Wisdom from our Clinicians: Top Tips for GERD

If you experience heartburn or acid reflux or have been diagnosed with GERD (read Soothing the Burn), you’ve probably heard most of the following advice from your doctor:

1. Avoid eating late at night.

2. Avoid lying down after eating, or sleep on an incline with the head of your bed slightly raised.

3. Avoid ‘trigger’ foods such as coffee, spicy foods, and alcohol.

This standard advice can be helpful, but it’s just a start. I asked Energy Matters practitioner Angela Coon L.Ac for the wisdom she shares in the treatment room on living with GERD. Angela, an experienced primary care practitioner, treats every kind of illness and health condition, but she has a special focus on digestive health, where she digs into the most complex cases to help her patients find relief.

Here are Angela’s top tips for taming reflux:

1. Chew your food well and don’t drink water with meals (these are both number one!)

2. Try digestive enzymes with your meals

3. Eat smaller portions at mealtimes

4. Drink apple cider vinegar in warm water in the morning - up to a tablespoon maximum

5. Meal plan and prep to avoid rushing and grabbing whatever’s around to eat

6. Don’t eat while wearing tight clothes

7. Avoid peppermint as it can relax the esophageal sphincter

Although it’s called ‘acid reflux’ and often treated with medications designed to lower stomach acid, GERD and reflux are not always caused by high levels of acid. Instead, your stomach acid is going where it shouldn’t - up into your esophagus. Paradoxically, it can even be caused by insufficient acid! Finding the right treatment is key, and a holistic approach will get your digestion back on track, not just mask symptoms.

Following Angela’s tips can help manage occasional heartburn. If self-care isn’t enough, give us a call or schedule an appointment online.