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My GERD is gone!

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 4/16/2012 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
For years I suffered terrible GERD, and I was on Nexium for a good 2 + years, without much help.


Then when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, and the meds didn't work for me, I had to come up with some alternatives to help myself, which worked great in putting my UC in remission.



BUT as a side effect of a few of the steps I did, my GERD went away.

So I thought I would share these with you:



1) After every meal, I would use organic slippery elm powder, about 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon in 1-2 oz. of room temp filtered water, wait for it to gel just a little and then drink it down. What the slippery elm powder does is: it coates the whole alimentary canal.



2) I started a food combining diet, and that made a huge difference, because if you mis-combine the wrong foods it will create havoc, gas, distension, and the acid will back up....painfully so.



Since doing these steps, I have ZERO GERD! What a relief! I even get to sleep through the night without that aweful chlorox-like burn that used to wake me up by choking me.





You can rest assured your doctor won't tell you about these 2 steps because he/she probably doesn't know about them, and it doesn't put money in his/her pocket (or big pharma's pocket) if you are cured and never come back for this complaint.







Anyone try these methods?
Posted 4/16/2012 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
I have learned a lot about food combining. You should eat fruit before, not after meals. Meats should only be eaten with vegetables not starches (for most GERD people, startches, minus potatoes, should be avoided anyways). Starches can be eaten with vegetables. You shoudl not drink water during meals, I was told you should drink a glas of water after meals. You should eat in the following order:
fruits
vegetables
meat OR starch

I hope that this is correct info. That is what I have been able to find that is consistent.
Posted 4/16/2012 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
Do you know what people have for drinks when food combining? My friend with UC (who does food combining) can drink lots of tea. Also what about snacks? I do wonder about trying it but I have to eat frequently - sometimes last 3 hours during the day between meals/snacks but usually have to have something every 2 hours or so to keep the GERD symptoms away (frequent hunger sensation which turns to nausea if I don't eat). Do you think food combining let's you eat frequently - how soon after eating can you eat again . . . Or drink?!

MMM
Posted 4/16/2012 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
I am not sure but I think if it is every 3 hours you are fine. I also eat every few hours and I tend to pick one thing for a snack like apples. Then a few hours later I will have my meal and eat accordingly. Then maybe a few hours later I will eat almonds. I mostly stick to water only after food and between meals as well as de caffinated chamomille tea with honey.
Posted 4/16/2012 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
I also have to eat in between clients (I am a therapist) so I usually bring food that is easy to make and transport.
Posted 4/16/2012 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
As far as drinks with food combining, tea is good (hot or cold), water is great.

Fruit juices are considered fruit, so they cannot be combined with anything else but fruit.

If you have proteins or starches, you need to wait 4 hours for another type of food.

As far as snacks: nuts are great and portable too - but I would advise against peanuts as they are very hard to digest and many are allergic to them. Proteins bars are also great nutrition, and very portable. You just have to make sure that they don't have too many sugars or carbs in them.

Another great portable food, which is very healthy is canned sardines in olive oil.

But seriously, you guys suffering from GERD should definitely try slippery elm bark powder.

 

Posted 4/17/2012 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
So pleased to hear a GERD free success story, thank you for sharing.  I bet you are glad to be off medication after all that time and gerd free.  How are  you going now?  I have saved your post so I can refer to it again and the links. I have basically took somac for 4 weeks and then then found out it wasn't suitable for breastfeeding (my baby is 9 months old) and were in search of every natural remedy to avoid using medications as there is no way I wanted to take somac for life like the GP suggested.  After a month of taking some supplements from the health store suitable for breastfeeding and eliminating trigger foods and an elevated sleeping posture, my symptoms have reduced significantly to a few burps a day and some dull chest pressure after eating meat at night time. 
Posted 4/17/2012 11:41 AM (GMT 0)
MelD,

I am doing great!

No more suffering.

All GERD symptoms are completely gone.

I would highly recommend it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Let me know how you do.

Posted 4/17/2012 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
Insole, are you saying you cannot eat for four hours after protein or starch? I thought it was only protein that takes 4 hours to digest! I certainly can't have 4 hour gaps during the day - I would be very unwell!

MMM
Posted 4/17/2012 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
MMM,

To be on the safe side, I would do 3 1/2 hours between meals, when taking food combining into consideration.

Posted 4/17/2012 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
@InSoFla

Congrats!!!

Will it help me with my sore throat problems? I have very mild Gerd symptoms( sometimes only once a week) and my physician told me to stop my medications.

Can you please tell me the store /brand name for organic slippery elm powder?

Thanks
Posted 4/18/2012 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
new2012,

I get mine from Pacific Botanicals in Oregon.

I used to get that "sore throat" too. It's all gone. :-)

They have a 2 pound minimum, and @ $20/lb it will cost you, with shipping, around $50. BUT this will last you probably for a good year.

Here's the link the specific organic slippery elm bark powder.

You can also get it from: Mountain Rose.

