Burp! How to prevent & stop GERD
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) isn't just miserably uncomfortable, it's also a serious disorder that can lead to cancer of the esophagus. If you have acid reflux, how do you stop it? Antacids such as Tums and Rolaids? H2 blockers that prevent acid production? Proton pump inhibitors that block the pumping of acid? Or, do you use something else? With so many different methods to stop acid, it's obvious that medical science has no idea how to cure GERD or acid reflux.
Alkaline substances neutralize stomach acid
You might remember from your high school science class that acid is the opposite of alkaline. To counteract or neutralize acid, you must introduce an alkaline substance or create an alkaline environment. OTC antacids try to do that but often don't contain enough of the alkaline substance and are quickly overwhelmed by the acid production of your stomach.
An alkaline substance that requires no prescription, is inexpensive and has no side effects is readily available in your pantry: baking soda. I've used it in the following recipe to completely neutralize occasional bouts of acid reflux: put a teaspoon of baking soda into an 8-oz. glass of water, mix it thoroughly and drink it down. If you have huge amounts of acid, you might want to increase the baking soda to a tablespoon and possibly reduce the water to 4 or 6 oz. Even better, I know of a simple diet that will end the acid reflux and create a permanent alkaline environment in your stomach.
An alkaline diet that ends GERD and acid reflux
When your stomach breaks down food, the end product is either alkaline, acid or neutral (this is a greatly simplified explanation!). What you want to do is eat enough alkaline-producing foods to counteract the acid-producing ones.
You might think that citrus fruits create an acid environment. In fact, lemons, limes and grapefruits are some of the top foods for creating an alkaline stomach! Breads made with any type of flour create acidity, while breads made from sprouted grains create alkalinity. Anything that's very sweet is acid - including fresh, frozen and dried fruits.
Did you know that water can cause an acid stomach? If you've been guzzling lots of water, that may be the total cause of your acid reflux problem! I drink Ozarka natural spring water, but it sometimes causes too much acid if I'm really thirsty and drink a lot at one time. If I mix in some baking soda, I get no acid reflux. There are some alkaline waters and some machines that can generate alkaline water in your kitchen, but both options are more expensive than adding baking soda.
These books might free you from GERD drugs!
I would suggest you check out the following books at Amazon to help you develop a realistic alkaline diet. I have these in my library and have found them to be immensely helpful. While I didn't start out following the exact diets in the books, I have converted now! I have discovered that incorporating many of the foods and leaving out some others (and adding baking soda to my water) turned my stomach from acid to alkaline in short order. With great and almost immediate success, I completely switched over to the pH Miracle diet because of the health benefits.
It may not happen overnight for you, but it should happen relatively quickly if you initially follow any of the suggested diet plans. Once you have switched your stomach from acid to alkaline, you can start adding back some of the acid-producing foods, if you like. If acid reflux happens again, you'll know that you should add fewer acid foods. Here are the books:
Buy as many of these books as you can afford. If you can only buy one, the pH Miracle book at the top left should be your choice.
* * * * * * * *
I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.
Alkaline substances neutralize stomach acid
You might remember from your high school science class that acid is the opposite of alkaline. To counteract or neutralize acid, you must introduce an alkaline substance or create an alkaline environment. OTC antacids try to do that but often don't contain enough of the alkaline substance and are quickly overwhelmed by the acid production of your stomach.
An alkaline substance that requires no prescription, is inexpensive and has no side effects is readily available in your pantry: baking soda. I've used it in the following recipe to completely neutralize occasional bouts of acid reflux: put a teaspoon of baking soda into an 8-oz. glass of water, mix it thoroughly and drink it down. If you have huge amounts of acid, you might want to increase the baking soda to a tablespoon and possibly reduce the water to 4 or 6 oz. Even better, I know of a simple diet that will end the acid reflux and create a permanent alkaline environment in your stomach.
An alkaline diet that ends GERD and acid reflux
When your stomach breaks down food, the end product is either alkaline, acid or neutral (this is a greatly simplified explanation!). What you want to do is eat enough alkaline-producing foods to counteract the acid-producing ones.
You might think that citrus fruits create an acid environment. In fact, lemons, limes and grapefruits are some of the top foods for creating an alkaline stomach! Breads made with any type of flour create acidity, while breads made from sprouted grains create alkalinity. Anything that's very sweet is acid - including fresh, frozen and dried fruits.
Did you know that water can cause an acid stomach? If you've been guzzling lots of water, that may be the total cause of your acid reflux problem! I drink Ozarka natural spring water, but it sometimes causes too much acid if I'm really thirsty and drink a lot at one time. If I mix in some baking soda, I get no acid reflux. There are some alkaline waters and some machines that can generate alkaline water in your kitchen, but both options are more expensive than adding baking soda.
These books might free you from GERD drugs!
I would suggest you check out the following books at Amazon to help you develop a realistic alkaline diet. I have these in my library and have found them to be immensely helpful. While I didn't start out following the exact diets in the books, I have converted now! I have discovered that incorporating many of the foods and leaving out some others (and adding baking soda to my water) turned my stomach from acid to alkaline in short order. With great and almost immediate success, I completely switched over to the pH Miracle diet because of the health benefits.
It may not happen overnight for you, but it should happen relatively quickly if you initially follow any of the suggested diet plans. Once you have switched your stomach from acid to alkaline, you can start adding back some of the acid-producing foods, if you like. If acid reflux happens again, you'll know that you should add fewer acid foods. Here are the books:
Buy as many of these books as you can afford. If you can only buy one, the pH Miracle book at the top left should be your choice.
