CURE ACID REFLUX Questions

Updated: 08/22/2008

QUESTION ABOUT BAKING SODA AND SODIUM IONS
08/22/2008: David writes: "acid reflux question: If one takes sodium bicarbonate for acid reflux or to build a buffer, what happens to the sodium ions floating around in the body? I believe these would be free radicals and require being taken care of. Would Calcium carbonate be a better choice so the calcium could be used to benefit? Thanks, David."

POST NASAL DRIP AND GERD CAUSING BAD BREATH (2)
07/31/2008: Ronn writes: "Hi, Ted.
First of all, thank you so much for your help. I am still using your remedies with the exception of p. bicarbonate. I have tried using 2 tablespoons of Lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to create potassium citrate and I am looking forward to getting rid of my bad breath. Last week I was also able to buy LOGUL'S IODINE SOLUTION 500 ml in one of the pharmacies here, and they said that they can even order me Potassium Bicarbonate since it is very hard to find. But Ted they say that the solution and the p. bicarbonate are just for laboratory use and not for drug or household use. I am having second thoughts of using the solution as a mouthwash since i dont know if it is safe to use. can you please tell me what it means. can I still use it as mouthwash, and what about the potassim bicarbonate that they are going to order, they say that it is also for laboratory use.

I am still not losing hope and thank you for your post nasal drip remedy. The 1/2 teaspoon of seasalt in a glass of water taken in the morning prevents me from having more PND. Can you also tell me as to why I am having thick saliva? I think that it also contributes to my bad breath.

God Bless you sir."

ACID REFLUX AND MOLD ISSUES
07/28/2008: David writes: "About 5 months ago I started having tightness in the back of my throat. It's very hard to breathe sometimes...especially while laying down to sleep at night or when I am slouched and have my chin down towards my chest. I don't have a hard time falling asleep, but I find the best positing is to sleep on my left side. Even when I am not sleeping, if I relax my throat in certain positions, I will end up making a snoring sound because of the tightness. I also have a more sensitive gag reflex than I used to. Sometimes it's hard to catch my breath when working out or in the yard, but that could just be due to me being out of shape (29 years old, 6 ft 2 in, 260 lbs). I went to my Dr. for a physical and mentioned this to him. He felt around my throat and didn't notice any lumps and then said it could be acid reflux and gave me a few samples of Nexium. The Nexium didn't do much of anything. I found this site a few days ago and was trying to think back to a cause. I do have heartburn now and again and some burning in the throat, but it usually only takes a few hours to go away. I am not sure if this has anything to do with it, but we bought a house last June and I spent most of my time downstairs in a finished basement. We had a small flood and had to redo the room. Upon removing drywall and some 2x4's we noticed some black mold most likely from the previous flooding that we were told about that occurred by the previous owners due to a water main break. The borax took care of the black mold on some of the areas that we could not remove due to structural integrity. Could that have caused some organisms to be breathed in and contribute to this? I currently have no major pain, but still have this tightness in the throat. It also seems worse after eating certain foods. I started the baking soda/water combo a few days ago and I bought some pH testers for my urine and saliva. I average about a 6 to 6.25 pH. What should be my course of action from here on?
Thank you."

POST NASAL DRIP AND GERD CAUSING BAD BREATH
07/22/2008: Ronn writes: "Hi Ted, I have been using your remedy for acidity for a couple of days now and I noticed some improvements. I was diagnosed with GERD a month ago and the medicines that I was taking did not work. I still have that acid taste in my mouth and bad breath.

A few months ago I had a sinus operation and the doctor said that I was already cured of post nasal drip but even up to now I still have it. The ENT doctor told me that my reflux is the cause of the post nasal drip which in turn causes the bad breath.

I've decided to stop taking the medicines and use 2 tbsp of ACV+1/2 tsp of Baking soda in 1/2 glass of water2x a day. I noticed that I stop having that acidic taste in my mouth although I still have that thrush in the tongue. I also eliminated foods that could cause PND and more acid and I observed that the PND was not so bad now unlike before. I also drink 2 lt of water everyday.

I still wanted to cure my bad breath the post nasal drip and the GERD. Can you please tell me waht to take and how long should i take them because I am already running out of options. Your website is so wonderful and you are such a sincere person. Thank you in advance!!"

07/23/2008: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "A simple remedy for post nasal drip that has always worked well with me is 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in one glass of water. The post nasal drip usually will stop in a couple of minutes. Sometimes a person with larger build may take more than 1/2 such as 1 teaspoon, but I believe 1/2 is more than sufficient and it is taken only when there is post nasal drip therefore one single dose will generally cure the post nasal drip.

A thrush is a yeast and fungus issues. The metallic taste and the acidity in the mouth is what is supporting these thrush. Although I am now testing many remedies right now (many diseases too), however, most of the problem of bad breath is due to acidic saliva pH. The most effective remedy I have found to date to alkalize the saliva is the potassium citrate (technically, proper name is tri-potassium citrate), and a second effective remedy is the potassium bicarbonate remedy. Assuming baking soda is already taken along with the apple cider vinegar, than the dose for potassium citrate or potassium bicarbonate can be added along with that remedy. There is a weak remedy and a stronger remedy. The weaker more conservative remedy is to simply add 1/4 teaspoon of potassium citrate or 1/2 teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate to the 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. If taken for about 3 times a day. The bad breath should invariably go away by the third or fourth day, maximum. Therefore the persistence of bad breath has a lot to do with the lack of potassium.

Generally speaking, if potassium is taken, a couple of things will be noticed, better bowel movements, definitely less constipation and bad breath is reduced most often the next day. My general use of these remedy has always been a conservative one. I take them when I need them, from bad breath, slow bowel movements, constipation, acid saliva is often a signal that a potassium is needed.

That being the case, drinking too much water without sufficient salinity is the major reason for nasal drip. The body tries to get rid of excess liquid and raise the level of salinity necessary to fight the germs and viruses. Therefore adding the 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt will generally do the trick, with exception of a flu or colds, of course. But even that situation, the level of nasal drips is reduced quite a bit. It's a simple remedy, but it took me quite a bit of effort to see through this logic. I tested many times and this worked quite consistently.

It should be noted that a drinking water should have 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt added in one liter of drinking water also. Much of the urinary tract infection and even post nasal drips are due to lack of salinity. The anti salt movement is very much due to the common table salt, in which the aluminum additive is what is causing a lot of problems. However sea salt are quite different from common table salt. The sea salt I prefer always look moist in appearance and never bleached white. Those are generally the best sea salt because of the higher content of magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and trace minerals.

Therefore most of the conditions of bad breath and post nasal drip mentioned should be gone before the week is out. If not, then iodine lugol's solution 10-20 drops in a glass of water is used as a mouthwash. To further discourage the thrush. Caprylic acid (found in coconut oil or sold separately) is one common remedy against the thrush, that might give some help. However, my favorite is the 1/4 (men's dose) or 1/8 teaspoon (woman's dose) of borax is added in a one liter drinking water. Boron or borax are generally anti-fungal in nature as do copper rich foods such as cocoa, and molybdenum in the form of sodium molybdate at about 10-20 mg. Again these are taken whenever if feel the need to take it.

Presently I am experimenting with the use of ammonium chloride 10% solution as a mouthwash to rid of thrush. Present medical practice use this to acidify the blood, but cause intracellular alkalinity to prevent viral replication. However, it is the free ammonia from the ammonium chloride that kills the fungus that I am looking at. In general if I am using this, I will rinse with plain water as ammonium chloride was once used as an emetic remedy too. Again this is an experimental one, and the major use for this is to get rid of fungus from the skin such as ringworm, eczema, etc. that I am using now, but not quite yet used regularly as a thrush remedy.

