The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Betaine Hydrochloride
Posted by Woody (Frankston, Australia) on 09/08/2008
★★★★★
I have suffered Gastric Reflux for about 6 years, tried eveything including Tagamet, Zoton and all the beta blockers and Proton pump inhibitors but nothing worked. One day I tried Betaine, one tablet at breakfast and 6 years of grief have been replaced with zero reflux. This has been good for 3 months now with no problems at all. What causes Acid reflux is slow digestion, the added Acid from Betaine speeds up digestion. And the food goes down.
Slippery Elm
Posted by Cris (Sydney, Australia) on 04/09/2008
★★★★★
Hi! I have tried different remedies to help me with my acid reflux due to my hiatus hernia and 1 tsp. of slippery elm powder mixed with water works for me. It coats the esophagus and helps with the burning behind the throat and acid tongue feeling. I can pretty much eat anything but when I take slippery elm but of course, I try to eat healthier foods most of the time.
B12
Posted by Christine (Virginia Beach, USA) on 04/04/2008
★★★★★
Acid reflux is often caused by a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Since you need B12 to make enough intrisic factor and enzymes to absorb it, perhaps just taking ACV will help you absorb Vitamin B12 better.
Nevertheless, I have found that as long as I take 4 B12 dots (500 mcg) under the tongue once a day, I am fine. When I don't, the reflux comes right back.
Aloe Vera
Posted by Ellen D (USA) on 01/10/2008
★★★★★
I got acid reflux after having taken aspirin daily for about two weeks (for chronic headache). That was many years ago but my stomach is still sensitive to spicy foods, too much grease, etc. I have found that if I cut a leaf off my Aloe vera plant, peel off the leathery skin and eat the slimy jelly-like inner part of the leaf, it soothes my throat and settles my stomach. (This remedy was told to me by a Japanese friend, who said that's what people do in Japan.)
Olive Oil
Posted by Terry (Mount Vernon, Illinois) on 05/26/2007
★★★★★
HI, I lived in the south of France for many years. I am a massage therapist and use aroma therapy and plants. What works the best FOR ME to decrease the effects of acid reflux is 1 tablespoon of OLIVE OIL every morning and evening. There might be a little discomfort the first few times, but the results, for me, were well worth it. My old 30 day supply of pills lasts me all year now. I haven't tried the ACV remedy, but yes, the apples help me a lot too. But we are all different. I find that the Olive oil works best in my case.
Ginger Ale
Posted by Douglas (Toronto, Ontario)
★★★★★
This is my dad's remedy. One day I had heartburn and my dad suggested drinking ginger ale. With the equivalent of only two tablespoons worth, the heartburn was gone instantly. I hope he isn't too upset with my sharing of his remedy. Also, it is a theory of mine that heartburn can be cured with any kind of pop or carbonated beverage.
Mustard
Posted by MrsAcon (Indiana) on 04/23/2024
★★★★★
I also was skeptical about this but it works immediately and every time! Just a spoonful of any yellow mustard does it. I even carry mustard packets with me now.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda
Posted by Jane (Folsom, CA) on 09/21/2023
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar for acid reflux, GERD, sour stomach, etc.
Wow, I'm just so happy that I have to share my experience with you and hope that it will help you. I was experiencing so much acid in my tummy to the point that I constantly had to eat to alleviate the discomfort. At night was the worst. It's when your stomach has no food, and that's when I felt so sick that I had to get something to eat, at night. Even that, in the morning I felt nauseous because of all the acid in the stomach. Luckily, I went to this lovely website. I read about Ted's remedies for GERD. I'm familiar with this site ten years ago and read a lot about Ted's remedies. I wonder how Ted is doing now. I learned so much from Ted. Sorry for getting off track. Back to this remedy, I mixed 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in an 8oz of water and drank it 3 times a day. This drink really tastes like Alka Seltzer without the aspirin. I felt a difference soon after I drank it. It really changed my well being. I was feeling so sick in the stomach and it made me lazy and not felt well.
I really hope this recipe will help you. I really think it will.
Celery
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 07/29/2023
★★★★★
A friend and I were eating at a Mexican restaurant. We had several dishes that were acidic, plus a few glasses of coke. After the meal my friend took out a 4 inch stalk of celery from her purse, and began eating it. She told me that she had been living on Tums since she was young, but had just recently tried celery. By the time she had finished the stalk of celery, the severe burning sensation in her throat and chest were gone.
Since that time, I have learned to use this protocol for anyone experiencing acid reflux or heart burn.
After eating, always eat a 4 inch piece of celery behind it. I've seen people's reflux disappear completely in as little as 24 hours and as long as they stay eating the celery, they do not have a relaps.
Why does it work?
During ancient times, celery was considered to be a medicinal herb before it became a food and used to treat a variety of ailments. Celery is an old folk remedy for heartburn.
Celery is highly anti-inflammatory. It may help in reducing the severity of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchitis, asthma, lupus, gout, Crohn's disease, leaky gut, etc. (1). This activity is attributed to the active ingredients like apigenin, apiin, and luteolin in celery juice (7).
