Help with Acid Reflux and Heartburn

Acid Reflux and Heartburn are issues that will affect many people! If you have chronic reflux or heartburn, I would recommend trying the following tips. 

If your issue does not resolve after a couple of weeks, a deep dive into digestion and food sensitivities is important. Schedule with Dr Beachy for a Functional Medicine consultation to get more help with this issue!

If you haven’t had this issue previously but it becomes an issue during pregnancy, try these tips for improving digestion and to get some relief!

Preventative daily tips:

• Take a probiotic. Taking a high quality probiotic replenishes gut flora and helps digest food. I recommend Klaire labs or Loomis Enzymes.
• Eat probiotic foods. Eating fermenteds foods daily is also important for digestion and absorption. Examples are kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and Bubbies brand pickles.
• Take a Digestive enzyme. Taking enzymes with food will help break down what you eat so you can digest it more efficiently. I recommend Pure Encapsulations or Loomis Enzyme.
• Increase acid in the stomach. This may sound counter-intuitive. If you have heartburn or acid reflux, shouldn’t you take antacids to help? No! Heartburn and reflux are actually a result of not enough acid in the stomach. The food takes too long to digest due to low acid. After it sits in the stomach for so long, the body starts pouring in more acid to help. Taking antacids only perpetuate the issue long term. It can be helpful to take a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar or lemon juice about 30 minutes before a meal.
• Avoid drinking water at meals. Drinking watet at meals will dilute that stomach acid and keep your stomach from effectively digesting. Do you ever feel really bloated and full for hours after a meal? Try not to drink water for 30 min before your meal and 1 hour after. Limit your water during your meal to around 6 ounces, if possible. Don’t forget to drink lots of water between meals to stay hydrated!
• Avoid juice, coffee, tea, soda. Water is the best!
• Eat slowly and chew well. Digestion begins in the mouth! Breaking it down well will aid digestion.
• Have your stomach “adjusted” by the chiropractor!  

A Sliding Hiatal Hernia can cause reflux. This is when you stomach slides up through the diaphragm. Ask your Chiropractor if they are trained in visceral manipulation and can check if you have a hiatal hernia.

If your heartburn becomes unbearable and you need to do something for it in the moment for pain relief, try sipping on kefir. It is like a liquid yogurt drink with lots of probiotics. It is soothing in the moment and good for digestion!

Another trick is to have a partner press gently on the side of your ribcage while you are laying on your side. This can give relief by relaxing the diaphragm around the esophageal sphincter.

Let us know if we can help with your heartburn or reflux!