It is however generally best to avoid wheat products, white flour and sugar. If those are avoided, a potassium citrate or a potassium bicarbonate can respond faster.

It should be noted that a metallic taste, besides the acidity, comes from high free heavy metals. The common contaminants is the tap water and the showers. The addition of about 100 mg of EDTA into a drinking water of 1 liter, preferably disodium edta, will remove the body slowly of heavy metals, or perhaps chlorella supplements or even some coriander taken at about one tablespoon of them. A simpler removal of heavy metal is only a couple of minutes of oil pulling will remove the metallic taste too, provided that toothpastes tube are no longer using any more metals.

Ted"

07/23/2008: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "One more interesting information is that sometimes a post nasal drips comes from a fungus or mycoplasma from living in a moldy house or fungal environment (that can later cause chronic fatigue, hypothyroid, thrush, etc.)

In which case I would prepare either a 5% or 10% ammonium chloride solution and used this to spray into a room like an aerosol and breathe in. The effects of the spray once breathed in once or twice will usually kill whatever the irritation is causing the nasal drip too.

However, I do spray my house regularly with this solution to rid of moldy and fungus environment. The effect is easily seen after spraying, especially if current environment is sticky that the air and the skin will no longer feel moist and stick and suddenly becomes dry. The reason is that fungus by nature are very hygroscopic.

Once they are killed, the air suddenly becomes dry and less sticky. In excess in the atmosphere they cause breathing problems, especially after a rain storm in a tropical environment like mine. It also helped reduce nasal irritation just from indirectly breathing the aerosol, but not a lot is needed to result in this effect.

It should be noted that the free ammonia is what is killing the fungus, virus and bacteria. Most patent applications are notoriously complicated in how it kills the super infectious viruses (as Hanta viruses, etc.) using a more complicated form of disinfectants such as dodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, or octyl decyl dimethyl mmonium chloride, or dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, and other variants. The joke to the entire punchline of these disinfectants that are approved by Environment Protection Agency for approved disinfectants for Human HIV-1, Hepatitis B virus, norovirus, mycobacterium tuberculosis, hepatitis C, for example is actually the alkalinity of the solution that releases the free ammonia, when in fact, the ammonium chloride salt dissociates almost completely in a simple water.

Therefore there really is no need for complicated compound and just the simple ammonium chloride will do all that, without the unusual toxicity that presents themselves in a quaternary ammonium compound when in fact its efficacy in riding a lot of dangerous pathogens can be handled simply with an ammonium chloride solution anyway. The problem is that these company can't make money from simple compounds as ammonium chloride, however, for common home remedies, it is generally safer to use for common household disinfectants as well as removal of pathogens instead of the more complicated chemicals that are presently in use.

Ted"

HEAVINESS IN LEGS, CHEST PAIN, BACK PAIN
06/24/2008: Damita writes: "I would like some help with my acid reflux. Ailments: Heaviness in legs,Cannot walk up and down stairs. Chest Pain, Back Pain, Cramps in legs, arms, and feet. Hard time swallowing food, It feels like the food is going come back up. Feels like something is moving inside of my chest. Having a hard time going to the bathroom (bowels). Not sleeping or eating right now."

06/30/2008: Teresa from Northen, Indiana replies: "Oh, you sound miserable. I'm not sure what you've tried, but I'd start by alkalizing. Try 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) (with the mother in it) to 1/4 tsp baking soda. If you can't find ACV, maybe just start out with a Lemon or Lime juice + baking soda combo. I think either of these may help you gastrointestional issues. Start looking at food labels and avoid artificial sweetners and MSG to start. May want to ween off soda pops and cow's milk if you use them. A good food-based multi vitamin and fulvic acid may help, too. Get sunshine and fresh air. I'm not a doctor, can't give medical advice, but I'm telling you what I'd do if it were me."

HEAVINESS IN LEGS, CAN'T CLIMB STAIRS, SUSPECTS ACID REFLUX CAUSE
06/13/2008: Years of misery writes: "i WAS TOLD i have acid reflux and thats why I am looking for a natural cure for my legs. There are so many many women who are going thru the same thing. Heaviness in the legs, cant climb stairs due to the thigh area tighting up and feels like fire. While hold up one leg while on my back to excercise i can not straigten my whole leg out -behind the knee feels sore.
What can i do naturally please help???"

06/14/2008: Joyce from Joelton, TN replies: "Not much  to go on here except " years of misery" so I assume middle aged  probably (by the way - you know that we should never assume because it makes an ass u me)  and acid reflux along with weakness of legs.

 

My guess is also that she is overweight, hypertensive and might possibly be on one of the statins to lower her cholesterol level.  If so, she might need to see her doctor, because the statins, if I recall correctly, can cause rhabdomyolosis (may have misspelled that $l0 word) and that would definitely affect her ability to climb stairs or excercise & she needs to get off of it before her legs rapidly get worse.

 

The only way her acid reflux (also known as GERD) could be connected would have to be malnourishment secondary to too much junk foods and/or malabsorption.  There is some controversy that acid reflux or gastroesophageal regurge disease occurs because of insufficient hydrochloric acid in the stomach rather than too much.  I suspect this may be true since so many of EC sharers write in that drinking ACV

stops the problem

 

Sometime back, I remember a number of people had written in about the same time, with various complaints from acid reflux to GI bleeding from ulcers.  I recall writing responding with how I used to have  all of the same complaints (except for the GI bleed) before I discovered that the underlying cause was eating anything made with bleached flour.  I think I also asked all those complaining to eliminate bleached flour from their intake and see if they got rid of their complaints.  I thing I also wrote in something about PUD (peptic ulcer disease) first starting among the wealthy, then moving down into middle class and finally on down into the lower socioeconomic group.  I then thought about my own GI problems of the past and said  "hummm" and researched when they started bleaching flour.  Because that pattern of  PUD moving from one class to another had to be dietary and something must be the underlying problem.  What I found was bleaching flour was so expensive only the upper class could afford it, and they started bleaching flour about ll - l5 years before the upper class developed PUD.  When it got cheap enough that middle class people could afford it, it moved down into their group the same number of years later.

Then some idiot in Minnesota came up with a process of bleaching flour, making it cheap enough everybody could afford it, and it moved into the lower socioeconomic group the same number of years later.  Therefore, if my theory is correct, there is no peptic ulcer disease, only a reaction to bleached flour (or maybe a reaction to something used in the bleaching process) which causes problems beginning with indigestion, heartburn and progressing on to acid reflux or GERD and GI bleeding from PUD.  Doctors realized two or three decades ago that the "Sippy diet" (half & half, milk and only bland, non  spicy foods was the wrong diet for the problem.  I suspect they also realized that keeping them coming back for those green or purple pills for their problems

was more lucrative."

 

 

 

6/14/2008: Joyce adds: "I forgot to mention that if she is hypertensive, on statins, and needs to come off statins, and wants to go natural for hypertension, she should find several references for magnesium (one suggested was BeeLith tablets - 1 tablet 2 times a day) no prescription needed but will have to ask pharmacist because I have never seen them on the shelf in the vitamin mineral section.Magnesium might also help that "tightnenss" feeling in legs."

 

 

 

6/15/2008: Joyce writes again:  "I just reread the complaint.  She mentions a tightness in thighs while climbing stairs "feels like fire", but she didn't say where in the thigh.  Where ever it might be, she also mentions so many women have the same complaint, which would imply that she is friends with a group of women with the same problem.  Most people c/o "burning" pain with nerve pain (such as shingles).  Wonder does this group meet for food, companionship, etc.  If so she might want to research excitotoxins, take her printout of names MSG is hid under and check everything in her kitchen to check for aspartame and MSG.  The best way to find out if this is the problem would be to eliminate both from her diet and talk to her friends about doing the same and see if it improves.  Being realistic, if this has been going on for years, she is not going to get rid of it overnight.  If it is related to excitotoxins, magnesium should help there because I found a reference where it stated that magnesium competed for the same sites that MSG does.  Also remember that chelating formula someone sent in that she obtained from a Japanese doctor: l cup EV olive oil, 8 cloves of garlic, 2 large bunches of cilantro pureed in blender -take 1 tsp. 3 times a day.  It might not help that much, but I am all for those things that have a chance at working and not likely to create other problems.