I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.
posted by Edith Gaylord | 6:00 AM
15 Comments:
Thanks for your idea re: baking soda. I have recurring bouts of GERD if i drink a few cups of coffee and it does not go away easily.
Coffee is acidic, so it'll cause GERD. I'd stay away from coffee if you have recurring GERD bouts. Just plain water with baking soda should do the trick!
Thanks for all the information. I have been suffering with GERD for the past 3 weeks and I am so sick of it because I sing and I cannot afford to lose my voice. Is there anywhere that I can purchase alkaline water? I drink a ton of water. Also, do you recommend anything natural that is good for sore throat due to this?
Singinggirl75,
Make your own alkaline water by adding baking soda to it. In fact, add baking soda to all the liquids you drink...water, juice, coffee, tea, etc. (avoid adding it to carbonated drinks). I use about 1/4 teaspoon for 12 ounces of fluid. By doing this all the time, you'll always be alkalizing your stomach and body.
What about oatmeal bread, is that still considered a flour? I do not have problems normally, but I am now in my last 2 months of pregnancy, and there seems to be nothing to help. I am sure reducing the acid-ash will help tremendously....I have been eating tons of the wrong things, cooked tomatoes, regual salt, juice, milk, cheese...all that talk about enough calcium during pregnancy. Also my calcium pills are calcium carbonate, does that mean it is compressed baking soda? Thanks so much, this will really help out alll my prego friends!
Anonymous,
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate & is not the same as calcium carbonate. Oatmeal bread is not alkaline. If you want alkaline bread, stick with sprouted breads. You can find some in the freezer section of your health food store.
Since you're pregnant, check with your doctor before adding baking soda to your diet.
I suffered from GERD for over 10 years and ended it in one day. I now only eat old fashion oat meal for dinner. Absolutely no bread or wheat products. I add all the fresh fruit or vetigables I want. I start my day and end my day with oat meal. My blood levels have improved by 100%. I have been GERD free for over three months. Kennith Peterson
I just eat a peppermint candy cain stick, and I noticed that my food that I eat since 7 hours ago, is trying to come up my thoat. I hate gerd, and I am positive that I also have Hiatal Hernia, and I have had that for 8 years.
I really think I should have surgery to repair, my Hiatal hernia, what do you think about surgery?
Hello. I'm also GERD positive.
There are a lot of suggestions to use baking soda in a diet on your blog. But I'm not so sure about that, if it's good. My doctor told me to not use baking soda, because it helps only for some time and it worsen the disease.
So are you sure baking soda is good?
I've never heard that baking soda worsens GERD. Don't know how that's even possible. It does not stop acid from being produced (stomach acid is essential to health and digestion!). Instead, it just takes the acid that your stomach produces and TEMPORARILY turns it alkaline.
Maybe some of our other readers who have GERD can address thisissue with personal stories of baking soda use.
A friend of ours who used to take prescription drugs for GERD has stopped taking them and has switched to a combination of baking soda and vinegar.
I've had occasional acid indigestion but nothing that requires medical intervention. However, since I started drinking "haymaker's switchel," I've never had even an occasional bout of acid indigestion. Here's my recipe for this traditional drink, which is commonly found in use on farms of years gone (and by the Amish, Mennonites, etc.). It really slakes thirst, which is why it was used for those working in the fields and sweating profusely:
In a large glass, mix:
2 tablespoons Bragg's unfiltered apple cider vinegar
Sweetener of choice
Good-quality filtered water
Stir, drink & enjoy.
I occasionally treat myself by using Apollinaris sparkling water (it's the Queen of Table Waters...from Germany) instead of filtered water. It's amazingly delicious! When the price of Apollinaris goes up too high (it fluctuates with the exchange rate), I switch to Pellegrino water (from Italy). It's okay, but you'll see a difference in taste. Still, it's tastier than good-quality filtered water. I've used Perrier (plain, not lemon or lime flavors) water, too, but I still prefer the Apollinaris.
The sweetener I use is stevia from Emperor's Herbologist. I've written about stevia before. It's natural and you need only a little. Get it here:
http://emperorsherbologist.com/cart/product_info.php?ref=13&products_id=30&affiliate_banner_id=1
The reason I use Bragg's unfiltered apple cider vinegar is because it's organic and it has a wonderful flavor that you just won't get with cheaper apple cider vinegars or other vinegars made from other products. I buy it by the gallon!
Edith
I always thought that citrus and vinegars were acidic? I guess you are saying that that's wrong. Please enlighten me. My husband has been suffering with this.
Anonymous,
Not all citrus and vinegars are created equal. Orange juice is bad, lemon juice is good. Apple cider vinegar is good, other vinegars are bad.
The good ones do not leave a large or burdensome acid ash (residue) in your stomach. The bad foods/beverages leave more acid ash, causing a burden on your stomach. You burp it up...and have acid reflux.
Edith
I have not yet tried the baking soda- but was actually looking for some before i read this just because of science> I will be trying this though.
What i have been using is silk almond chocolate milk, tastes great and more effective than tums or other methods. it works in minutes
For the last week after going to bed and I already sleep on 2 pillows to be at an angle like my doctor told me too. He has given me Lansoprazole 30mg. One time of day. For the first week or two taking this I was ok but now every night I go to sleep and I am woke up 3 to 4 hours with severe burning in my throught and particles comming up I feel like I am going to throw up but I don't . I don't understand if this medicine is to prevent this why I am going thru this?
Thank -you for writing this article. I loved it!! I look forward to reading books mentioned & trying the diet. I have never ever had this issue before, but since chemo radiation & surgeries in the past yr I have had nothing but GERD. I believe this will do the trick.
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