Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux Relief

Calcium

Posted by Virginia (New Jersey, US) on 02/04/2015
★★★★★

I found that taking a few calcium tablets helps immediately with severe reflux, and I take acidophilus complex, and aloe vera to maintain overall digestive balance

Digestive Enzymes

Posted by Larry (Latrobe, Pa / Usa) on 02/22/2011
★★★★★

Great Site with very helpful information. I have referred to it often. I need to ad my experience as far as Acid Reflux.

I was in such discomfort for years, until I found out two things.

First, I do not digest meat without taking digestive enzymes. Two tablets with water when meal is 3/4 finished.

Second, If someone, like myself and others I see from the postings, has continuous discomfort after eating regardless of what they eat and may have trouble taking a deep breath, you probably have a Hiatal Hernia. No surgery is needed. A chiropractor can remedy this in a matter of minutes! You will have immediate relief. Once you learn the procedure your spouce can do the maneuver if it needs done in the future. It has brought relief to both my wife and myself.

I hope this information will help others.

Aloe Vera

Posted by E.s. (Gulf Shores, Al) on 07/20/2012
★★★★★

I was recently diagnosed with Diverticulitis, Barrett's Esophagus and a Hiatal Hernia. I am a Disabled American Veteran and one of my problems has been GERD, which I have suffered with for many years. Some nights it got so bad I would wake up and jump out of bed, choking for air. I have been on a regime of Omniprozole for many years as well, but have recently starting takin Aloe Vera Gel, ACV, Slippery Elm, Papaya Enzyme and a Probiotic and can say I've had the most restful sleep I've had in a long time. Plus the bloated, hard and puffed out stomach is no longer there. I am not sure if one thing is doing it or a combination of all of them, but for now I am going to stick with it.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Denise (Us) on 11/17/2018 50 posts
★★★★★

I have my acid reflux under control, mostly to Dietary Changes so I wanted to reply here. One huge change for me, was to eat no later than 6pm, but mainly, just don't go to bed within 4 hours or so of eating. I can eat toast as a snack, or anything that is very, easy to digest. I've had a few nights where I had eaten something I shouldn't have, pretty late, like only 2 or less hour before bed. If I do get it, I elevate my upper body, take a bit of baking soda in water usually. I did have a bottle of Gaviscon beside my bed, but no longer needed. I do eat mostly fish, poultry, and vegetables, but I'm more about moderation than anything. I do incorporate some things into my diet such as Apple cider vinegar (Mother's type) Coconut Oil, Blackstrap Molasses in my grated Ginger Tea, and nutritional yeast I just started recently. I also supplement with C, B50, extra B12, D3, Zinc and Magnesium. I love this site as I wouldn't have known all the things to try.

Sea Salt

Posted by Patricia (South East) on 05/11/2017

KennyWally,

Could you elaborate on the Sea Salt? How do you use it, and in what quantities? Thanks for sharing.

Acidophilus

Posted by Idow (Jupiter, Fl) on 04/15/2017

Hema, thank you so much for posting about fennel and raisin tea. It helped! Have you been able to cure your acid reflux? And if so, what other natural remedies have you used? I can't seem to tolerate any type of processed food, especially breads and cereals with additives. Thank you so much for your help!

Raw Potato

Posted by Winnie (New Jersey) on 01/20/2016
★★★★★

Eating raw potato, peeling and all, will cure acid reflux. You can just eat it or put potato in blender and drink it. Works for me everytime.

Sauerkraut

Posted by Gokhals (San Francisco, Ca, Usa) on 02/20/2013 34 posts
★★★★★

Acid reflux, especially in people over 25 is generally caused by too little acid, rather than too much acid in the stomach. I saw miraculous results with unpasteurized sauerkraut on my friends and family who had GERD.

Sauerkraut is made by mixing shredded cabbage with a tablespoon of sea salt, covering up with a cabbage leaf and leaving on the counter 3-5 days, until the cabbage is soured. Then refrigerate. Eat a tablespoon when you get acid reflux, or related stomach problems. They will disappear instantaneously. Your heartburn will vanish. Your bloating will vanish. Your stomachache will vanish.