"

OIL PULLING CAUSED SEVERE HEARTBURN, THROAT CLOSING
05/21/2008: C. writes: "I appreciate any help you can give me, as I am having some breathing problems and fear suffocating. I was suffering severe gerd/lpr (one or both) and so I oil-pulled for about 40 minutes, constantly replacing the oil and sucking the acid up as best I could in order to spit it out. Perhaps this was a mistake? I now have severe heartburn and am worried about my throat tube closing up because of the acid. I took a slippery elm lozenge and that has made my throat swell. Is this getting worse in order to get better or did I do too much? Thank you so much!"

05/23/2008: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Spitting out excess hydrochloric acid from the body can often worsen the condition leading to reduced chloride in the body stressing the body further, by reducing the body of electrolytes, especially the chlorides in which the body synthesizes from salts.

The best remedy is to restore the electrolytes. Which includes bicarbonate and chlorides from the sea salt. The primary remedy is:

in a liter of drinking water, at least for initial remedy, it is 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. and drink slowly throughout the day to restore the chlorides. It should be stress that ONLY SEA SALT is used as the common table salt will worsen the condition because they are acidic in nature from the drying agent.

The baking soda is the common standard I used to reduce GERD. Interestingly the more the burp, the more the baking soda is needed by the system so that the intestinal tract can acquire the needed bicarbonates to neutralize the acid from the digested food. Otherwise, if there is insufficient bicarbonates, most foods will just remain in the stomach and ferment because if the stomach tries to release the digested food, it is going to damage the intestinal tract, this is how GERD occurs. I have seen people on drugs (such as ICE, and alcohol) but also some cases of artificial sugar users (such as aspartame, Sweet n' Low, vitamins with added aspartame) which destroys the neural system that controls normal digestion and stabilizes the acid/alkaline digestive system too. In which case these major toxins should be eliminated. Even antibiotic can often initiate a GERD because they are very acid forming, but I suspect the fungus toxins found in these antibiotic to initiate a problem
too. That happens quite often. So they should be avoided.

The baking soda remedy requires 1/2 teaspoon in 1/2 glass of water (but preferably 1 glass is best) taken three times a day. The reason for the mention of 1/2 glass is some people cannot drink so much water such as 1 glass, this might happen, but if they can drink 1 glass without any problems then i prefer adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 glass of water taken three times a day on an empty stomach to replenish the lost bicarbonates that  causes the stomach not to released digested food materials to the intestinal tract.

Once the condition gets better usually the second dose or maintenance dose for sea salt is only 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt per liter of water. As for the baking soda it is usually 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in 1/2 to 1 glass of water twice a day on an empty stomach and it takes about a week or two to notice improvement. I have noticed that fish oil is helpful also and I would likely to take them once a day to at least helpful with the brain, which controls the digestive system and omega 3 is high in the brain also, but on the other hand most American diets are of omega 6 to omega 3 like 20:1, when ideally it should be 1: 1 or even at least 4:1, and causes immune issues that maybe linked to GERD."

MULTIPLE MEDS, OKAY TO TRY ACV REMEDIES?
05/05/2008: Derek writes: "Hi, re acv etc for reflux, I'm on amitriptyline, diclofenac, cocodamol and diazepam for a couple of ailments and although I've suffered from reflux as long as I can remember, it's got exponentialy worse since taking the above drugs. I believe it's the diclofenac anti inflammatory thats the main culprit, but more than one of them says dont take any antacids with this medication. Definitely gets worse lying flat and worse still lying on my right side. Is it ok to try the acv or acv/baking soda, many thanks."

PH LEVELS, LUMP IN THROAT
04/28/2008: JoAnn writes: "Hi! I've had GERD for many years now and have been on most every drug out there to "help me", but have always "wondered" if my medications were actually creating some of my health problems and low and behold, I found your web site and have read e-mails that actually validate what I've "suspected" for years!!! I am very enthusiastic about trying the ACV, but am rather hesitant because my body is so sensitive to everything. Questions:(1.) How do you get your PH level to find out if you have too LITTLE acid or too MUCH? (2.)Has anyone ever had a "lump feeling in your throat with a taste of blood and salt"??"

A couple of days ago when we pressure cleaned my roommate who has bad sinuses as a norm....and doesn't not like to help himself......got much worse and feels very sick. I asked if I could find a remedy to help clear it up would he take it and he said yes. I made an oil with the essential oil list to be applied and we will see. I am using it too. But I'd like something to remove the odor from my head and for my roommate. Can you recommend something ? "

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Carolyn:

Since taking the sodium bicarbonate/citric acid, I seem to be retaining water. I gather that this is from the "sodium" part of the bicarbonate?

Yes, sodium from this may cause water retention. An easy way out is to get a small pinch of sea salt which for some reason or another will reduce the sodium retention. Do not put too much as this may cause a major diarrhea. Sodium is a strange thing, it works both ways. Pulling the water out, or putting the water in.

The other thing I may add is your body's acidity is quite high and it is pumping out the acid at an accelerated rate and hence your problems.

I have noticed this issue here in Bangkok already. Therefore, if you just take it long enough the problem will disappear after two weeks. It only occurs when your body's buffer level is on the very low side. It seems to occur much more in body builders and atheletes who DO NOT supplement bicarbonates, but take high carbohydrate and high protein foods. To reduce the time much quicker in your recovery you may have to add more potassium bicarbonate (1/8 teaspoon), along with it, but NEVER potassium bicarbonate alone.

People have real issues with using this alone. So just add some potassium bicarbonate and the problems and other symptoms should reduce much quicker.

By the way, the other possibility of reducing retaining water might help by raising your antioxidant levels, such as taking more sodium ascorbate, which is an alkaline form of vitamin C."

Lastly, unsure if this is connected but for last 9ish months my head starts sweating profusely if my meal contains very little spice or chilli (not sure if both or either is this cause). Any advice would be welcome."

TOO MUCH ACID OR TOO LITTLE ACID?
04/07/2008: Judy writes: "After reading the posts, I am confused. Some people say that their bodies are producing too much acid, while other people say that their reflux is caused from not enough acid being produced. Ted gives different remedies for each acid condition. How do I know whether or not I have too much or too little acid being produced, and which remedy to use to treat my acid reflux/heartburn? I certainly do not want to be making it worse than what it is!"

