to relieve the symptoms. One article I recently read said acid reflux is the result of too much stomach acid that has to be balanced with alkaline, but another article said it was the result of too little acid which means the food we eat isn't being digested properly, so the usual remedies will only make things worse instead of better...all very confusing to say the least

I know many of you also suffer with this, so how do you cope with it without resorting to serious meds? Any ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

ISB x

[venusbluejeans]

Drinking milk always helps me to neutralise the stomach contents.

[Catherine S]

Thanks Venus, and I always thought the same thing, that if it was because of too much acid then alkaline such as milk would help, but the article I read said the opposite, that it can be caused by not enough acid to break down food properly so what's left just ferments and causes bloating and indigestion etc. So confusing!

ISB x

[venusbluejeans]

I guess find whatever helps you and stick to that, trial and error really

[Catherine S]

I guess so, much like every other condition really. Thanks for your reply.

ISB x

[Carnation]

I agree, Milk works for me too. Bananas as well, but I know they don't agree with everybody. Green Tea is good and Porridge.
Fatty foods and processed food tend to upset it as well as going too long before eating.
My Mum use to have an ulcer and she drank nothing but Milk to recover. Hey, it works for Babies.

[Colin44]

Omeprazole tablets for me, can't live without them.

[SADnomore]

Okay, well, this is my go-to cure, but you're not going to want to hear it...! A bit of a pain as you'll probably have to go to the health food store, and not terribly tasty, but, you get used to it! Works like a hot dam*!

1. Into a juice glass, pour 1 tablespoon (or a little more) Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, the cloudy, unfiltered kind.
2. Stir in a couple of teaspoons of agave syrup or honey or sugar (I like agave or honey best).
3. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water to the mixture, then (over sink) stir in 1/4 teaspoon or so of baking soda, and stir briskly. While it is still foaming madly, drink it right down.

Keep moving, walk around quickly if possible, or do chores that have you bending and straightening, main thing is to keep moving until you've had a number of good deep burps.

Feel the relief! ... I found the "recipe" online after being advised by a naturopath to "take" organic apple cider vinegar, it was called a "gin fizz" by the author, lol!

And yes, sorry but it does have to be unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar. Something about the "mother" (cloudy part). I've tried regular and it didn't work :P

Thanks to this simple little trick I was able to come off the very strong prescription acid blocker I'd been on for 4 years. Even if I don't have acid reflux I take at least one of these every day. Aids in digestion very well.

Marie
p.s. If you have ulcers, milk will make it worse. Been there, too. All healed now, yay!

[Magic]

I will try your recipe Sadnomore. see if it works for me. Thank you.
I take zantac at the moment. that's the only thing that works for me
but want to try to get off them.

[wcb123]

Gerd is perhaps my biggest issue alongside my health anxiety. Both cropped up around the same time. I can't tell which is causing which. I refuse any Anti Deps (after trialing citilopram for couple months) and take Tumeric/B Complex and Fish Oils daily.

Ive been on omeprazole for over a year for the GERD and it definitely works but I keep reading it's really bad for you taking it longterm, i now can't tell if the new systoms i experience are down to advance health anxiety or side effects from the omeprazole!

My gps prescription says it only needs reviewing in a year/year and a half??!!.

Tried Milk and whilst it gives instant relief, it definitely makes things worse for me a day or two later.

Recently started getting into fruit smoothies (the innocent ones) and they give me severe stomach problems.

In terms of shop counter anti acids, the most effective i have tried are ASDA's own brand anti acids. They work sooo much better than the much more expensive Rennie.