healingacidreflux.com

When a person goes to the doctor and explains their symptoms: burping and burning in their chest after eating, waking up in the morning coughing, clearing their throat or even mucous dripping down from postnasal drip, the doctor more than likely will diagnose a severe case of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The patient will probably receive a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and receive a long list of foods to avoid. Staying on the PPI makes things feel better; however, the medicine is really just masking the symptoms because the acid is still there doing its damage. Finding the triggers does not necessarily mean those foods or lifestyle choices must always be avoided, but increases awareness of the consequences if they are ingested.

If you don’t have buttermilk handy, plain old milk will also help with your acid reflux symptoms. Eating smaller portions is key as to not fill up your stomach to the point where your Lower Esophageal Sphincter is open and able to allow stomach acid to splash through. If you are having trouble with portion control, consider using a smaller plate during meal time to fill it up and give yourself time to enjoy and savor the food. Don’t sleep after eating as it can cause the stomach acid to splash up and cause acid reflux.

Did you know that when proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s) are taken for an extended period of time it can wreak havoc on your system? It makes you much more susceptible to stomach viruses because gastric acid actually helps in digestion and reducing harmful bacteria that we may ingest, like E. coli, or Salmonella, even C. Diff. Again, this relates to the harmful bacteria in the gut which then travels up the esophagus and gets inhaled into the lungs. When you take PPI’s for over a year, low levels of magnesium can occur which can lead to muscle spasms or even an irregular heartbeat.

If your stomach is full and you drink water, the LES will open up, your stomach is now extended and will press on your LES, which then causes heartburn. Susan Berman, M. Ed., CHHC, is a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, a Certified Holistic Health Coach, and a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Susan works with acid reflux (AR) and silent acid reflux (SAR) sufferers, general practitioners, and GI-focused health professionals everywhere through her online programs. Susan is the creator of the Healing Acid Reflux online program, focused on natural healing through diet and lifestyle modifications, reducing or eliminating the need for medication.