Because your mouth and stomach are the first step in getting nutrients into your body, you don’t want to get this step wrong. If you are taking Prevacid, Prilosec, Aciphex, Protonix, Nexium, or even antacid, its time you re-evaluated the use of these drugs.

Fact1: Your stomach is designed to have a pH of 3.0 or less, more acidic

Fact 2: When you stomach pH is consistently higher than 3.0, more alkaline, you create disease

Fact 3: Taking heartburn or reflux drugs or antacids raises and keeps your stomach pH above 3.0 and higher.

When your stomach has the proper pH, it digests your food so that,

The meat you eat is broken down into amino acids that you absorb later

Vitamins are created from the food you eat

Vitamins are separated out from the food you eat

Minerals are kept in solution for later absorption

Stomach digested food moves into the duodenum at the proper pH level and triggers digestive juices from the pancreas and gallbladder.

Bacteria overgrowth is prevented and eliminates their interference with the absorption of vitamin B-12

When your stomach pH gets higher than 3.0, It secretes more acid to keep its pH below 3.0. When heartburn or acid reflux medication interferes with stomach acid by raising it pH above 3.0, the stomach is no longer functioning like a stomach. It is now creating chemical combinations that are not usable by your body. What it now produces is affecting the function of subsequent processes in the duodenum and colon. It causes these body organs to malfunction and they fail to digest and absorb the nutrients from the food you ate.

The cascade effect of a stomach with a high pH over a long period of time results in numerous ill conditions that are not traceable to an inefficient stomach.

So it’s your job is to keep your stomach’s pH at the proper level and look to solve your heartburn and acid reflux issues using natural remedies. If your condition, has evolved into GERD then you may have to consult a doctor or an alternative practitioner to recover from this disease.

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Acid reflux or gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which fluid splashes up from the stomach into the esophagus. This fluid contains mostly acid with some pepsin and bile. All three of these fluids are potentially dangerous to the sensitive esophageal tissue, with acid being the most harmful. This refluxed fluid can inflame and damage the lining of the esophagus (esophagitis). If this condition is allowed to become chronic, it can in time develop into Barrett’s esophagus, which is the precursor of esophageal cancer.

Over 15 million Americans experience acid reflux daily. People at all ages are susceptible to this condition. Older people who suffer from acid reflux tend to be more seriously affected than younger people. 13,000 people are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year. At least 12,000 people die from it. The overall survival rate is very poor. Acid reflux is the greatest known risk factor for developing Barrett’s Esophagus, which can become esophageal cancer.

Barrett’s esophagus occurs when chronic acid reflux or esophagitis is not controlled. Through constant inflammation and damage, the normal cells that line the esophagus called squamous cells turn into specialized columnar cells. Columnar cells are not normally found in human beings and can become cancerous.

Although this can happen to anyone, it usually occurs in people over forty who have had regular bouts of heartburn for more than five years. Some of the symptoms are difficulty in swallowing and being awakened in the night by the pain of heartburn. Some people have no symptoms at all.

Scar tissue can develop from the constant attack of acid on the tender lining of the esophagus. The tissue can become thickened and hard, making the esophagus narrower. This can make it difficult to swallow food or even water.

I am a firm believer in natural cures versus conventional medicine. When I go to a doctor it is for diagnostic purposes only. Then, instead of subjecting myself to a barrage of harmful pills and painful procedures, I attempt to cure the condition myself by using alternative methods. I have found that MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) has the ability to soften scar tissue, making it flexible and permeable. I believe that by taking MSM on a regular basis, one can possibly avoid the severe problems associated with chronic acid reflux.

MSM has been touted as the greatest natural healing agent since vitamin C. It seems to have the power to reduce pain and inflammation. It is currently being used to treat a wide range of ailments including, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and gout. It’s even being used as a treatment for snoring and constipation. MSM has been used with great success on horses and dogs, to control the inflammation associated with allergies.