TRAUMAS AND ACID REFLUX
03/14/2008: Donna writes: "I have been using the 2 Tablespoons of ACV and 1/4 teaspoon BS. I also just starting using a diluted solution of hydroproxide 50/50 solution 6 sprays in the mouth, just started this today. The reason I have been doing this is that I was on a lot of meds and realized I had Acid Reflex after taking priolsec and feeling all symptoms go away, problem was the side affects. Then I found your site and I have been reading and reading but am confused. The symptoms seem better, I have been on the ACV-BS for 5 days and will rest the next two. I understand that I should do this for 4 to 6 weeks. But my Ph urine is 5to 6 which is too acidic. My saliva is 7. So I thought maybe I should just take BS. I have stools most of the time this week 2 to 3 times a day. Seems like what it should have been. In the past it has been every 2 or three days. For the last year I have been taking fish oil and this helps me elemenate. I have dealing with depression and issues in therapy which I know my body responds to. I have also been doing body work. I guess my question is, Ijust want to feel better, the wheezing and asthma due to Acid reflex is the worst. Its hard to exercise when you feel so crummy. I dont sleep at night and havent for a long time because of the bad dreams due to abuse when I was little. I need to deal with this stuff. So any ideas? Its hard to give up my l day of cola. Anything would be appreciated"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Most of the acidity comes from cola and it has phosphoric acid causing the excess acidity. The only safe way to reduce the excess acid because of the caffeine addiction, assuming caffeine is the real cause, I would replace this with green tea. Some people are hooked on to the flavoring of the cola, which some companies or candies companies due have cola gummy gels that can be eaten instead in small amounts along with the green tea. The lack of sleep is the long term accumulation of fluoride and it clogs the pineal gland so perhaps some tamarind or borax remedy can help with the sleeping. However, I may try the GABA supplements, pregnenolone 50 mg and the DHEA to reduce that kind of depression. As to the lack of sleep some melatonin 3 mg may help if taken during the night. To further effectively alkalize the body a newer carbicarb seems to work better, and the remedy is as follows: 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of sodium carbonate in 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day, or if necessary three times a day. This seems to do a more thorough job in alkalizing. To further help trauma of past related conditions and reduce that problem during childhood, I think downloading brainwave generator and play on a computer speakers of headphones seems to do a great job, but also certain vitamin B complex can help that too.' The basic programs can be downloaded for free and I have actually contributed some sound there, although unrelated to depression myself. However the basic program should be helpful for many people: http://www.bwgen.com/download.htm If people deny it's dramatic effect or have a larger budget, there is another similar technologies called brain state technology that caused the owner's child and his friends to make it to the dean's list as well as good scientific explanation on how trauma can be treated, http://www.brainstatetechnologies.com/videos.htm What the brainwave generator does, at least the shareware version is that it allows the brain to form new neural connections and reduce the trauma conditions so that by conditioning of theta, alpha, beta waves will allow the trauma conditions to reduce. If you are creative enough you can create other signals, to further help without the use of drugs. I sometimes use aromatherapy, especially narcissus oils to reduce depression and anxiety by putting the fragrance on the pillow. Vitamin C sodium ascorbate 1000 mg also helps too. "

ACID REFLUX AND THE ESOPHAGUS
03/14/2008: O writes: "Mr. Ted,
'I've done extensive reading of your posts about ACV, BS, etc. on Earth Clinic with great interest. I appreciate the way you endeavor to explain why particular supplements should be used.

In my particular case, I have been suffering from Acid Reflux for about 4 years. It causes me heartburn to the point that the center of my chest can be sore when I flex it. I also experience a lot of pain in my throat around my voice box. I feel like my vocal cords are weakening. The pain is also pretty constant all day long, although it does seem to be worse after I eat.

Originally, I started with burning pains in my stomach. The doctor treated me for h.pylori by giving me 2 types of antibiotics and aciphex (PPI) for 2 weeks. After that I started experiencing burning pain in my throat. Had very little reflux in the esophagus before that. I was tested for h.pylor with a breath test later and it was negative. I've had 2 endoscopies, a barium drop, and a 24-hr ph monitor test, and they check how well my LES closed.

The 24-hr ph test said that my esophagus averaged a ph of 4. The LES test said that it was closing properly.

I've changed my diet dramatically over the past 4 years. I rarely eat any of the supposed trigger foods like peppermint, spicy, chocolate, alcohol, etc. Most of my meals each day consist of a serving of protein and several servings of vegetables. I also eat some fruit and nuts.

I also have adrenal fatigue and am hypothyroid. Sometimes, usually in the afternoons, just getting up out of the chair takes effort. Many times I feel like I have low blood sugar and need to eat some protein. I don't eat bread, sweets, etc.

I've tried all the formulas below, all with 1/2 glass of water:
2 TBS ACV, 1/2 tsp BS
2 TBS ACV, 1/4 tsp BS, 1 tsp honey
2 TBS ACV, 1/4 tsp BS, 1/8 tsp Cayenne
1/2 tsp BS, 1/2 tsp Magnesium citrate
1/2 tsp BS

But they haven't seemed to make that much difference. I haven't tried the boron or hydrogen peroxide yet.
I have measured ph with a strip and it does seem to affect me in a alkaline direction, but I don't know for how long.

Nothing I do seems to consistently help the burning subside and I could really use some help.
Is there a formula that would be good in my case to help the burning?
Is there a relationship between the Acid Reflux and the adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism?
Are there changes in my diet that would help?

From the comments on Earth Clinic, I know you must get a lot of email. If you can reply, it would be much appreciated. Thanks"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "The esophagus pH of 4 is a good clue. A good healthy pH esophagus is' 6, and the dividing line from conventional medicine is 4 as being what separates an acid reflux from a non-acid reflux is not really a good preventive measures. Ideally I prefer a figure closer to 6. An average of 4 pH generally speaking is an acid reflux. Interestingly a stubborn acid reflux needs to consider two points, that the pH of the saliva may be acid or below pH of 7 which is insufficient to neutralize the esophagus pH. That means the saliva pH needs to be raised too not just the urinary pH. That's only part of the solution. The other points to ponder is that if the esophagus pH is still 4, then obviously the body needs to increase the alkaline dosage much more further. If this doesn't seem obvious, just read the dog research below, where they were able to effectively raise the esophagus pH to 6. To raise the saliva pH requires a different remedy, and a stronger form such as 1/2 teaspoon of trisodium citrate plus 1/2 teaspoon of potassium citrate, in 1/2 glass of water taken twice or three times a day. It is the potassium that raises saliva pH, but it should be either in the form of potassium citrate or potassium bicarbonate. The other intracellular fluids, as opposed to the sodium extracellular fluids to consider is the magnesium citrate, 250-500 mg. If the dose does not increase, it the trisodium citrate portion can be upped to 1 teaspoon of trisodium citrate plus 1/2 teaspoon of potassium citrate taken three times a day. I might wonder why the extreme increase in dose, and I have found the source that is causing extreme acidity, often called metabolic acidosis, which can also trigger a major acid reflux and the body being relatively almost unresponsive to the baking soda, that one major enemy I have was the aspartame hidden in many supplements, sometimes unlabeled, appearing as an innocent sugar free gum, xylitol gum, diet coke, coke zero, pepsi max, hidden in effervescent tablets, hidden in artificial flavorings (as methanol) or labeled as proprietary. After stopping the aspartame the metabolic acidosis last for weeks and if I don't catch it sooner, I get a permanent macular degeneration, and become diabetic and acid reflux. Interestingly the lesson of aspartame can be extended to casual use of paint thinners, and sometimes (at least here in Bangkok) we used methanol as a paint thinner. Both aspartame and methanol degrades into formaldehyde inside the body destroying the neural system that is the major component in controlling the body's pH. Hence to restore this damaged function I need to decompose the formaldehyde and other system in my body by oxidative detoxification by the use of hydrogen peroxide therapies. That means in a one liter drinking water I will add 1 teaspoon of baking soda (1 liter is equivalent to 4 glasses of water with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda at similar concentration) plus 30 drops of hydrogen peroxide 3% taken for a couple of days, to detoxify not just formaldehyde, but also other pharma drugs, and other chemicals that get recirculated in the body causing auto toxification. The other issue is neural damage caused by hydrocarbons (source can come from cigarettes, painting fumes, new carpets chemical smells, new cars chemical smells, gasoline fumes, kerosine use from insecticides, etc) that also causes extreme metabolic acidosis. The problem about the baking soda is that it doesn't cause global alkalization due to its limited ability to neutralize acid in areas where there is high carbon dioxide pressure in the body, and hence the use of trisodium citrate. The problem about trisodium citrate is that it's hard to find in a supermarket, so a suitable substitute might be the carbicarb mixed often used by researchers to revive in animals and humans during a heart attack instead of using the old sodium bicarbonate. However I use this thing to alkalize more effectively, so the remedies appear to be, for a stronger remedy: 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of sodium carbonate (washing soda) in 1/2 glass of water taken 3 to 4 times a day. It takes about 2-3 weeks to effectively raise the body's pH. However, this is only part of the story. The salivary pH may be acid or below 7 and may not be strong enough to neutralize (when swallowing saliva) the esophagus pH. Thus 1/4 teaspoon of potassium citrate is also added to the remedy. Of course this is a stronger form of remedy and should improvement is seen, its generally best for me to go to the lower dose remedy of just using it twice a day, or just using baking soda alone. One additional tip is that a baking soda, mixed in all drinking water during the day or throughout the day can be used to keep the esophagus pH in check in case an acid reflux is detected or a pain is experience, then I might take 1/4 teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda if I might have an attack, or at least have that feeling before it became worse. It should also be noted that in anorexic, bulimia, and some acid reflux people, a majority of them have a B12 and vitamin B complex deficiency. The neural damage caused by hydrocarbons caused acid reflux since neural system is what controls most of the pH stability. Therefore I might take B12 100 mcg x 4 times a day, plus vitamin B complex in form of B50 where most of the B's are 50 mg each, but because of the high amounts of hydrochloride added to most B complex in an attempt to lower cost, I might take it just once every two days. Most of the problems is that B1 thiamine should be thiamine mononitrate, not thiamine hydrochloride, and B6 should be pyridoxine phosphate, not pyridoxine hydrochloride, and for B3 it should be niacinamide, not niacin. It takes about a month for the body to attain a sufficient amount of B complex, but some maintenance dose is still needed Magnesium here is helpful. As to the adrenal issues, the DHEA 25 mg, pregnenolone 50 mg is taken to put less pressure on the adrenal systems so that the adrenal won't have to work too hard and these hormonal supplements can cause and raise the immunity, thereby affecting the pH of the system. Also glandular systems get destroyed if anyone has a history of fungus issues and if that's the case than a borax remedy is needed, between 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon in one liter of drinking water only 3 or 4 days out of a week. Borax tends to normalize hormonal issues too, but notably it balances the critical magnesium to calcium ratio. Lack of iodine can cause glandular atrophy and iodine kelp may be needed such as once every two days. It should be noted that certain pathogens, and fungus can cause the body to be acid, accumulate heavy metals from antibiotics use, and this is another reason why borax remedy is used. To kill of the pathogens causing the acid reflux. Zinc certainly will raise the immunity and should also be taken in the form of zinc gluconate 50 mg about three times per week. Finally two additional neuroprotective remedies that can further alkalize the body, besides completely avoiding aspartame and hydrocarbons is the smart drugs, such as 800 mg of nootropil (pyroglutame) and 2 mg of hydergine taken together for once every other day, or perhaps 4 days or 5 days in a row, needed to restore that ineural damage. In fact, a cellular phone can do the damage just the same, by inflicting neural damage to the brain the body can also become metabolic acidosis and hence when talking to the phone, either a hands free mode, or a blue tooth is used instead. A Russian had actually cooked boiled eggs using two cellular phones within an hour or so, so even if authorities deny cellular phones cannot damage the brain, it's hard to deny that a cellular phone can cook my brains. I am sure this posting is incomplete, but I think this will at least cover part of the problem. One additional tip: no sour foods."

