Please see my video for an explanation of GastroEsophagel Reflux. People come to see me for a variety of problems (mostly to help get off prescription medicine with a more "natural" approach to the diseases they suffer from). If the GI specialist has ruled out infection and big disease (yes, reflux can lead to a pre-cancer called Barretts Esophagus) then I would plan on getting off medicine in 3 months, getting off botanicals in 1 month and maintaining with a proper diet and lifestyle.
Foods to abstain from while healing up are:
-Tomatoe (whole vegetable or sauce like in spagetti and salsa)
-Chocolate
-Spicy foods
-Coffee (decaf or regular) but expect a headache for 3 days and use tylenol
-Peppermint (however enteric coated may help in moving food through treating bloating)
-No Dairy please (personal preference of mine when healing even with negative allergy tests)
-No gluen please (same as above)
-Large volume meals kick acid back into the esophagus from the stomach-splashing caustic liquid on and unprotected esophageal lining
-Carbonated drinks
-Alcoholic beverage
Yes, holy crap this is an average American Diet! Good news is if you do this and what I mention in the video, you can heal the gut lining and then return to high stress response and poor diet again!
Medicines that shut down acid (to be used for maximum of 3 months while preparing to get back to healthy lifestyle and guilt free eating) are:
-Prevacid
-Prilosec
-Nexium
-Axid
lesser strength
-Tagamet
-Zantac
-Pepcid
Botanical supplements to use while weaning off the medicines during the 2-3month mark of weaning off are:
-DGL chewable found at Whole Foods Market or Fruitful Yield. Taste is like black licorice. Chewed slowly! (stressed people eat like hungry pets and scarf food without chewing causing poor digestion) Mix the DGL with saliva then swallow1-2 tabs 10 minutes before meals for an average of 3-4 times daily. It works as a demulcent to sooth irritated lining. Long term use of regular licorice has been associated with hypertension. DGL is the form of licorice with a good safety profile in long term use. If your diet is changed so you speed up stomach healing, should be able to get off the DGL in a month from starting it.
-Slippery Elm can also be used (I usually prefer this for IBS but found in lozenge form for people who dont like the taste of black licorice) 1000mg three times a day. Can prepare as tea by steeping 1 tsp slippery elm powder in 1 cup water for 10 minutes. Pour off liquid, discard powdered sediment in bottom of cup. Can add maple syrup or honey if desired. Drink 1 cup in-between or after meals.
-Marshmellow Root usually found in tea. 1 tblsp in 2 cups of water 3xdaily
-Aloe Vera gel 100-150mg 2-3xdaily to sooth lining. Must be aloin free, more studies are needed but aloin could be carcinogenic.
Botanicals to expedite peristalsis or proper emptying of the stomach. Usually if there is reflux, the stomach gets used to kicking food back up to vomit the irritating food, not down to digest. Re establishing chew/swallow/digest/absorb can be initiated with:
-Ginger500-1000mg dried ginger 2-3xdaily before meals.
-Aloe Vera as above also to bulk stool and help with digestive tract movement.
-Peppermint enteric coated helps with movement. This is why you find peppermint candy at the check out of some restaurants. But caution as peppermint is also an acid stimulator if not enteric coated!
Mechanical changes like keeping the head of your bed angled at 30 degrees. (Think of raising a baby crib head higher to prevent burping up of formula after eating.) Not exerting strength or lifting heavy after eating. Not swimming immediately after eating (yes old school rules!)
Consider acupuncture to help with "moving energy" down. The best results come from doctors trained in China.
This is a rather large "go bag" for Reflux but it gives alot of options. Seek out an Integrative Medicine physician or a well versed Naturopathic doctor to develop a healing schedule/timetable and always rule out disease first.