I use MSM to relieve the summer allergies of my twelve year old Jack Russell Terrier, Jack Pot. It works like magic. By giving him a gram of MSM in a little cheese twice a day, I have reduced his itching and running eyes, which are associated with air born allergies, to a bare minimum.

I also use MSM drops for my eyes. It evidently has the power to reduce, if not prevent, cataracts. It seems to dissolve them. My mother had cataracts in both eyes. She had one removed by her ophthalmologist. When she told me what she had one, I put her on MSM drops immediately. When she went back to the doctor for her pre-surgery exam for the second eye, they discovered that the other cataract had completely disappeared.

Aren’t cataracts a form of scar tissue? I believe that scar tissue and Barrett’s Esophagus have an important connection. Therefore, if MSM does, in fact, have this beneficial effect on scar tissue, perhaps it can prevent, or at least improve Barrett’s esophagus. Maybe MSM can help prevent this kind of cancer? I don’t know, but I will continue to take it rather than to subject myself to so called “modern medicine”.

If you should choose to go the allopathic medical route, diagnosis of Barrett’s Esophagus involves an endoscopy. The doctor sticks a long mechanical tube down your throat to observe the esophagus and perform a biopsy. It can’t be a very pleasant procedure. And what if the results are negative? The doctor will most likely prescribe drugs which have harmful side effects. Some of these drugs include H2 blockers like cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine. Or he may prescribe the drugs omeprazole and lansoprazole, which are proton pump inhibitors.

Some of he side effects of these drugs are: headache, disturbances of the gut such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, excess gas in the stomach and intestines (flatulence), dry mouth, skin reactions such as rash and itch, inflammation of the skin (dermatitis), dizziness, pain in the muscles and joints, swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral edema), pins and needles (paraesthesia), depression, agitation, confusion, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), sleepiness (somnolence), liver or blood disorders. The list goes on and on.

If the drugs don’t work then he’ll most likely suggest a surgical procedure called fundoplication, which entails removing the damaged part of the esophagus and attaching the remaining section to the stomach.

For myself, I will continue to search for and experiment with natural cures for acid reflux. I think that perhaps the medical approach could be worse than the disease itself.

I was a victim of acid reflux for many years. I had disappointing experiences with doctors, who knew nothing about nutrition or alternative medicine. Basically, doctors only know how to write prescriptions. They know nothing about healing. They are only taught how to treat symptoms by dealing drugs that support the pharmaceutical industry.

The Proton pump inhibitors, which my doctor prescribed, ultimately didn’t work for me. Besides the harmful side effects caused by these drugs, no one really know what the long tern affect of them is on the human body.

Since conventional medicine didn’t help me, I was highly motivated to explore alternative means of healing myself. After much research and experimentation, I did find natural ways which allowed me to ultimately cure my acid reflux condition. MSM was one of them.

For information on how to heal acid reflux the natural way, go to: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

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PPI drugs actually shut down the pumps that produce the stomach acid necessary to digest food. You have to wonder how the human body digests and assimilates food properly without stomach acid. How does a body remain healthy without the proper digestion of food? Is this natural?

I used to suffer from acute acid reflux. I was addicted to a PPI drug…..that certain “colored pill”. After several years of taking this drug, my condition became worse and I was told to double the dose. I began to feel sluggish and tired. My vision suffered and my blood pressure went off the charts. I realized that these were probably side effects of the PPI drug. I did some research and found that there were hundreds of possible harmful side effects, including:
Headache, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, dry mouth, aggravated
constipation, enlarged abdomen, back pain, chest pain, anemia, allergic
reaction, hypertension, tachycardia, goiter, tinnitus, facial edema, conjunctivitis, vision abnormal, aggravated depression, dizziness,
hypertonia, nervousness, cystitis, insomnia, migraine, anorexia, acne,
dermatitis, glycosuria, hyperuricemia, hyponatremia, arthritis aggravated,
tongue edema, ulcerative stomatitis, impotence, insomnia, to name a few.