The whole proton pump inhibitor industry is a gigantic scam. PPIs are also extremely detrimental to health.

Mustard

Posted by Staci (Cleveland, Georgia) on 06/05/2009
★★★★★

I can not believe this!!! It is 6 in the morning and I have been up and down all night with acid issues. I did the right things. No eating after 7...waited 3 hours before going to bed...propped up...ate non-acid foods...but still all night. So...at 5:30 I finally gave up popping the Tums and drinking the milk(my son tells me Milk is an acid so it does not work. Drink Tea!!! he says). I decide to check out the internet...why not? Up anyways. This website is a life saver. Mustard. Who knew? Vinegar? Made no sense to me, but I figued why not? I ate my spoon full of Mustard...and can tell the difference. It is still hovering around, but now I know I have won the fight tonight. Mustard. I am a believer!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!

Betaine Hydrochloride

Posted by FreeBrrd (San Francisco, CA USA) on 05/04/2009
★★★★★

Acid reflux symptoms are same for too much acid & too little acid. Most treatments are for too much. Most treatments will take care of the symptoms either way. Test for too little acid is if vinegar helps as it is acid. From my research, I don't think vinegar will cure too little acid, just the symptoms. Taking betaine HCL is supposed to cure it by teaching your system to produce more acid.

Too little acid causes nutrients to not be absorbed. You may become anemic, etc. I think this is why they say that older folks do not absorb nutrients as well ei. calcium.

So while the stuff you get at the drugstore will cure the symptoms, if you have too little acid, it will actually make the problem worse.

If you search online for Betaine HCL and acid reflux, it will tell you how to do it. Basically take the HCL with meals that include protein. Take enough to make you feel better. After a while you should be able to reduce amount of HCL taken, stopping completely at some point. If you use acid blockers, etc. it reverses the good results.

Get Betaine HCL at health food stores. Pharmacists go into shock if you tell them that you want to take Hydrochloric acid.

Aloe Vera

Posted by Peggy (USA) on 01/25/2008
★★★★★

I've read many of your questions on Acid Reflux. I was diagnosed with Bleeding Stomach ulcers, and was on many Antibiotics and Prevacid, acidix,to my surprise helped towards my osterprosis. I was on this for several years. There is really something that works better then anything I have read. It is 99.9% Aloe Juice. Take a little before each meal and it helps the stomach and digestive tract. After using it for several weeks then u only need it for morning and evening. I just read all the things like mentioned in your blogs here,but thought I should pass along about Aloe Juice. Thank you Peggy

Sea Salt

Posted by Bob (Moscow, PA) on 04/24/2007
★★★★★

The water cure has helped countless people quickly get rid of acid reflux and without cost. All that is required is to quit caffeine & alcohol while drinking half your body weight in ounces of water along with 1/4 tsp. of salt, preferably unprocessed sea salt per day and the acid problem should be gone in a few days. 2 glasses of water with a pinch of salt in most cases will quickly stop acid reflux discomfort. Anyone not quickly cured, just email me. All we ask is that you in turn pass it on to others. Bob

Betaine Hydrochloride

Posted by Dena L. (New Orleans, Louisiana ) on 11/17/2022
★★★★★

After suffering from C-19, I started suffering from heartburn everyday. This went on for months. It got so bad I could barely eat any food and it would affect my sleep. So I started only eating from 12pm to 7pm and I started taking a supplement called HCL betaine pepsin. I got this from Amazon. I took HCL for only three weeks and my heartburn never returned. If you have bad heartburn you may have to take them for life but it's safer than doctors medications that may cause side effects. I also stop drinking lemon and orange juice everyday. I only have them occasionally. I now drink apple juice and teas like hibiscus tea. So far I'm back to normal.

Turpentine

Posted by KS (Vienna, Austria) on 10/03/2021
★★★★★

Turpentine for Stubborn Acid Reflux (GERD)

This is how I cured my acid reflux which I suffered from for 17 years (nothing else had helped):

1 teaspoon daily of purified gum turpentine. (I took it in my mouth and washed it down with a glass of water. do not swallow without water as it can get into the windpipe.)