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "The effects of vocal cords is a sign of neurodegenerative disorder or excessive acidity in the esophagus which may effect the muscles in the vocal cord by acid digestion. The remedies is already explained on these two factors. Also, one tablespoon of granulated lecithin three times' day may rid of excess fat in the body so that the body's hormones could function more efficiently. This is because most vegetable oils added to food tend to block hormone signals."

ADDITIONAL RELATED CONDITIONS
03/12/2008: Vigiil writes: "Dear Ted, I have just about the same symptoms as most of the people writing in regarding acid reflux but more importantly i have the same experience with traditional doctors. A kind of patent Nexium will cure everything solution and attributing my stomach problems to me just being a nervous person. I am 31 and all of my life i have been a healthy, i smoked for 12 years but quite 4 years ago, i am an occasional drinker, and have used some recreational drugs especially in my teens. This all happened after a trip to Amsterdam 5 years ago, where i ate some hallucinogenic mushrooms and during what was a very unpleasant 12 hours puked up the mushrooms, i remember there being yellow stuff and clear liquid along with the undigested mushrooms and that the sensation to puke was so intense despite there not being much to puke up, so i was thinking if i might have somehow forced and over stretched and permanently damaged the muscle that keeps the acid in the stomach. In any case, things vent more or less back to normal, except in the following months i had two occasions of what felt like food poisoning, with intense spasms and feeling cold. Also i started having shortens of breath and thought i might have asthma (which i never had before), so i stopped smoking and than stopped drinking and as the years passed, i cut out spicy food, hard liqueur, beer, coffee, tea and while that temporarily made things a little better i was on a downward spiral and the stomach was getting worse, with more shortness of breath to the extend that i had a hard time falling a sleep and fainting sensations after eating. Symptoms as of now are:
Pain in where the stomach and lungs meet also in the lower part of lungs
Dry throat when i wake up
Difficulty sleeping through the night
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty breathing
pain in the lover back right side
feels like i have a lump in my stomack
dificulty swallowing food
feeling like lump in throat
In the past 4 years, due to me stopping to smoke, i had allot of flues, basically when ever there was a flu i would catch it. But have not had flu really in 3 years. But after taking Nexium i started having what i best could describe as a feeling of unrest in arms and legs, like there was a circulation problem, with pain in hip joints and foot joints as well as under the foot, it felt like pain underneath the muscle not the muscle it self, maybe inside the bones. Doing exercise did help, but this became worse till i finally got my self ex-rayed and blood tested again, saw a neurology doctor, all said i was fit and that i was just probably stressed and imagining this. Now i do work in a high power job and i have stress, but i have been getting plenty of sleep 10 h+ over long periods, do joga, eat healthy, am happy and if i compare my self to average joe i am really OK.
So i started the ACV 2 spoons in a glass of water followed by 1/2 spoon of baking soda in half a glass after lunch and in the afternoon 1/2 of only the backing soda. I did take my Nexium this morning but was thinking of skipping it tonight and rather have a 1/2 spoon of baking soda in water before going to bed. I have to say my stomach feels rather sketchy, not sour, just full and creepy, despite the only thing i ate today was, oatmeal with bananas and cinnamon, brown rice for lunch, chicken (white meet only) and brown rice for dinner I can breath deep but i have some pressure feeling on my chest. I am usually OK during the day, especially when not sitting bent forward, but am bad after eating, and very bad when laying down to sleep, with the shortness of breath kicking in and although that usually subsides if i lay still in a half sitting position. But do to drinking allot of water i have the habit now of going at least 10 times to piss a day and 1-2 times a night. This standing up and laying back down can make the symptoms worse again.
Could you recommend daily program for me to get better?
Should i continue to take Nexium until the ACV or Baking soda kicks in?
How many times can i take this per day?
If i feel a flaring up of the acid an hour or so after taking the 1/2 baking soda or ACV should / take i make some more?
I hope you can help, in any case thank you for your website, very generous of you
kapom kap

