Papaya or pineapple BEFORE meals is what helps me. They both have digestive enzymes which helps break down the food. A lot of food we eat now is processed or grown in weak soil so it doesn't have enough enzymes itself. Supplementing with digestive enzymes like Digest Gold also helps.
Another thing that helps me A LOT are probiotics. They can come from yogurt or kefir, or there are special probiotic drinks. There are also some good pills with stable probiotics - Pearls IC is a kind I sometimes use. The idea is that "bad bacteria" can take over in your gut, and you need to refresh or recharge the "good bacteria" so that they are strong enough to fight the bad guys! Acidophilus is the main probiotic people generally use.
What I do now is take enzymes, or eat pineapple or papaya, then follow them with a probiotic, before my main meal of the day. The enzymes prepare the way for the probiotic to be better absorbed, and both prepare my stomach and gut for their work.
If I forget, eat, and I end up with a tummyache, usually probiotics afterwards will help. Enzymes aren't as helpful after eating.
i really appreciate some of the suggestions you have given to britt an honestly i would give it a try myself although i recently started using Licorice some few days ago.
To be honest with you, my acid reflux hasnt really been troublesome but my stomach has been mega troublesome.Doc says its gastritis that is given me dyspepsia.Have issues with abdominal discomfort every now and then, some nausea too.Its really bad .What do you think i can do?I have recently started using Licorice,slippery elm,probiotics and aloe vera juice.
Doc gave me fibre supplement and motilium to use.I am really tired of using the drugs cause my monthly period stopped when i started using motilium.Do you think i should try the apple cidar vinegar and what else can i try?
Have you tried peppermint capsules?
First of all, what medications have you tried? Second, what tests have been done?
Aloe Vera juice is supposed to help by soothing the gastric walls, so it's alright to take. Normally you should take it mixed with another kind of juice: when taken in a concentrated form, the juice is also a fairly good laxative.
I would also suggest you try DGL before meals, since Licorice has been known to help the stomach protect itself. (Make sure it's DGL, which is stripped of the heart-pressure problematic components of licorice.)
Apple cider vinegar is also a popular method of GERD control, but you'll have to read up on it for yourself and decide whether you want to try it. I've been drinking it myself for a few days and haven't seen a huge difference, but that's only because I'm drinking about 2oz (mixed with 8oz apple juice) per day.
You may want to try something called "Heartburn Free with ROH10" by a company called Enzymatic Therapy. (Follow the instructions on the package.)
Finally, eating papaya after meals is commonly used in various parts of the world as a method of GERD control. I've tried it. While the supplements (where you get the enzymes in pill form) don't seem to do much for me, the fruit itself has helped control the symptoms really well.
One thing I've learned is that you should avoid cold foods (and extremely hot foods). The closer to body temperature the food is, the better. This was the first thing that helped me IMMEDIATELY after implementation. Everything else took time.
I'm sure you've heard this, but also tilt the head of your bed 6 to 12 inches, don't wear tight-fitting clothing (especially around the weight), don't lay down after eating, and try to sleep on your left side.
Good luck.