I paused for 1-3 days when side effects like diarrhea were too much. Side effects subside the cleaner your body gets. Turpentine kills of biofilms which cause the acid reflux.

Acidophilus

Posted by beverly (Texas) on 04/05/2022

Activated charcoal is good but remember it can cause constipation, so compensate for that.

Acidophilus

Posted by Joy (La) on 11/26/2013

My doctor gave me therelac, and I bought a probiotic that has was in the freezer section that a grocery store it is a organic raw probiotics powder it has 500 billion CfU with 34 strains it has the USDA approval I swear one day they will have gadzillion cfu's My Chinese medicine doctor suggested slippery elm to calm the stomach and fresh ginger in water, body biotics first I had ever heard of it wnt on Amazon and bought the highly rated Broad Spectrum Probioic Prebiotic Powder He told me that our produce is washed and sterilized so many times before it gets to the plate that it is not allowing the body to build the flora it needs. He told me just eat things right out our garden without washing it and allowing the good flora to build up in the system . The oral surgeon, told me he is telling his grandchildren not to use those antibacterial pumps they have in public place, because it disrupts the bodies ability to build up the natural resistance it needs to protect itself. Something to think about it.

Aloe Vera

Posted by Henrypotter (Bangkok, Thailand) on 09/18/2011
★★★★★

Aloe Vera is also nice, I had had acid reflux for 7 yrs, having been going to hospital taking all antibiotic. It seemed not working. When I saw GNC food supplement in Thailand I went for it. I have been taking aloe vera with fish oil and it seemed working. I suggest people with stomach problem should try this. U can buy this from Top Markets, central and future park at the first floor. If anything I can be of help. God bless ya all.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Connie (Slc, Ut) on 01/25/2011
★★★★☆

Hi Sheila; Yes, it is an "acid thing" to me too because I'm still trying to give it a figure. Whatever this thing is, It's been "Born Slippy" to my gripe. (possibility of a joke here). I'm still rummaging through my diet and supplements to find which acids trouble me at this time.

In Truth, these acids have nothing that's wrong about them, but I am not metabolizing them correctly for now. I cannot take aspirin or even White Willow Bark For now. (high in salicylic acid) Foods high in salicylates don't seem to be a problem.

Foods high in citric acid are troublesome now. I may have moderate amounts of naturally fermented foods. (lactic acid) Acetic acids are also troublesome now. Even Rose Hips tea caused a disturbance. (ascorbic acid and citric acid) I have trouble metabolizing sulfur. It is acidic, but moreover, the body conducts a very complex process with it in order to use it. (when I try to understand what all the liver does in this, I have to "roll out the fainting couch"). If sulfur isn't properly methylated, oxidized, etc., its unfinished business will be expressed to and from an unhappy colon.

What brought me to realize that my case was some "gross acidosis", was (I must admit this), 5 years of Hcl supplementation. I began it after a lifetime of digestive ills that peaked with a 3 month period of upper stomach pain, projectile vomiting, and dry heaves. (liver problems too) Scope showed no ulcer, no H. Pylori, but there was inflammation. After research, I began Hcl with Betaine (sounds like beet uh een). My results were great, and I could eat well. After a couple of years, I began to have negative symptoms that seemed unrelated to the Hcl. (no stomach pain). After 5 yrs., there was pain nearly everywhere but the stomach. I increased Hcl. Pain increased. Kidney pain increased exponentially. Ted's words, "acid kidney", came to mind.

I went for a scan. The results were; No stones, no obstructions in kidney, but a small liver lesion and a small hiatal hernia. I stopped Hcl. The pain began to subside. I now have somewhat low stomach acid, but I choose B-complex with an extra pinch of niacin to treat it. These are the acids that I may have.