I mean, who needs tongue edema, impotence or aggravated constipation? Good God! I knew that I had to stop taking this drug! But when I tried, the acid pumps, which had been shut off for so long, went wild and produced more acid than ever before. I have never suffered so much in my life….even drinking water gave me severe indigestion. My doctor suggested that I get back on the pill. He had no other advice to offer.

I became determined to beat this dreadful condition – beat the curse of the big drug companies! I really had no choice, because medical science, apparently, had no solution for my problem. I began extensive research on the subject and found out some very interesting things.

Acid reflux is big business. It’s a drug company’s dream come true. Millions of Americans suffer from acid reflux. Many millions more experience the pain of heartburn, ranging from once a month to every day. This affliction is the result of the splashing up of fluids from the stomach into the esophagus. These fluids are composed of hydrochloric acid, pepsin and occasionally liver bile. Stomach fluid helps break down the food we eat so that it can be digested. The hydrochloric acid in the stomach fluid helps prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying in the stomach and intestines. Although hydrochloric acid also helps the body absorb vitamins and nutrients, it is a very strong corrosive. The stomach holds this powerful acid in check with a special protective lining. The esophagus, however, does not have this protection. When acid splashes up through the lower esophageal sphincter into the esophagus, we have the problems of heartburn, gerd, or acid reflux. This condition, if left unchecked, can eventually lead to Barrett’s Disease, or cancer of the esophagus.

Of course, I found all this to be quite scary and, since drugs were not the answer for me, I had to find alternative ways to treat this condition. I researched the subject even further and found a plethora of natural things that could heal acid reflux. First of all, I learned that acid reflux is not a disease, but a condition that begins when the esophagus becomes irritated. Let’s say that you are watching an exciting ball game on TV. Someone hands you a bag of corn chips and without thinking, you eat them too fast, without chewing properly. The jagged edges of the chips have caused little lacerations in the esophagus that you’re not even aware of. Later that evening you are invited to a Mexican chili party. The spicy tomato sauce in the chili further irritates those injuries. You wash down the chili with alcohol or soda, making it even worse. Before you know it, you have a full blown case of acid reflux. Until you allow your esophagus to heal, you will continue to suffer from this condition.

I was astounded to find that the esophagus can be healed in about three days. Simply eating foods that are easy to digest, three or four times during the day, and omitting the regular big meals, is the key. I ate fruits like bananas, melon and apples during the day. I snacked on walnuts and almonds. I found that eating slowly in a relaxed atmosphere and chewing food well helped enormously. There are foods and drinks which should obviously be avoided like those which are fried, spicy, or too crunchy. Alcohol and carbonated drinks are a definite no-no . We are all aware of which foods trigger our indigestion. You just have to avoid them for a few days until you are over the hump.

There are many natural herbs and health store items which can assist in this healing process. Slippery elm, Twig tea, aloe vera juice, licorice products and orange peel extract can be of great value, just to mention a few. Removing stress from your life is essential during this period. Yoga and meditation are worth considering to ward off the daily angst.

I managed to stop taking those harmful and expensive drugs, in favor of natural remedies. I cured my acid reflux condition. I am drug free. You can do it too.

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The medical community would have you believe that only prescription drugs can relieve the symptoms of indigestion. This is simply not the case. Antacids are, at best, a temporary fix and they are loaded with harmful ingredients such as sodium and aluminum. PPI drugs should only be used for eight weeks, at most. Then what are you to do? These drugs only mask and hide the symptoms and have hundreds of harmful side effects. They do not heal the condition! They do not make you well! They only make the drug makers wealthier at your expense!

I used to suffer from acute GERD. I was addicted to a PPI drug…..a “certain colored pill”. After several years of taking this drug, my condition became worse and I was told to double the dose. I began to feel sluggish and tired. My vision suffered and my blood pressure soared. I realized that these were possible side effects of this PPI drug. I did a computer search and found that there were hundreds of possible side effects. I was shocked and frightened at what I found! I was harming my body and I wanted to stop taking this drug! But when I tried to stop the PPI, he acid pumps, which had been shut off, went wild and produced more acid than ever before.

