Manage & treat acid reflux and GERD Naturally

Are you one of those that indulges just a bit too much during the holidays? Who doesn’t? With all the yummy food around, it’s hard not to, but we surely pay the price. This article will explain why you feel so horribly and why typical conventional treatments only make matters worse.

Acid reflux or also known as GERD (gastroesophogeal reflux disease) affects millions of Americans in the US and if left untreated can be quite painful and lead to inflammation of the esophagus and even cancer. A diagnosis from your doctor will leave you with a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor or an H2 agonist, both of which suppress acid production in the stomach. Of course this is what they intend to do, but from a (w)holistic sense, this is exactly what you do not want to do. Keep reading and I will tell you why.

Why is HCL so important?

• The role of HCL is to help our bodies utilize minerals and protein, since without adequate stomach acid, we cannot fully breakdown and assimilate these foods. HCL activates pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down protein and if we cannot assimilate protein or minerals properly, this can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Many biological processes rely on both proteins and minerals to function, namely the liver.

• HCL signals the pancreas to excrete more enzymes, so when the stomach empties into the duodenum, the food can continue to breakdown.

• HCl induces peristalsis, the contraction of the intestines important for proper digestion.

• HCL is needed in order for our bodies to utilize vitamin B-12, important for many bodily functions including brain and nervous system function and the formation of blood. Low B-12 is common in the elderly since HCL levels naturally decline as we age. B-12 shots are typically necessary.

• HCL is also the first line of defense our bodies have against pathogenic organisms that can enter our bodies via food. The acid kills unwanted organisms and is important to deter bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, termed SIBO, (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). This can lead to more digestive issues, leaky gut, and may induce other pathogenic bacteria from growing out of control like C-Diff, which normally live in the gut but kept in check.

• The stomach has a second valve, the pyloric valve as mentioned above, that is also reliant upon HCL levels in the gut to open. If HCL levels in the gut are inadequate, the food remains in the gut longer, can cause indigestion, and more pressure on the LES thus compounding the issue. This could be termed ‘slow stomach emptying’ or ‘gastroparesis.’ Gastroparesis can be caused by other issues as well, including damage to the vagus nerve, a nerve which regulates the digestive system.

What Causes GERD?

• Low stomach acid

• Eating foods that do not require acid to break down, like sugar, can leave your stomach with inadequate acid. Yes, that’s right, INADEQUATE acid production and if your stomach is low in acid, as I mentioned above, the esophageal sphincter will not close properly. The sphincter needs the cue from the acid to tighten up and close off. This resulting laziness of the sphincter causes acid to creep up and create GERD.

• A diet high in coffee or other drinks loaded with caffeine and/or carbonation can have negative affects on the esophageal sphincter, causing it to remain open...it gets lazy... during the digestive process.

• Smoking and alcohol can also create a lazy sphincter.

• Slow stomach emptying and can also cause GERD as this puts more pressure on the esophageal sphincter and can weaken or reduce its elasticity. Many with diabetes suffer from slow stomach emptying and also suffer from GERD. But, as we already know, this is likely due to low stomach acid.

Other causes of GERD:

• If you were or are an over-eater, this can stretch the stomach and tear the sphincter. The resulting consequence can inhibit the sphincter from closing properly. This last issue is very hard to treat and may need a visit with the doctor to see if a tear is indeed present. At this point, surgery is an option for treatment and should be considered.

• Hiatal hernia is also a big risk factor for acquiring GERD as this causes a disfunction in the sphincter due to the change in position of the esophagus, so this should be considered as well. Treatments are available to fix this issue. This is explained below.

• Bad posture while eating. Sit up straight so you don’t kink up the works and cause pressure on the LES.

• Some medications can cause low stomach acid production, likely because of these drugs depressive action or stress on the liver: anxiety medications and antidepressants, antibiotics, blood pressure medications, nitroglycerin, osteoporosis drugs, and pain relievers (which can actually damage the parietal cells).

What causes low stomach acid?

A diet high in processed foods loaded with sugar; stress; chlorinated water consumption; carbonated beverages (these beverages can damage the parietal cells and inhibit gastric juice production), poor methylation of the liver (this detoxification pathway is where the liver processes many drugs and when this process is overwhelmed because of medications, poor diet and over-all environmental pollution, this can lead to poor stomach acid production).

What Can You Do About It?

Simple natural interventions to consider:

Bitters herbs like artichoke leaf, burdock root, dandelion root, yellow dock- These herbs stimulate bile excretion and keep things moving.

Demulcents — Marshmallow root, slippery elm, aloe — these herbs will reduce inflammation and reduce some of the symptoms.

Carminatives — Celery seed, cardamom, fennel, chamomile, catnip, ginger, anise — many others that can help to relieve symptoms and support the bodies own ability to secrete acid.

Healing herbs — comfrey leaf, plantain — these herbs contain allantoin, a compound that can heal tissue by its ability to increase cell proliferation.

Real Fermented Vegetables — Eating fermented vegetables with main meals helps the body digest better and supports the digestive process by introducing the same bacteria that live in our gut. Fermented vegetables added to any diet improves transit time, reduces digestive issues, increases absorption of vital nutrients, helps the lower bowel produce needed vitamins, and reduces the risk for dis-ease like diverticulitis.

Use DGL licorice. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice is available at your local health food stores and can help restore the mucosal lining in the stomach. It is also nice to take for prevention and can be used to reduce inflammation on or near the LES to relieve symptoms of GERD.

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Sara M. Woods Kender is a Clinical Herbalist, Reiki Master, and Psychic Medium - Sacred Tree Herbals, 169 DW Highway, Unit 1, Meredith, NH. www.sarasherbs.com 603-279-2779.