Apple cider vinegar.

I've heard of apple cider vinegar for thrush but I can't say I've heard of it for reflux

There are proponents of ACV for acidity/reflux but when I was compiling the book www DownWithAcid org uk, I could find no supportive research. There are many "natural health" sites that advocate it but usually on nothing more than anecdotal evidence that someone found it useful.

IProponents of apple cider vinegar suggest two to three teaspoonfuls should be stirred into a small glass of water to be consumed before every meal and offer two alternative theories as to why it may work.

1. By providing acid to the stomach before food, the stomach may be fooled into expecting more acid and therefore doesn't need to produce so much.

2. The Lower Oesophageal Sphincter muscles are activated to tighten by acid; drinking ACV before a meal "wakes up" the LOS.

Both of these claims, however, fail to recognise the comparative strengths of stomach acid, which can dissolve metal and would produce scarring if spilled on the skin, and ACV whose only effect on the skin would be to make it feel wet.

If your problem is one of reflux rather than acid, it's unlikely to be controlled by dietary changes as it's mechanical rather than chemical. You'll need to follow the lifestyle advice:

Lose weight if necessary; avoid over-filling your stomach: eat little and often; avoid tight clothing; avoid exercise that will constrict a full stomach; leave at least 3 hours between your last meal and bed; raise the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches on blocks.

Your stomach is lined by many layers of different cells. It's unlikley ACV would result in them producing excess acid. If they did, ulceration is a possibility but unlikely and would be treated with a course of acid suppressant medication.

Read the Down With ACid book (free website or free download) for more details about Acid, Reflux, complications and management thereof.

 

Hi, I went to me local herbal shop or advice, as I'm not a massive fan of taking loads of tablets for things, I'm on enough for other things as it is!! So basically, the woman told me to buy slippery elm and calamus powder mix it with hot water and swig it quickly before bed. The calamus apparently helps tighten the valve at the top of the stomach (I can't spell the real name of it) and the slippery elm coats the throat and osophegeus so you don't have a sore throat in the morning. This is helping me a little, the lanzoprazole that I'm on causes me to have a dry tongue so it helps with that also.