I can’t tell you how much I suffered. My esophagus was constantly burning and l feared that I would permanently damage myself. I couldn’t sleep at night. I was afraid to eat or drink anything but water! I was afraid to go out to dinner. I became a recluse. I began to loose my friends. They didn’t understand my problem. Friends would call and say, “Let’s go out for Mexican, barbeque or pizza”. Of course, I couldn’t. I loved to eat hot chili sprinkled with raw onions and jack cheese, but it was now my worst nightmare. My life had become unbearable!

I was determined to beat this sickness! My doctor couldn’t help me –no one could tell me what to do. I had to heal myself. I became completely dedicated to finding the answers. I studied and researched. I wanted to find naturopathic treatments as opposed to drugs, so I searched high and low for natural remedies that might actually cure acid reflux. I tried every possible treatment that exists, short of voodoo.

I found that the answers to the acid reflux problem are really quite simple. With a few changes in lifestyle and with the help of several natural remedies, one can absolutely beat the acid reflux syndrome, without the use of drugs.

Remember, that the reason this condition exists, in the first place, is due to a damaged esophagus. Let the esophagus heal by not eating the same foods in the same way, that caused the damage. Loosing weight, exercising, chewing properly, drinking sufficient amounts of water and elevating the head at night, are all simple things that anyone can do to improve this condition.

There are also many natural ingredients found in any health store, which an help during the acid reflux recovery period. Herbs, such as slippery elm and marshmallow have wonderful healing properties. Aloe vera juice, licorice and natural honey can sooth the esophagus and assist in the healing process.

By eating dinner at least three hours before retiring, one can drastically reduce the chances of acid reflux. Chewing gum between meals actually reduces stomach acid, and if you really have to have that pasta with tomato sauce, there is always baking soda as a last resort.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals. I eat four or five little meals each day. I start the day with Kukicha Twig tea. I then eat fruit, such as bananas and melons. I have several snacks of walnuts, almonds and more fruit. For lunch I eat a salad, made with grilled chicken breasts, or tofu, mixed with hearts of romaine, tossed with a light lemon and chive vinaigrette.

I have found that it pays to keep the food that you eat as alkaline as possible. I have developed some wonderful recipes, such as pasta primavera, baked chicken breasts on mushroom caps and sautéed white fish on mashed potatoes with green peas. You certainly don’t have to starve yourself, but I suggest that you stay away from those acid reflux “trigger” foods, until you have healed your irritated esophagus.

It does take a new approach to life, in general, to heal a stubborn acid reflux condition. Think of it as a fun challenge. You’ll feel so much better, it will have been work all the effort.

So please don’t resort to those “colored pills”. Yes, they are convenient, but potentially dangerous, in the long run. Take command of your own health and use natural resources to heal acid reflux.

Free recipes for acid reflux healing are available at http://www.refluxgoneforever.com/DIETRECIPES.doc

Charles Stewart Richey

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Cinnamon

Cinnamon has many medicinal uses aside from being great for various pastries. It has an antiseptic effect and has been historically used for colds and flu’s. It has fighting power against Candida albicans and has the ability to settle acidic stomachs.

Here’s how to use cinnamon for an acid stomach or heartburn:

· Toast raisin bread
· Butter the raisin bread
· Sprinkle cinnamon on the bread
· Sprinkle cardamon on the bread

When you eat this toasted bread, chew slowly and completely before swallowing to allow the digestive juices in your mouth to start breaking down this food.

Cardamon, which is found in India, has been used successful in treating Celiac disease, which is an intolerance to gluten found in most breads.