Vigiil"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Much of our diets are not healthy even if a person were to think they are on a healthy diet. The problem is that most people including me do not know what is a healthy diet because of so much disinformation and lack of understanding. What I do know for sure is 90% of our diets are acid forming, and most processed food are not healthy and sometimes are downright dangerous with aspartame, from diet Coke, Coke zero, diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max, vegetable oils in fried foods, and a host of other problems. Thus alkalizing is a life time event, but not necessarily everyday. I have been alkalizing myself like this on and off for the past 35 years since I was only 9 or 10 when I first had a terrible flu and been doing that using Arm & Hammer's baking soda. But it is my bad habits that I only take it when I am not feeling well or sick, and later years I found that I actually needed to take it more often if I really bothered to monitor my pH. Of course other things need monitoring too, such as urinary sugar, salinity, etc. but those are not as serious as the pH issue. Besides, if the urine pH becomes acid, the sugar goes up along with it. And obviously if the sugar goes up, infection MRSA, bacteria and sickness set in. I don't even have to test on 100 rats to prove certain foods is dangerous when the pH meters show that I get extremely acid (it when as low as a pH of 4 on my urine after taking Diet Coke or other aspartame products), to know that I can get sick very soon or before anything ever happens. Spring water is high in carbonates and bicarbonates, but how many live in the mountains? The only way I can survive is to prepare some analogue of Mother Nature, and one of her products of bicarbonates can come in the form of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, soluble silica, sodium thiosulfates, and other things that is beyond my understand of her infinite wisdom. I am only understanding just a small fraction of what these can do chemically to our body to make us healthy. However for me to go into these deep infinite understanding of Mother nature and what remedies she can have to offer is beyond any email postings I can do, except to keep things a simple as possible and try to consider the issue of availability of such products that it can be used quickly and conveniently. There is a wide ranging causes of acid reflux but it is always the alkalization that effects thousands of biochemical reactions in our body simultaneously, hence the broad effects it has on our health. This is why pH is the primarily consideration. the other considerations might be dechlorination, antioxidants, oxygen (peroxide and ozone), minerals, vitamins and amino acids. If you are well aware of a developing science of epigenetics, which means that a supplements can cause the body to produce changes in the body from making a simple skin cell iinto a fat cells, muscle cells, nerve cells, or cause the cells to change it's GENETIC expression from just the environmental natural products, then I can realize that I can almost find a major remedy for most of the remedies on just that concept alone. Q: Is this a short term' treatment (if so,how long?) or is this something i will continue for the foreseeable future? A: It's a long term remedy. I have been doing it for the last 35 years or so. Is the goal to get the stomach alkalized enoch to start the baking soda + ACV? If so why ad the ACV? And how long? I would give it about 3 weeks, before going ACV AND bakingsoda. ACV is good in that it is anti-inflammatory too. I read you told someone that the baking soda depletes minerals or something in your bones. Are there any supplements that are mandatory when doing this treatment. Actually the most common problem about mineral depletion is the metabolic acidosis, not the baking soda or alkalization. Acid bloods leeches out the calcium and mineral from the bones much like eating coke and very sour foods to cause enamel erosion, or even acid rain on Greek Statues. The only way a baking soda will deplete mineral is that you haven't taken mineral supplements. Is ph 7.6 bad, how do i bring it down? Interestingly when the body is low on bicarbonates the pH can be very high or very low. A pH of 7.6 is not bad. Its bad if the pH is 8, but it has nothing to do with taking too much baking soda. The most common cause is a pathogens killing a healthy cells and the urine is high in proteins, signifying dead cells. These protein degrades to form and ammonia compounds which causes the urine pH to be very alkaline. In medicine doctors would sometimes give baking soda to neutralize the toxic ammonia or excess alkalinity. In any case assuming that the body is too alkaline NOT BECAUSE of the pathogens (in acid reflux, it is the pathogens and bicarbonate or lack of it is the cause), then a simple way to be more acid is simply to take some vitamin C, ascorbic acid, or have an apple, where the apples I used are the Green granny's apple. MRSA is a tricky one since the hospitals haven't find a way to get rid of it, but then they are not trying to find out. Give me only a couple of days in a hospital and I would find a perfect way. So it doesn't require millions in research. However in general, I found MRSA is sometimes due to a magnesium deficiency, and metabolic acidosis where alkalinity will help, through the use of a more powerful alkaline remedy such and a couple more to kill the MRSA: 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of sodium carbonate (washing soda and is a baking soda precursor before reacted with carbon dioxide). Taken twice a week. 500 mg of magnesium citrate taken once per day. Curcumin one teaspoon three times a day. Since milk of magnesia pH is about 9 used topically and might be mixed with curcumin and this is the pH where the MRSA can't survive, applying this to the area will kill the MRSA too. MRSA have a weakness on magnesium and alkalinity. Adding some colloidal silver to milk of magnesia might help too, at least that's what I did in the past to kill off the staph in the past. Also some iodine supplements (from kelp now and then) and zinc gluconate 50 mg for about 5 days out of a week or two or three weeks, should be able to raies the immunity to fight it off. Still alkalizing is most essential and I am sure about this, because three major reasons why our ocean's water is so sterile: 1. Sun 2. Oxygen 3. Salinity 4. Alkalinity The oceans' water pH averages 8, and most harmful bacteria are almost completely killed at 9 or above, 8 would kill most off and salinity would and oxygen and sun's UV would kill whatever else is missing. This is why ozone and a weak hydrogen peroxide drops added to drinking water helps, not only to kill it but detoxifies MOST OF THE harmful chemical toxins that is recirculated in our body and these are found in most major tap water, not just the chlorine but also pharma drugs. The common dose I might use can be anywhere from 3 drops 3% H2O2 in a glass of water to 10 drops. Even if I have money and I do live in U.S., I won't get a health insurance anyway because I don't trust the system as I do in other countries. Cuba seems better than the U.S. It's probably the corruption where the larger the companies become the bigger is their Jaws. lol."

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear V: The cause of acid reflux has always been an unknown pathogens that appears to behave like a fungus, and can be initiated from antibiotics use, or even the eating of a contaminated mushroom. Actually many antibiotics are made from fungus and mushrooms are also a fungus too. Most of this yet to be identified acid reflux causing pathogens can often be reduced if the body has sufficient alkalization. There are certain views I have, that is subjected to change as to how to best alkalized. Generally it takes about 2 weeks for the body to have sufficient alkalinity under the current dose of 2 tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon (or a milder 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda) in 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day. As can be noticed the frequency most people who do take the remedy is at least twice a day, but I prefer 3 times a day. The reason for that is that people are working so they can't take it in the afternoon or late afternoon due to busy work schedules. Therefore, if a person feels the need to take more frequent dose, it is often helps that he can take it more frequent so as to reduce the time from two weeks to properly alkalize to perhaps within a couple of days for the body to attain the alkalization to not only restore the acid/base digestive process causing the acid reflux or even the alkalinity sufficient to kill off the pathogen causing the acid reflux. In general oatmeal and eating rice is a great way to reduce acid reflux because it is both high in silicon. I sometimes go for faster method using a water soluble form of silica such as sodium silicate drops taken twice or three times a day to increase the resistance. The chemistry is complicated, but silica in presence of the body's chloride forms a polysilicate chain which basically blocks off the pathogens from further expanding colonies as well as strengthen cell walls to be more resistance against the invading pathogens causing the acid reflux. Still much of the symptoms describe, especially drinking wine, liquor, cigarettes, and other common problems, will quickly deplete the body of antioxidants, especially vitamin E, vitamin c in general, but also effects the immune system, lowering the zinc level, while alcoholic drinks definitely lowers the body's vitamin B complex, causing tightness of the chest, which in the later future can lead to heart attacks. This incident happened with a comedian such as Paul Lynde that had vitamin B deficiency and can cause the heart to quickly degenerate itself from alcohol depleting vitamin Bs, especially the thiamine where alcohol block their absorption. It should be noted that the most common deficiencies I have seen with people with acid reflux is always the water soluble vitamin of C and Bs and even for normal person like me, I needed to take it at least once a week. Mind you an alcohol drinker will have much more severe acid reflux than an ordinary person because of the resulting vitamin B deficiency, along with vitamin C. This is why alcoholics have heart problem, but it is also why people with this deficiency can also cause acid reflux. The link is really simple, alcoholic drinker, and people without sufficient B complex (such as pregnant woman) will have a more severe acid reflux. Not only is zinc and magnesium, especially the magnesium is also needed, since magnesium helps with sleep, as is some b complex, but also reduces muscle tightness and spasms. The fact that the stomach had spasms while taking mushrooms or spasms indicated lowered vitamin B status and magnesium. So it would seem people taking certain contaminated mushrooms may need more magnesium and vitamin B to help protect against toxins that may be introduced by the body. Therefore, one can take it as frequent as they wish on alkalization, but not too much to cause a laxative effect. However, there are other forms that effectively alkalized faster, but they are stronger forms such as 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of sodium carbonate (washing soda) in 1/2 glass of water that can get rid of acid reflux sooner since the sodium carbonate added helps reduce the carbon dioxide pressure by absorbing it. At least that's the take on current research regarding the carbicarb treatment. As for me I think the sodium citrate (proper name is trisodium citrate) taken 1/2 teaspoon taken 3-4 times a day in 1/2 glass of water is often the best alkalization I know of. I still need to conduct some research regarding the effectiveness of a carbicarb verus the trisodium citrate remedy. However, for most people the sodium citrate more or less is somewhat similar to the 2 tablespoon of lemon juice plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water, preferably taken 2-3 times a day at least. The citric acid of lemon with bakiing soda will have some trisodium citrate, which will more uniformly alkalize the body through better too. However, my experience is that the carbicarb is more excellent in the extremities alkalization where circulation are poor, however in acid reflux, extremities might not be the issue, but may help if the circulation is already low in the stomach areas due to various problem foods but especially the pathogens that may able to neutralize the beneficial effects of baking soda as fast as we take them, so a stronger form might also be considered. "