The rewards for the practice of finding my troublesome acids are: no more kidney pain, minimized liver and stomach pain, much reduced bleeding, (purpura, gums), very few canker sores, (autoimmune), and very few shingles outbreaks, (herpes). I am now able to slowly reduce my meds. I have learned this practice from reading the brilliant posts here, and I am again grateful. Connie

Aloe Vera

Posted by Kayla (Highland, Ny) on 01/09/2011
★★★★★

My daughter Natalie suffered from reflux from day one. She was born slightly premature, and was in the NICU for breathing difficulties, where she was given antibiotics. Along with helping what the doctor thought could be a slight infection, the antibiotics wiped out the good digestive enzymes we need to absorb the nutrition from food. After many nights of screaming and hearing her pained gasps, and refusing to put her on prescription drugs with varying side affects, we were recommended to an aloe juice product. Not only does Natalie love it, but here we are almost 4 months later and all signs of her reflux are gone.

Also, aloe juice helps to strengthen the immune system. She's had 1 cold, pretty remarkable. (She has 3 young, very curious cousins! ) If you'd like more information on the aloe juice, feel free to get a hold of me. Beware of aloe juices that contain things called "aloins, " as they are not safe for infants. I'd love to tell you more, because I know what a heartbreak reflux can create for a mother. Good Luck -Kayla

B12

Posted by Nate (New Orleans, LA) on 05/24/2009
★★★★☆

Hey, I tried everyting from this site. I was on Aciphex and Malox. This helped but did not cure anything. Then I saw these emails about apples and apple cider viniger. I have been taking apples for months before I read this. It did not help. Applecider vineger did not help. Probiotics did not help.

So what did? One guy posted here saying that Acid Reflux is a B12 deficiency. I had liquid B12 and put it under my tongue. Within 30 minutes I felt relief when I was previously having a bad reaction. I also had a nuropethy thing going on in my scalp that started after I got on blood pressure meds. My head tingled as my sinuses got bad. Even this partially but significantly went away. Not completely but a significant change. Much relief. 5 days later, I am feeling even better. I have to take B12 daily under my tongue but major results. Better than when I was on Aciphex. I feel that I will be cured in a few weeks as long as I stay on B12. I hope this helps some of you.

Aloe Vera

Posted by Grant (Texas City, Texas) on 05/08/2009
★★★★★

Was just reading Ted from Bangkok, Thailand post 12/04/2006 on acid reflux and wanted to pass my findings along. Back in the early 70's I had acid so bad that I would swallow antacids whole, by the handfulls. While shopping the, (then, very new concept in my area), herb store, I found aloe vera "gel" which used Irish moss as the gelling agent and ascorbic acid as the preservative, it cured my "AR" with the first swallow! Later I determined it was actually the Irish moss that stopped my acid! However, I can't find the combination anywhere any more.

Warnings

Posted by Joyce (Joelton, TN) on 05/04/2008 490 posts
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Hello Erik from Pittsburgh,

Hopefully anyone intelligent enough to use the internet has enough intelligence to reject the idea if someone should be idiotic enough to recommend that they take strychnine or cyanide or some other poison! First off, I seriously doubt that anyone has written in recommending something that they haven't tried themselves.

I fully agree that these claims have not been evaluated by orthodox medicine studies or the FDA, but God forbid that I ever have to rely solely on the FDA's "GRAS" ratings or take every word spoken by a doctor as the gospel truth. But let's take a look at some of those that were. Remember the thalidomide that orthodox medical doctors prescribed for the normal nausea of pregnancy? How would you like to have been one of those infants born with severe deformities (the pictures of these babies, some with hands attached to shoulders instead of wrists because they had no arms or missing both arms and legs and worse) were heart breaking. I believe the FDA approved of this medication or at least passed it after taking the word of some doctor or doctors who performed a study paid for by the pharmaceutical company that produced it.

