Dave,
Do a search back on this site under my name DANIE, you will get alot of information on ALKALINE way of eating and what I did to CURE myself of horrible symptoms of GERD (diagonosed finally after many other tests by an endoscopy). I did not have the classic symptoms, mine were severe dizziness, nausea and the usual feeling of something stuck in throat. I cured myself in 1 month. Other people that I know personally listened to me and now are off all drugs. Some people on this board also were cured.
The main thing to remember is to sleep on left side only, stomach acid cannot seep up into esophagus.
The cause of my GERD was taking Advil at night mainly for an injury to ribs, I read the fine print one day and it actually said not to take (also aspirin) if you are going to lie down within 1/2 hr.
I used DGL licorice (3-4 at first) tablets, slowly dissolved in mouth with saliva 20 minutes before eating anything.
I don't know what really worked for me but I was totally cured in one month. I had a horrible summer last year not knowing what was causing the strange symptoms I had. My doctor even sent me for a brain scan thinking I had brain cancer because of the dizziness. It shows you that this crazy illness is caused my many things and also causes many strange symptoms.
Good luck, please read TONS OF POSTINGS that I made on this site. I had to share everything that I did so others can be helped.