Celery heals and activates the gut by restoring hydrochloric acid which helps us digest things faster and more efficiently. Celery juice helps raise stomach acid, which is necessary to help break down food, especially protein. Especially good for those on a high protein diet. If our stomach acid is low, the body has to use more resources to digest that food, often leaving us feeling tired and lethargic. Celery juice has the ability to significantly replenish depleted levels of gastric mucus that is needed in the stomach lining to heal and prevent ulcers and acid reflux.
Try it and let me know.
Ginger
Posted by Erin Olsen (United States) on 05/23/2020
★★★★★
I tried just about everything, chewing on a piece of fresh Ginger from the root, calmed me reflux instantly. I am off PPI's now for about a week. Ginger worked better than they ever did.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Olddude (Tn) on 10/16/2018 21 posts
★★★★★
I used ACV and baking soda for years, then I got into a Plant Based eating program and all my acid reflux went away,,, watch the documentary Forks over Knives on netflix when u can.
Aloe Vera
Posted by Helenation (Florida) on 02/18/2017
★★★★★
Shouldn't. I'm hypothyroid and the aloe juice (inner leaf) has worked wonders for my GERD. Btwy, my doc also has me supplementing my natural desiccated thyroid meds with a bit of iodine (mixed in water) each day. I've been drinking the juice for a month now and have noticed no impact on my thyroid condition.
Acidophilus
Posted by Carmel (Essex, England) on 05/26/2022
Most yoghurts are heat treated and then the "live" bacteria is added after. Any that was there before was killed in the process.. Same as vitamin d is added to fish oil capsules etc. You need a few biotics to work, and one month is nowhere near enough anyway. It also depends on when you take them and if you use prebiotics before and during taking them.
Acidophilus
Posted by Christina (TN) on 04/07/2023
Have you been checked for H. Pylori? It may be that.
Himalayan Salt
Posted by Kennywally (Midwest) on 06/07/2016 46 posts
★★★★★
I used to carry a small container of himalayan pink salt, to instantly knock out acid reflux. I was at a transformational workshop and folks seen me taking a pinch and wondered what I was doing, so I shared that with them, of course it worked great. I rarely get the reflux, but am not sure why, I'm just glad it worked, and fast too!
Slippery Elm
Posted by Gena (Westport, Ct) on 12/09/2014
★★★★★
I have acid reflux and find that taking 4 capsules of slippery elm settles my stomach and makes the acid reflux disappear. I highly recommend it for anyone who suffers from it!
Acidophilus
Posted by Mckenzie (Charlotte, NC) on 04/06/2013
James, How much acidophilus are you taking per day? How many million or billion CFUs in total?
Is it a single strain or a multi strain probiotic??
Thanks!
Sugar Tea
Posted by Brook (Birmingham, Alabama) on 03/28/2013
★★★★★
This is going to sound weird, but I tried all of the remedies above and nothing helped me long term except sugar. My grandmother, an 80 year old woman told me to put a table spoon of sugar in a cup of hot hot water and drink it like a tea. The first time I took it I heard a gulp in my stomach. I did it for a few days and no acid reflux. Now, I don't wake up with acid burning in my throat anymore. If I eat something acidic, I just make sure to drink my sugar tea. I also lost a couple of pounds. But, I try not to do that often. Trust me it works!
Digestive Enzymes, Probiotics
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, La Union\\\\\\\\, Philippine) on 03/12/2013
Hi Gerd Fighter... I usually find that I now alkalize, using both the sodium bicarbonate and water(alkalizes the intestines and blood) and the lime/lemon and water(alkalizes inside the cells) remedies. I may not use these every day but I usually use them several times every week because 80% to 90% of all our processed food is acid forming in the body. So, yes, I use these alkalizing remedies constantly every week.
The dosages referred to in the link I provided were 7 half tspns of baking soda for adults and 3 half tspns for anyone over 60. It's rare that you will ever have to take 7 half tspns unless your body is extremely acidic.
Most people link high blood pressure to too much sodium intake in the body. But just like Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium, sodium is easily regulated by the kidneys. The problems really arise if there is a lack of sodium, calcium, potassium or magnesium in the diet. You cannot regulate minerals that are already at low levels in your body can you?
Calcium is usually always found to be in excess in our processed food diets(everything is fortified with calcium these days!! ) whereas potassium and magnesium are always lacking in our diets. Sodium, as salt intake, is tricky. Alot of people avoid salt and other people just use refined salt(acidic). Our bodies need the Sea Salt form of salt which is more alkaline than refined salt and sea salt also contains many other essential and useful minerals.
The fear with salt is because people believe that sodium will raise their blood pressure. But this is simply not true. It is the excess chloride in refined salt that raises the blood pressure. In his book pH Balanced for Life (which is sold on this site) Ted from Bangkok reveals that he did an experiment on himself to prove this. He took sodium bicarbonate, magnesium chloride and potassium chloride at different times and found that the magnesium chloride and potassium chloride always tended to raise his blood pressure whereas sodium bicarbonate did not raise BP. So it isn't because of the sodium but is because of the chloride content in refined salt that causes a rise in BP. For myself, I am constantly taking the Baking Soda alkalizing remedies and my own blood pressure has never varied in 6 years-- it always remains at around 110/70.
