Got GERD? Try These Foods To Soothe The Way Down

Do you find yourself with heartburn? Acid reflux? Pain in your chest?

Maybe you have been diagnosed with GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

It's uncomfortable, a chronic condition of inflammation and pain that damages your stomach and esophagus.

Despite that nearly one in five American adults experiencing some sort of heartburn, reflux, or GERD, very few do anything about it.

What if there was a natural way to take care of this problem? But if all it took was a couple of simple choices?

Reflux, GERD, and Indigestion – What Causes It?

GERD damages the mucous lining of your stomach and esophagus, pushing some of the acids and undigested food up into your esophagus. Sometimes that even includes up into your throat and into your lungs. If it's not treated, it could lead to esophageal cancer, Barrett's esophagus, ulcers, and eventually, a super strict diet that can be quite unpleasant.

GERD is more than simple acid reflux, it's now linked to inflammation. Treating the cause is more important than mitigating the symptoms, but that's what the common prescriptions do.

Why Antiacids & Acid Blockers Make GERD Worse

Most commonly, antacids, painkillers, and specialty medications that include acid blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and others are used to treat GERD symptoms.

The problem is that it only treats the symptoms, not the problem.

If you get put on these medications, you probably will be told you need to be on it for many years, if not the rest of your life. And these medications do serious damage to your digestive system themselves.

Proton Pump Inhibitors disrupt the gut biome, increasing the potential for depression. A 2013 study shows these medications can increase cardiovascular disease. They reduce your ability to digest food completely, leading to poor absorption of nutrients and other digestive problems such as IBS, constipation, and increase risk of colon cancer.

What's amazing is so many people turn to these symptom suppressing medications first when the potential solution to the actual problem is much more natural and easy to do.

Here's What You Can Really Do About GERD, Reflux, & Indigestion

Taking charge of your health means taking charge of your diet. Removing trigger foods such as wheat, dairy, processed foods, and caffeinated drinks will help reduce your symptoms significantly. There are the first things to remove from your diet if you want to be healthy overall, including reducing the chances of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

There's also a couple of supplements that can help. However, unless you change your diet to eliminate your triggers and increasing your fruits and vegetable intake, these supplements will do very little.

• Probiotics
  These help you digest food better and can significantly improve your immunity and mental health. They produce some nutrients for you and fight off bad stomach bugs.
• Ginger
  The best digestive herb, it can reduce nausea, inflammation, and pain.
• Peppermint

This helps calm your stomach and feels good(but, taking peppermint with antacids can increase heartburn).

• Bone Broth
  This provides collagen, which can help repair damaged esophageal lining.
• Vitamin C - one of the most potent antioxidants, vitamin C can help increase nutrient absorption, reduce the chance of ulcers, and may help reduce the risk of cancer.
• Chamomile Flower
  Gentle enough for pregnant women, it helps soothe pain and calm stomach. It's the primary stomach and reflux treatment in Europe.
• Licorice Root
  This candy helps rebuild mucous lining and reduce inflammation.
• Lemon Balm
  A tasty herb, it helps reduce inflammation and supports gut probiotics.
• Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother
  Primarily, it increases stomach acid and reduces bloating. It also provides healthy probiotics and nutrients.
• Turmeric
  Reduces inflammation, reduces pain, may help reduce cancer and other side effects, plus it helps so many different conditions

The primary way to help your body recover from GERD is to reduce trigger foods and improve your lifestyle. This includes drinking more water, getting more exercise, a better diet, and using supplements that may help reduce inflammation and calm your stomach.

Many of these treatments can be found in the grocery store - ginger, peppermint, bone broth, licorice, apple cider vinegar, and turmeric are all common foods that's have very few side effects. Reducing your triggers and increasing nutrition is the best way to help overcome the problem rather than just covering over the symptoms.