Or take a look at a more recent one called Viox. One of my aunts is one of those unlucky ones prescribed the latest thing for her arthritis pain - she has had a stroke, myocardial infarct, and a pacemaker implanted, thanks to this wonder drug that was supposedly FDA rated safe after the proper studies were done. This aunt had a lovely garden (vegetables) prior to this fiasco - I don't think she will ever be able to tend her garden again. I was raised to believe that pokeweed berries were poisonous, but after a very good friend and neighbor told me to take them for severe arthritis and she didn't back down when threatened with having to finish raising my 4 children if it killed me, I started taking them and am still taking them 40+ years later. I wouldn't be surprised to find that Viox was some substance isolated from pokeberries, and a synthetic version produced so it could be patented and make a fortune for the pharmaceutical company. I have come to the conclusion that one should never try to improve on God's product. I kept the "fail safe" by taking the pokeberries instead of a depleted synthetic version of what was found to be detrimental to the arthritis. Of course I had to work out how much and how often to take them myself, since she didn't know how her aunt took them. I do know that orthodox medicine was performing studies on pokeberries (as well as many other herbs/plants) since the 60's and 70's. We were told in a physiology lecture in l977 (at a prestigious southern medical school) "that we don't know why, but from a study we have going here, we know that pokeberries throws the immune system into gear to fight". I had already been taking them about l0 years at the time, so I just sat there & grinned. If you have a problem with herbs & plants, which I call "God's medicine", there is a wealth of information in the federal government's botanical data base, if you can find your way into it. If you can't find your way into it, James (Jim) Duke, retired PHD botanist, who amassed much of this information, has written a book titled "The Green Pharmacy" which is very informative. I own a couple of copies of it myself and have given some to my children.

Or how about the one (I forget the name) that was finally outlawed in this country after several years because too many of the ones taking it were developing irreversible blindness? The pharmaceutical company just continued selling it in other countries. This is not malpractice or neglect - it is criminal behavior secondary to greed!

I also find it amusing that many doctors are getting smart and passing up chemotherapy themselves when they develop cancer. Google Lorraine Day for a great & successful example of this.

If you are in the medical field, I am sorry if the job security is getting shaky, but I will have to "fess up" that I started taking vitamins, minerals, and supplements because I knew they worked. If I hadn't already been convinced of their effectiveness before, I would have been positive after seeing the AMA try to gain control of them by striving to make them available by "prescription" only and that prescription would have to be written by a doctor. Unfortunately Big Pharms and AMA haven't given up on this yet. Frankly, The FDA has been almost worthless and hasn't been earning the salaries that the taxpayer's money goes to pay over the past few decades. Apparently they find bigger money from lobbyists for the AMA and Big Pharm and court battles easier to win against the little guys who are selling us the vitaminsm, minerals & supplements.

It is way past time that the FDA admits that they goofed when they rated monosodium glutamate and aspartame "GRAS" but it may be too late to avoid many of us from developing Diabetes Mellitus, type 2, Parkinsons' disease, alzheimers and many other problems. I urge everyone to research these two toxins that permeate our foods and start fighting these in our foods, because the FDA is not going to do it. The latest thing I read on alzheimer's disease is that it is much more prevalent, striking at a younger age and in those without a genetic predisposition, than previously thought. That tells me that it is what they are putting in our food.

Alkaline Acid Diet

Posted by Cynthia (Bergen County, New Jersey) on 11/23/2007
★★★★★

All these remedies do not address what people are putting initially in their bodies! Everyone is consuming acid causing foods. The basic theory is that acidic foods (ex. orange) cause an alkaline tummy. Alkaline foods cause an acid stomache. If you eat a lot of bread, rice, grains, etc. you will have reflux or an acid stomache. If you balance your diet with fruits and vegetables you will greatly reduce your chance of an acidic stomache. Find an acid alkaline food chart on google. There are quite a few. This explains why some people found relief from apples. It is an alkalizing fruit! So are beets, broccoli, carrots, etc. But be careful! Some fruits and vegees are acidifying like corn, lentils, blueberries, cranberries, canned fruits, plums, prunes, etc. That is why the chart is so important. I was a candidate for nexium and anti-acid pills. However, I changed my life by maintaining the acid alkaline diet. Please consider this. I've changed a lot of people's lives by sharing this information. However, a couple of my friends and family who have NOT taken this advice are now on anti-acid pills. Oh, by the way, fennel seed tea is a miracle worker for after dinner tummy calming. It helps to maintain an alkaline tummy. I need 2 cups to be helpful (I'm 144 lbs). Find the right dose for you. Best of luck!! Here's to your health!