How Do You Cope With Acid Reflux?

First of all try and get to the bottom of what is causing your issues - it could be something such as gastritis or even functional dyspepsia (which is kind of like IBS for your upper GI system) or could be something a little more sinister such as an ulcer, either way getting a diagnosis would help.

Have you tried cutting grains out of your diet?

I used to have really bad reflux and grains such as porridge and wheat from bread were often triggers. Personally I'd steer clear of grains and dairy because they can cause inflammation in the stomach. For meat try and switch to fish such as salmon and sardines.... bake or grill rather than fry, generally healthier and contain omega 3's which are anti-inflammatory.

By the way I'm no health expert but have had similar problems and just speaking from experience and what I have read on the internet, I am due to for an endoscopy on Saturday which I am not looking forward too but hopefully should offer some advice moving forward for myself - maybe something you could request if you haven't already?

 In hindsight (gosh, isn’t it a wonderful thing!), I wouldn’t have stressed so much over this as I did.  My symptoms started in January this year and have only recently subsided.  Yes, some people suffer for years and years, but you can’t think ‘what if that’s me’ otherwise you really will drive yourself mad!

Be kind, patient and gentle with yourself.  Don’t stress over what to eat all time (so what if it's chicken and rice for a week!), be proactive and make sure you feel like you’re in control as much as you can.  Stop pacing! Heck, I spent a month meditating day and night as it was the only way to get constant thoughts of reflux out my head!  The body is a wonderful, complex piece of machinery, but once its upset it takes time to get back on track.

I feel your pain, but stick with this and I know you’ll get through it.  It will be you on this forum in a few months giving advice to others on how to ease reflux symptoms and telling your story of success!

I would like to add my little grain of salt so to speak.

I had acid reflux because of gastritis that went away in a few months following the diet and taking supplements.

I personally had no problem with grains and cereals (I have a gluten sensitivity though but it does not affect my stomach), and I don't think I could have followed the diet without them for a few months.

The problem is that fats cause inflammation of the stomach, I don't know if you have the same thing but I used to get really sick after eating a fatty meal.

How do you feel with the almonds, avocado, etc? I personnally had to cut them out completely at first to get better.

So if you eliminate fats, you need something else to have your calories for the day.

I was eating 1 cup of rice or other cereals, or potatoes 4x/day with proteins and vegetables or fruits.

You were asking about breakfast, the best in my opinion is oatmeal with banana, nothing else, very alkaline. Bread is fine too but I am not sure what to put on it: some slices of chicken, mashed banana, mashed beans or chickpeas,...

I personnally could not tolerate manukka honey, aloe vera, apples, they were too acidic. I love coconut water, but one must be careful as only the fresh one without additives is alkaline.

You asked about something refreshing: if you have a blender, you could blend watermelon and ice, or other allowed fruits and ice. If it is not sweet enough, you might be able to tolerate a little bit of sugar (I used maple syrup) even though the ph level is 4, if it is mixed with more alkaline food or water it might be ok.

You were asking too how to get your mind off things. When I was feeling really bad (and very tired because the acidity and pain prevented me to sleep), I watched a lot of stupid addictive tv shows or funny movies. I did some meditation too to relax.

You diet looks good to me except the nuts (too fatty), the honey (ph 4 and I believe the tea tree essential oil in the honey is irritating like all essential oils), and the apples (ph btw 3 and 4).

I hope this helps.