GUM INFECTION LEADS TO GERD
03/03/2008: Scott writes: "Hello Ted, My name is Scott, I am 33 years old and weigh 170 pounds. I really, really need your advice. I have read alot on earthclinic.com and have read most of your posts. You seem like the best possible solution for my problem. Let me tell you how this started. 1 month ago I was absolutely healthy. I had a cut on my gums right next to my tongue and it got pretty infected. I started taking 500mg amoxicillin 3 times a day, was not eating right and then started on Ibuprofen for the swelling in my mouth. About 1 week later I started getting a lump feeling in my throat, mostly at night. I went to the ER and they diagnosed me with anxiety disorder and panic attacks. I knew this wasn't my problem and insisted that there was something going on in my throat. So they sent me to a ENT. The same night as the ER visit my symptoms became much worse. I was waking up almost as soon as I fell asleep and had sharp chest pains and burning from my chest, through my throat and a terrible taste in my mouth along with a tingling or numb feeling in my mouth and throat. The next morning I went to a ENT and he shined a light in my throat, listened to my symptoms and told me I had GERD. He told me to take Prilosec OTC once a day and to watch my diet and elevate my bed. Well none of this worked and 2 days later I started having ringing in my ears. I called them and told them about it and they told me the doctor said he looked in my ears 2 days before and nothing was wrong with them. They insisted that Prilosec did not cause the ringing in my ears even though I found on thier website that this can be a side effect from the drug. So I stopped taking it. 3 days later I took my son to a different Hospital for bad flu. So I decided to get checked out again and they ran some blood and urine tests that they said came back negative. For what I dont know. I assume they checked me for any infections or diseases. The Doctor told me the Tinnitus could have been caused by the medicine or it could be age and alot of exposure in the past to loud noises that just happened to come on in the middle of all of this. They prescibed me Ranitidine 150 twice a day. After almost 1 week after stopping the Prilosec the ringing in my ears started to go away a little. But the acid reflux did not seem to be getting any better. I decided to try Braggs ACV, 1 tsp + 8oz water. I took this once and it really seemed to work all day long. That night I noticed some burning on my lip and a little in my mouth and throat. I was afraid the ACV might have caused it and stopped taking it. So I went back on the Rantidine. It does not seem to be helping at all and I am getting virtually no sleep at night. This is seriously inhibiting my life and health. I have adjusted everything in my life, I stopped drinking Coffee and Soda and am now only drinking water. I stopped eating fast food and started eating very bland food such as Rice and Chicken. I have also elevated the head of my bed and nothing seems to be working. Yesterday I fell asleep on the couch SITTING UP and about 15-20 minutes later I woke up with the horrible taste in my mouth and burning in my mouth and throat. And to top it all of my ears starting ringing again. It(ringing) seemed to subside a little after about a hour and I tried to take my medicine again last night. It was a horrible night for me waking every hour with either burning stomach or the horrible taste in my mouth. Upon waking this morning the ringing was back in my ears and seemed the worst it has been so far. It has subsided a little again but I am at a loss as to what is causing this or what to do. The Hospitals and Doctors just want to put more medication in me and noone seems alarmed enough to go any farther than shining a light in my mouth. This is probably because I have no Medical Insurance. What would you suggest for me to do?..I have bought Super B Complex, Arm and Hammer Baking Soda and Braggs ACV with the Mother. I do not understand alot about the Chemistry of things that you have explained to others on earthclinic and don't know exactly what I should do. I want off these Meds that do not work and return to my life. I work very hard outside and am laid off right now due to the winter. Time is approaching very fast for me to go back to work but at this point I dont feel like it is even possible with the lack of sleep I am getting and constant issues of GERD I am dealing with. Please help me."

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "It should be noted that the past eating of soda, excess heavy metals, trans fatty acid, deadly if aspartame was somehow added, can lead a life long neurodegenerative disorder. However, those just lay the groundwork before the amoxicillin came. What it did, is that most of these antibiotics tend to support fungus and certain fungus like bacterial growth AFTER taking the antibiotics, which is why GERD was experienced. The ringing of the ears is sometimes the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity which often occurs whenever any antibiotics are taken. The antibiotics works by preventing the kidneys from ridding of the heavy metals, resulting in somewhat higher blood pressure and greater heavy metal retentions. Heavy metal retentions starts simply with the ringing of the ears. It works this way: excess metals shorts out normal neural conduction and it becomes ringing. Therefore a reduction of heavy metals, increase the supplements that helps promote the building myelin sheaths acting as a neural insulation which prevents, shorting, that causes the ringing helps. The other effect of taking antibiotics is lowered vitamin B complex and also causes GERD problem along with it. To reduce heavy metal retention requires some cilantro, chlorella, spirulina and lecithin supplements. To protect against heavy metal toxicity I would require taking plenty of magnesium supplements which obviously reduces the ringing of the ears. However, taking pain killers can also cause ringing of ears, as is lack of B12, folic acid and B complex. In fact in some cases of GERD it is due not only acidosis, which baking soda taken alone is the best if the ACV taken alone didn't work out as expected, but also the essential vitamin B complex. However, the trick to using B complex is to make sure the ingredients don't have the unnecessary hydrochloride as this may cause the GERD since hydrochlorides are acid forming. Three major problems I encountered in the use of B complex, is to make sure Thiamine mononitrate is used instead of thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) and the pyridoxine phosphate is used instead of pyridoxine hydrochloride. Therefore the major mistakes encountered in treatment of GERD, usually the more serious one and the long term use of alkalizing is that I can't use ACV over the long haul. If long term use of alkalizing the best approach is quite often ACV with baking soda (2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day), or just 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water twice a day, or 2 tablespoons of lemon with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water twice day. Therefore ACV should not be used in general ACV over the long run since the body has limited capacity on bicarbonates to neutralize the acid. In some cases it may also be helpful to take some curcumin, l lysine and some zinc in case things are not working out as expected, since these can increase the body's immune system too. In general, replacing white bread with rice, and avoiding most white flour, white bread, and taking too much meats, and aspartame tend to create GERD too and not just taking antibiotics. I hope that I resolved some of these issues of GERD. In general there is many ways to alkalize, but it should be noted that taking some silicon rich foods such as rice, horsetails and oatmeal may increase the body's resistance to GERD. In some cases a small amount of sea salt added to drinking water may also reduce the GERD as salinity seems to help further the body's immune system since as in salted fish, foods don't spoil whenever there is high salinity. Sometimes the problems appear that salinity in the body if it is below average, these pathogen caused GERD can also be uncontrolled too. But the foundation of the remedy still rests on just baking soda and some vitamin B complex, at least initially the B12."