Let me know what happens when you try it.

Do you know how to use it?

Edit:  Link removed as site is selling product. Members may google Mountain Rose or any other site looking for this product.

 

Post Edited By Moderator (stkitt) : 4/19/2012 2:51:51 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/18/2012 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
@InSoFla

Thank you :)


I am going to use the directions you had posted.

"After every meal, I would use organic slippery elm powder, about 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon in 1-2 oz. of room temp filtered water, wait for it to gel just a little and then drink it down. What the slippery elm powder does is: it coates the whole alimentary canal"
Posted 4/18/2012 12:09 AM (GMT 0)
new2012,

Good for you.

It takes a great mind to think outside the box of Big Pharma.

Let me know how you do on it.

 

Posted 4/18/2012 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Larry,

I'm sure they'll bring relief to your wife.

Let me know how she does with them. :-)

Posted 5/6/2012 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
@InSoFla,

I ordered the slippery elm powder. When I mix it in water, it forms into a gel like substance. It tastes really bad. Can I directly have a spoonful of powder rather than the gel? Slippery elm's side effect is that it may not allow the ppi's to get absorbed by the body. I am trying to wean off from prevacid. When you were using slippery elm where you also taking a ppi dose?

Thank you
Posted 5/6/2012 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
You can add a little honey to sweeten it.

How much water are you mixing it in?

The best way to start is with 1-2 oz., then add the slippery elm powder, + a little honey, mix it up, it will gel and chug it down. If it gets too thick, then add water to liquify it.

Unfortunately, the powdered slippery elm (without water) will not do what the gelatinous is meant to do: coat the whole alimentary canal, so IMO it will not benefit you.

I had stopped using the PPI long before I started the slippery elm powder, as I had no choice because they had stopped working.

Hope this helps.

Posted 11/27/2014 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
This seems to be a great post. I am so glad I came across this. I am suffering with GERD, I think but I am not sure. I get excessive saliva in my mouth when I wake up in the morning and always have to spit, and also always have some cough in my throat that I have to clear. Did any of you on this post have these symptoms???

I have been taking Prilosec for last few weeks but sick of taking it and like to be drug free.

Also I see many of you recommended or are using slipper elm powder to get rid of Acid Reflux. Is this working for people with Acid Reflux. Has it worked for all of you on this post? How long should I take Slipper Elm powder for?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for this post. I am just very frustrated going to gut doctors. :(
Posted 11/28/2014 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi I just read your post. I'm sorry you are going through this. I am in a lot of pain as I have esophageal ulcers. I have taken Prilosec, Protonix and Nexium and Nexium just stopped working. My stomach burns and gurgles all the time. My Dr just put me on Carafate liquid two days ago to coat my ulcers so hopefully they can heal. I took the slippery elm pills which helped for awhile but they don't seem to be helping any more. I wonder if I should try the powder. It is worth a try. I hope you find some answers and relief soon. I'm tired of gut Drs as well. Take care. Lorray
Posted Yesterday 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi InSoFla, Your success story is interesting. Do you drink black coffee and tea? How long have you been free of GERD symptoms? Don't you get GERD symptoms at all?

I've been diagnosed with Crohn's disease along with GERD and a bunch of other symptoms. I've noticed that it takes a long time, usually many months to be completely free of GERD symptoms. I drink two cups of black coffee and tea daily; I eat a high fat diet too, but I rarely experience GERD symptoms. I still need to work a bit to eliminate it completely.
Posted Today 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
ClaraS,

Got your email and responded back. Thanks!

when I started the Slippery elm powder, I stopped the Nexium as it was doing NOTHING for me.
Posted Today 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Usher,

I drink lots of water (filtered).
And I do also drink my favorite: Earl Grey Tea ( sometimes caffeinated or sometimes decaff depending upon time of day), And have had no issues.. I have no GERD or Reflux anymore.
Posted Today 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi inSofia, what food combining did you follow? Can you advise? Thanks for sharing all the information you are here, it's very kind of you
Posted Today 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have the same questions as ClaraS. Would love to see what your response was.
Posted 12/1/2014 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
GerdShooter,

Food combining is very important, not just for GERD, but for maximum nutrient absorption, and especially is you have any IBD or IBS issues.

It is based on the principle that certain foods are more acidic or more alkaline, and therefore also require different digestive enzymes.

Here are some basic rules:
1) fruit (or fruit juices) must be eaten by itself on an empty stomach, in most cases that would mean first thing in the am. You need wait only 30 minutes prior to starting carbs or protein meal, after fruit.
2) You can't combine carbs + proteins ( they require totally different digestive enzymes and different digestive times and processes). So the typical SAD diet of steak and potatoes is all wrong.
3) You can't combine fruit with carbs or proteins.
4) fats combine with carbs, or with proteins, or fruits - without problems.
5) be careful of classification, as many veggies are actually starchy, which under these rules would make them carbs.
6) Non-starchy veggies can be combined with carbs or proteins.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, email me.


:-)
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