Acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion

Acid reflux, heartburn, and indigestion are complaints which often can be completely remedied with nutritional protocols. Beware of over the counter medications since they can make the symptoms worse in the long run. 

The cause: Indigestion, reflux, and heartburn can be caused by long term poor dietary choices and stress. Reflux can be a normal occurrence when hormones such as progesterone rise in pregnancy and cause a relaxation of the sphincters which are supposed to keep stomach contents from coming back up into the esophagus. Certain foods may also relax these sphincters in sensitive people. Having too much gastric acid, or too little, may also cause indigestion and heartburn. Finally, infection with H. pylori can also be associated with these symptoms.

Avoid Acid Blockers: These over the counter medications prevent you from properly digesting your food, resulting in nutrient deficiencies, depletion of good bacteria in your system, and more health problems down the road. It is important to treat your acid reflux with natural products which help heal and repair your system, not further destroy it.

*on rare occasion, a person may have a condition which actually causes an excess of gastic acid to be produced, such as a tumor which stimulates acid production. If efforts to address the more common causes of reflux/heartburn and ingestion are not successful- it is important to seek the advice of a gastroenterologist.

Dietary recommendations: You must consume more alkaline and enzyme rich foods such as salads, green vegetables, and green food supplements each day. Avoid all sugar, and refined or processed foods.

Candida Link: Heartburn is commonly found in women with Candida. Treating the underlying yeast problem in the gut (and vagina) may help heartburn. Natural yeast killers include Allicidin by DFH (allicin garlic extract).

Supplements: We recommend that you experiment with using digestive enzymes before each meal, such as Plant Digestive Enzymes by DFH, which could eliminate the problem. Start by taking one before meals and if that does not work, try two before each meal.  If protein digestion is what seems to cause the most reflux, try Betain HCL by DFH- one right before each meal.