TODDLER WITH AR?
12/26/2007: T writes: "Dear ted... thanks for taking these questions...the comfort from the knowledge you share is greatly needed. My three year old son has been diagnosed with acid reflux, though only by putting him on Prevacid and it seeming to work. I don't like him taking the prescription, especially if no one's really sure what the problem is, I am looking for a natural remedy. Here are his symptoms... Two, or so, years ago he started vomiting small amounts, more like babies spit up, though he never did much as an infant. Upon further observation, I noticed it happened after coughing (though not sick) or when pressure was applied to his stomach, such as climbing up onto my bed. At times, it seems too, he had a sensitive gag reflex. During these times, the vomiting was a much higher volume. When I took him to see his pediatrician, she suggested putting him on Prevacid, saying that it may or may not be reflux, but the drugs would let us know, and were less obtrusive than testing. The Prevacid did seem to help his symptoms, though to begin with the symptoms were not that frequent. He was on for about a year and I decided to ween him off. His symptoms stayed gone for a few months, but then he started vomiting small amounts again. Lately he has developed a nasty sounding cough that seems unconnected to anything else. Then yesterday he coughed badly, then vomited alot. I just want to know for sure what's wrong with him and I want to treat it naturally. Is there something I can do with out uncomfortable testing?"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "T: The vomiting may be due to water soluble vitamin deficiencies of vitamin B complex (usually its the B1, B3, B6 and B12) and the vitamin C sodium ascorbate, on ocassion. Plus an alkalizing lemon and baking soda, for example.

Babies are notorious on deficiencies that adults don't have problems such as taurine, carnitine, good cholesterols, and other so called "non-essential" amino acid (e.g. arginine and glutamine), that companies don't add causing deaths and digestion problems in babies. Even babies that eat vegan diets can lead to death because vegans are are lacking in B12 and lacking in important cholesterols and proteins found in eggs, fish, etc.

My own experience of babies that spits out or have sensitive stomach were mostly from lack of vitamin B complex, imbalances of electrolytes and all those "non-essential amino acids", such as taurine, glutamine, carnitine, arginine, for example. Babies can die if the milk formula don't even have taurine, a so-called non-essential amino acid. Some companies, even Israeli milk company even forget something as simple as Vitamin B1 in a milk formula (amazing, but true see: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=506881) and it killed the babies. In some babies even without sufficient B1, B3 or B6 can lead to the gastrointestinal upset.

My own remedy for the acid reflux remedy for babies is vitamin B complex, some vitamin C, and a balanced electrolyte (baking soda, magnesium citrate, potassium citrate, and a small pinch of sea salt). Taurine might be missing from a child's milk formula, as does many other amino acids that authorities consider not essential, that can easily kill babies with Sudden Infant Death, or other things.

The other problems that a child has regarding "sensitive" stomach, is that certain babies, which is usually most of non-white babies, but some white babies included is the issue of lactose intolerance. Obviously these information from milk companies rarely discussed the issues of lactose intolerance, which is found in cow's milk formulation, where a breast fed milk is superior.

It should be noted that the acid reflux remedy is different for adults, where usually a baking soda and apple cider vinegar will usually do the trick, but in some tougher cases of adults with acid reflux, or more like bulimia or anorexia, than a possible vitamin B complex, especially the vitamin B3 and B12, but B1 and B6, B5, B7 (biotin), Choline, B8, B9 cannot be ignored. Personally I don't even ignore the B13, which is not found in B complex formulation, but are found in Brewer's Yeast.

The following is my remedy for a child's acid reflux. Assuming a child is one half weight of a small adult of 100 pounds, the remedy is then halved:

1. 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/16 teaspoon potassium citrate, 1/16 sea salt in 1/4 glass of water taken twice a day.

2. Vitamin B complex that I used if 1/2 weight is 1/2 tablet of B50 (which is B1, B2, B3, B5, B8 at 25 mg since it is 1/2 the tablet), while B9, B12 is 25 mcg. This is taken once every other day.

3. Certain amino acid missing from a child in my opinion they should added whey protein in milk formula plus essential amino acid supplements, especially added should also be the "non-essentials" amino acid , carnitine, glutamine, arginine and taurine should be at least present.

It's difficult to mention the complete set of amino acid, so in case you are wondering what those are, here it is: l-arginine, l-histidine, l-lysine, l-methionine, L-phenylalanine,L-Tryptophan, L-Tyrosine, L-Alanine, Glycine, L-Serine, L-Threonine, L-Aspartic acid, L-Glutamine, L-Glutamic acid, L-Asparagine, L-Isoleucine, L-Leucine, L-Proline, L-Valine, L-Cysteine, along with the usual vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, as well as electrolytes, phosphate, potassium,' and sodium.

There are other important nutrients, such as mineral, calcium, boron, iodine, molybdenum, zinc, magnesium, selenium, manganese, chromium, vanadium, iron, copper, tungsten, silicon for example. There are also essential fatty acid, omega 3, omega 6, pyruvate, and certain sugar that might be essential, good Cholesterol, isoflavones, d-mannose, fucose, xylose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, galactose, and some others. Most manufactured infant milk formula and child's diet won't have it, and this leads to digestive problem. But for me most of the problem is alkalizing and the vitamin Bs, with possibility of amino acid imbalance. All milk formula may not have colostrum either, which impairs immunity and lead a child to have digestive problems too. It might seem a lot, and this is why milk companies feed infants with malnourished milk. They just prefer to save cost. Believe it or not, even a good quality supplements won't have half of my ill prepared partial list of important nutrients.

The above alone is still incomplete when you consider mercury tainted vaccines, monosodium glutamate vaccines injected into the babies to cause lifelong obesity that the parents have to find a cure too, for all the poisons, as well as pseudoestrogen bisphenol A found in nearly all packaged foods today that can lead to precocious puberty in girls, with hormonal imbalance in boys (estrogen is somewhat antagonistic to the testosterone).

One interesting fact is some child's pooh may stink a lot, comes from the fact that their digestion is incomplete, and adding some humic acid and fulvic acid would help appreciably in acquiring better digestion, and less gastrointestinal problems too. Its done in many livestock animal feeds but I am surprised, this is removed almost totally from human nutrition, in an effort to chlorinate water, they had to completely remove any humic and fulvic acid during water sanitation. Actually a better sanitation using hydrogen peroxide, and ozone would be better, without the need of removing the required fulvic acid and humic acid to help the intestines function normally in digestion process of children."

SIMPLEST REMEDIES
12/24/2007: K writes: "Hi Ted, I am from India. I am working in the night shift. I am suffering from severe acid reflux for the past three years. I am getting pain in my back throat often. I am using Ofloxacin tablet and a pain killer for relief. Recently i saw your website. You have mentioned that Apple Cider Vinegar is the best medicine for this Acid reflux. so please give me some more information regarding this ACV. I am suffering a lot. How long i should take?? Wat is the mixing procedure with water?? Does it have any side effects?? Plz reply me back. Regards"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "

There are three common remedies that is helpful, I can try any but it depends on which ones people prefer:

1. 2 Tablespoon of lemon juice plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day.

2. 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar plus 1/