GERD, Heartburn, Reflux
- Dr. Alicia Miller, ND
- Jul 3, 2021
- 4 min read
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition that will have symptoms of heartburn, nausea, sleep disturbances, difficulty swallowing, and possibly respiratory symptoms like coughing. Usually the bottom of the esophagus, where food goes down into the stomach, there’s a sphincter that opens and closes to the stomach. If the sphincter is weakened or relaxes abnormally, the stomach acid can reflux up into your esophagus. The biggest concern, if left untreated, is the damage to the esophagus may turn to cancer. The other concern is the prescribed medications induce nutrient deficiencies and increases your risk for bone fractures, therefore the medications are a short-term solution.
Why does this happen in the first place? If there’s more pressure in the stomach, it’ll force the lower esophageal sphincter to open or the sphincter is weakened. This can be due to an undiagnosed hiatal hernia, delayed emptying of stomach (usually due to lack of stomach acid production!), eating too close to bedtime, food sensitivities and food triggers, overgrowth of methane producing bacteria, pregnancy, and autoimmune conditions.
Some risk factors that could increase your chance of developing GERD are Obesity (especially around the abdomen), Smoking, Food Sensitivities, Chronic Stress, Pregnancy, Hiatal Hernia, or taking certain medications (asthma meds, calcium channel blockers, antihistamines, sedatives, and antidepressants).
Depending on the severity and how long this has been going on, it’s recommended to see your doctor to get some testing, like an endoscopy that can look at your esophagus and stomach. From there, your doctor may want to put you on medications to stop stomach acid production to allow the esophagus and stomach to heal. I find that a combination of medication and supplements are required for best results. While that is taking place, it’s important to identify the root causes that created the reflux in the first place and treat it. Otherwise, this will become a chronic condition that could lead to severe health conditions where you traded one disease for another. Therefore, don’t let your heartburn go on, get tested and get treated appropriately with an integrative approach!
What can you do in the meantime?
1. Diet: You can eliminate common food triggers: Coffee, Chocolate, Spicy foods, Carbonated beverages, Alcohol, tomatoes, cow’s milk, cheese, citrus foods, processed sweets like cakes and pastries.
2. Limit in your diet: red meat (especially fatty meats), high fat foods (especially fried foods and processed snacks), starchy carbohydrates like breads, pastas, and rice and possibly mint. Avoid eating foods at least 3 hours prior to bed.
3. What’s left to eat? Slowly add in high fiber foods which can absorb the stomach acid and contributes to satiety. Some examples are: Oatmeal, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, green vegetables, apples. If you possibly have an overgrowth of bacteria in the gut, fiber and raw vegetables may aggravate. Consume cooked vegetables and consider low carbohydrate diet until proper testing is performed. You can still consume proteins (plant, animal, seafood, fish), but you may need enzyme support since stomach acid's main job is to break down proteins. Healthy fats like Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oils should still be consumed. The concern about fats is that is may slow stomach emptying which can worsen reflux, but if in small amounts like 1 Tablespoon in a meal, it shouldn't be an issue. Think of this time as a "reset" to take out the junk and feed your body nutrient dense foods. This can also create better eating habits for overall better health. Listen to your body and keep a journal to see what foods are working for you and which ones are making you worse.
4. Consider adding in Fennel to your diet. Fennel seeds can relieve inflammation and gas. It has antimicrobial properties and contains fiber. Grind 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds, put in a cup and pour hot water to make a tea. Add to chamomile for more stomach soothing benefits. If you typically are a cold constitution, add in a little bit of ginger (very warming) as well.
5. Stay hydrated as water can dilute stomach acid. Monitor the color of your urine, if it’s clear- you are overhydrated and should decrease water intake.
6. Lifestyle: Invest in a decent wedge pillow to sleep with your head elevated. If you’re a side-sleeper, it will be challenging to sleep on a wedge pillow. Consider trying to lay more on your left side to minimize nighttime reflux.
7. Medication: Avoid NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or Naproxen sodium. If your doctor prescribed those, consult with them to find alternatives like Curcumin.
8. Lifestyle: Stop smoking conventional cigarettes as there is absolutely no health benefit. Consider seeing an Acupuncturist for auricular (ear) acupuncture and a hypnotherapist to help quit smoking.
9. Supplements: My favorites are DGL and Mastic gum. Both will soothe and support mucosal lining of esophagus and stomach. I prefer chewables so it can support the esophagus. Always consult with your Doctor before starting any supplements.
When you see a Functional Medicine Doctor for treatment of GERD, they will get to the root causes by possibly running other functional labs. Then they will customize your treatment protocol to get you back on the right track. Typically, it can take anywhere between 2 months to 6 months to restore healthy gut function. Therefore, be patient with your progress. It doesn’t mean you have to wait that long to have relief of symptoms, but your body needs time to heal and restore normal function.
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