Grapefruit Skins

Here is a way to settle your acid reflux stomach with grapefruit. Use only organic grapefruit for this remedy. Here’s what to do:

· Grate the entire outer skin of an organic grapefruit
· Spread them out on a flat dish to dry
· Allow them to get crinkly dry
· Store them in a glass jar or zip lock bag

Whenever you get an upset stomach, acid reflux or heartburn start chewing and eating these strips of dried grapefruit. These strips will settle out your stomach. Eat only a few of them and test to see how many you need.
Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce can be used to eliminate an acid reflux or heartburn condition. This lettuce is high in minerals and is highly alkaline.

Here’s what you need to do:

· Buy an organic romaine lettuce head
· Wash in distilled water
· Cut up the leaves and place them in a blender
· Add cold distilled water to make a slurry
· Add a slight amount of honey to give it taste

Drink a 4-8 oz to get relief from your acid reflux or acid stomach

Mace, Nutmeg, and Slippery Elm

Here is a natural remedy that uses mace and nutmeg, which has a history of treating indigestion, acid stomach, heartburn, acid reflux, stomach gas, and vomiting.

Here’s how to use it with half and half and slippery elm root herb. Slippery elm herb can be purchase in any herb store in powder.

· 1 teaspoon of slippery elm bark
· a pinch of nutmeg
· a pinch of mace
· add distilled water to make a smooth slurry
· heat a pint of half and half to boil
· pull half and half from stove and add herb slurry
· stir in herb slurry

Allow this mixture to cool. Drink up to ½ cup at a time. Store the unused portion in the refrigerator. When drinking the next cup, warm this mixture up.

Acid reflux and heartburn require alkaline nutrients to provide relief. These 4 natural remedies, when prepared properly, will give you the relief you need from these conditions. Try them; you will be surprised on how well they work

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Anise, peppermint, and lavender

Here’s a tea that you can make to help you with acid reflux or heartburn. It will help you reduce the amount of acid you have in your stomach. Mix together equal amounts of aniseed, peppermint and lavender. Make an infusion of this tea:

* boiling 2 ½ cup distilled water
* pour this water over a teaspoon of the herbal mixture
* let this tea sit for 3- 5 minutes
* strain the tea and add a little bit of honey if you like.
* place this tea in a thermos

Drink up to 8 oz in the morning and 8 oz in the evening to get relief of acid reflux.

Aniseed or anise – is a powerful herb that helps in digestive conditions and has many other benefits for your body. Use only the ash-colored anise called green anise, European anise or sweet anise. There are two other types of anise, star anise and caraway, which should not be used here.

Peppermint – is another powerful herb for stomach conditions or heartburn. It helps in digestion, stomach distension, cramps, ulcers, and gas.

Lavender – known for it scent has enormous healing activity for your body. Is also an excellent stomach aid. It is useful in reducing acid in the stomach.

Betain, Pepsin, and Papaya digestive enzymes

As you get older, your stomach weakens in its ability to produce hydrochloric acid to digest protein. It is undigested protein that leads to acid reflux or heartburn. Use digestive enzymes that contain Betain, pepsin, or HCl with each meal to make sure you digest all of your protein.

Papaya digestive enzymes, which contain papain, are also excellent for protein digestion and you can use them with each meal. Use 500mg or more of papaya enzymes per meal.

Pineapples

Pineapples are a store house of enzymes and contain bromelain, an enzymes that reduces protein. Pineapples support digestion, reduce inflammation, and supports wound healing. The fresh juice has a high level of enzymes that will help you stop your acid reflux.

You can also buy bromelain as tablet and take 200 – 500mg per meal.

Chicory Root

Chicory comes from a family of bitter herbs that contain endive and escarole. Boil 1 ½ cup of chicory root for 5 – 10 minutes. After it colds to room temperature, drink this tea to correct acid reflux or heartburn.

Adding these herbs to your salad will also have benefits in preventing acid reflux. Eating those foods that are alkaline is the best way to avoid acid reflux and heartburn.

Using the remedies listed here will give relief from your acid reflux. But more importantly add a salad to your diet everyday and you will have less acid reflux in your life.

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