I suffer from Acid Reflux. I am always looking for alternative medicines besides over the counter. Has anyone had experience with this and what herbs or vitamins do you take if any? One of the previous responders hit the nail on the head with many of the causes.
Long term resolutions: Some of the simplest ways to avoid/relieve the burn is to not eat when you're not hungry, don't drink when you're not thirsty (in other words don't do either to excess), sit up well when you're eating, and do it mindfully (take time to stop and chew and enjoy what you are eating).
I recommend not eating later than 7pm, and taking the bulk of your water in between meals and not during. Many heartburn cases are the cries of dehydration, while for others it is acid at the wrong time - if you drink too much fluid during the meal you're dousing the "flames" when they need to be on to digest your food properly! Believe it or not, yes, indigestion is often produced by *too little* lack of hydrochloric acid which causes the food and acids to build up and backup into your throat.
Lastly, consider the suggestion another answerer wrote on baking soda - while I might not suggest it per se in your case, the reason many use it is because it relieves acid, or alkalizes the body. Consider consuming foods which do this and getting PH strips to monitor your acid/alkaline balance. It will not only help heartburn, but help avoid many other ilnesses as well.
Short term: As for the late night pain, I find strong peppermint tea combined with sleeping partially elevated to be useful (yes, there are arguments about peppermint because it relaxes the system, but it is a great digestive aid that helps numb the pain - works well over several days if the issue is too little acid). I'd suggest a product called Pleo alkala for PH care, and bitters, such as dandelion root to help increase acid production prior to your meals. How about some baking soda in water. Not sure of the amounts, but you could find it online I'm sure. I've also heard fresh mint is good..perhaps a cup of tea with fresh mint. Good luck. Prilosec OTC...IT WORKS !!! Why do people buy into these 'new diseases'?
Acid Refux is NOT a disease, it's a term coined by the greedy medical industry to get more of your valuable money, not to mention, making you think there's permanently something wrong with you.
Acid Reflux is INDIGESTION, pure and simple. Everyone gets it.
There's many reasons people get indigestion: eating spicy food and drinking lots of liquids; laying down right after eating; being pregnant, especially in later trimesters squeezes the stomach closer to the esophagus; eating too many sweets or anything that disagrees with your system. On and on.
Taking calcium supplements or drinking a small amount of milk or eating cheese, if your body can tolerate dairy, is a quick remedy. Antacids are based on calcium...Tums, etc.
Baking soda is loaded with sodium, salt and not healthy for the body.
The French, well known for their overindulgence in foods and fancy desserts would have cheese as a last course.
Just remember to limit liquids and not lay down after you eat. Prilosec, Nexium, Pepcid, etc. can KILL YOU! So it's good that you are avoiding these dangerous drugs.
I would like to suggest an excellent book by Sherry Rogers, M.D. called: "No More Heartburn". She explains the many causes of acid reflux and how to properly treat the causes. (She will also explain why my first sentence is true.)
The book is available at Amazon.com or from the publisher at 1-800-846-6687. I highly recommend this book.
Best wishes and good luck. Dr. J strikes again. As a chiropractor I think he extends his expertise just a bit.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) (Prilosec, et al) are a very safe class of medications and have over the last few years become available over the counter in a dose half of that usually prescribed. It is possible to kill yourself by drinking too much water, so yes there is always potential that someone got hurt taking these medications. I can personally say that I have prescribed these medications hundreds of times and have NEVER had a patient come back to me with an adverse reaction...this is an extremely good track record despite it being ancedotal.
Acid reflux is not entirely benign. In addition to it being very uncomfortable to many people it can have complications. One is esophogeal or gastric bleeding that can lead to serious blood loss and at minimum chronic anemia. The other is a condition called Barrett's Esophogus which is a pre-cursor to esophogeal cancer. Therefore there are good reasons to treat the problem.
Alternative medications include Zantec et al also over the counter and treat GERD in a different way than the PPI's. This class of medications (H2 blockers) also have a very safe track record.
Your question was about herbs. I am not sure I have much in that vein but here are some non-pharmacological means you can try.
Eat at least 4 hours before you lay down or go to bed.
Prop (the legs of) the head of your bed up with a couple bricks.
Check out the site below which can give you information about foods that are safe and other that will exacerbate the problem.
Avoid cigarettes and alcohol.
I hope this is helpful. Good luck. apple cider vinagre tablets- it works instantly
its caused by food allergies
get a hair analysis to know what's goin on
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