Guest Author - Sharon Lasitter

Acid reflux, GERD and heartburn affect millions of Americans. If you are a sufferer, you know the desperate feeling of wanting relief so badly that you will try just about anything to make the reflux stop. The very first thing we are programmed to do, is take medications. And, boy do they make the reflux pain go away! They feel like a miracle. For a while, that is. So, the next thing we are programmed to do is look for universal foods that we can eat that do not exacerbate the heartburn, and how to arrange them into recipes that we can eat without pain. But here is where the mistakes are made, and here is where I would like to begin.

I would like to start by saying that medications for acid reflux, GERD and heartburn may feel like a miracle “cure,” but they are in fact the perfect mask for an underlying cause. They should be taken only under the supervised care of a naturopathic physician or acupuncturist and a therapist (and for heaven’s sake, no, this doesn’t mean you’re crazy.) The reason for this is the importance of getting to the cause of your acid reflux, GERD or heartburn. Once you are able to identify the cause, you become empowered over what ever it is, and once you are able to find this empowerment, you can wean yourself off from the medications, and be truly cured. This is where the trying just about anything comes in to full play. For example:

If the cause is deep emotional stress, trauma or anxiety, getting to the bottom of the cause is the first step toward the cure. Taking steps toward relaxation, exercise, repositioning your place in life and constructing a healthy self esteem are the cures. (This is the number one cause of chronic acid reflux, GERD and heartburn. See my article The Four Agreements - Book Review)

If the cause of your chronic acid reflux, GERD or heartburn is a poor diet, and you can’t seem to let go of greasy, high sugar, low fiber foods, the only true answer to your heartburn is to get to why you feel you need these foods. See my article Digestion and Liver Function to understand how these foods affect your body.

If the cause is certain foods or food additives that may be unique to you, a certified practitioner will help you uncover what those foods are.

If medications are the cause of your acid reflux, GERD or heartburn, depending on your condition, a naturopath or naturopath with a therapist can help get you off of the medications.

If you suffer only from night time reflux, it may be as simple as eating no later than three hours before bedtime.

Your acid reflux, GERD or heartburn may be exacerbated by eating the wrong foods for your blood type. See my article Book Review – Eat Right For Your Type


Because there are several different causes, and one (or a combination) is unique to you, there is no perfect list of acid reflux, GERD or heartburn recipes that will be tolerable for everyone. For instance, some people cannot tolerate cinnamon, yet it is in many banana bread and pancake recipes designed for acid reflux suffers. There are smoothie recipes that call for strawberries or other fruits, which may cause a flare-up for some people. Smoothies can also cause gas and bloating because they are full of air bubbles. Ginger and peppermint are big reflux recipe ingredients, but for some they can be aggravators. Some recipes call for eggs or diary, which many people cannot tolerate. Many recipes include regular flour (a wheat product) which may cause GI tract problems in certain individuals.

So, the basic moral to the acid reflux, GERD, heartburn story is this. We live in a societal belief system which supports the myth that there is a pill, a product or a recipe that will make all of our health problems disappear. You have heard the saying that true happiness comes from within. Nothing could be more true and real, and empowering than realizing that the truth comes from understanding your own body.



*Please know that I am not a medical doctor or a health practitioner. I cannot diagnose your stomach problems nor can I guarantee a cure. I am here to share my knowledge, which applications have worked for me and to offer suggestions of where you may go physically, emotionally and spiritually for healing and self-empowerment. If you choose to explore alternative medicine, do not independently stop taking your prescribed medications. Always consult with your current doctor as well as your new practitioner when changing your medical program