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Medications such as antacids will often be prescribed to help relieve symptoms of acid reflux. However, when considering the likely causes of this symptom carefully, other remedies may have longer-term success. Soothing remedies or digestive bitter remedies can help to balance the stomach, as can limiting stress.
What actually causes acid reflux?
It's quite a common misconception or a bit of a debate that the reflux is occurring because there's too much stomach acid. Physiologically, it makes more sense that what is actually happening is you have too little stomach acid. And regardless of the amounts of stomach acid, what's really technically happening is the stomach acid is getting to the wrong place. It's making its way through the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) into your oesophagus, and that's where we experience the pain.
But there are certain conditions in the stomach that are more likely to cause a malfunction of the LOS and low stomach acid is more likely to be a part of that.
Also, again, physiologically, we're just more likely to have too little stomach acid. As we get older, our digestion becomes less efficient. And another huge driving factor for having too little stomach acid, which then drives these symptoms, is stress. So, stress somewhat shuts down your digestive system and means that it isn't working as efficiently.
This situation can also be worse by the long-term use of certain medications such as PPIs or antacids. Because as we know, these are driving stomach acid levels down, and this state, in the long-term, can contribute to further symptoms.
How can you treat acid reflux?
Here I want to talk a little bit about how we really manage the symptoms of acid reflux, in the longer-term, rather than just masking the symptoms. Of course, some of the remedies that I'm going to mention can help to manage it quite quickly too.
Here I run through my top tips for getting this symptom under control:
1. Manage stress
I've already talked a little about stress can somewhat shit down your digestive system. Traditionally, and with acute scenarios of stress, a short-term source of stress is okay, this is manageable because your digestion wasn't a priority, but only for a very short period of, and then your digestion would recover once the stress is over.
Nowadays, however, we have the problem where we have situations of chronic stress; this is more ongoing stress, and this is when your digestion can suffer when it's being continually put on the back burner. Stress will directly reduce stomach acid levels.
Now, stress is obviously so individual in terms of how you're able to manage it. Sometimes we don't have control over certain aspects of stress. But what I would say is to try and introduce any areas of your life or interventions where you do have control over it, such as stress management techniques, for example, and that could help to potentially minimise the effects of the stress on your digestion.
But then, if stress is a tricky one to try and manage, then we can try and overrule that stress response on your digestion by trying to introduce some remedies as I'll go on to explore below.
2. Soothe the symptoms
My first port of call is often for that quick relief, in order to help soothe the more acute symptoms. And I would aim to achieve this with Silicol gel. Silicol Gel is very soothing, anti-inflammatory, and it can help to manage any pain or discomfort.
It is indicated for both heartburn and reflux as well. So, this can help to really soothe the symptoms, especially, in that short term so you can take that quite quickly as well.
3. Introduce bitter herbs
Next, since going forward, we want to really try and manage the underlying digestive insufficiency which is most likely contributing to the symptoms, we want to really target the issue of low stomach acid.
This is where we have the next remedy, Digestisan. So, this is indicated and licensed for symptoms of indigestion and flatulence. Within indigestion, we know that acid reflux is quite often a symptom.
Handily, this is a herbal remedy complex containing some bitter herbs such as boldo alongside other ingredients, such as artichoke, and dandelion, which are also quite bitter in taste as well. And this bitterness helps to really gently stimulate your stomach acid.
Nowadays, in our modern society, we quite often don't have many bitter elements left in our diet. We often have lots more sweet and salty tastes. And that bitterness is so, so important for naturally supporting your stomach acid. And once your stomach acid is supported, that also helps to drive the secretion of other digestive enzymes.
So, this is a really important first step alongside just taking your time, really chewing your food properly, and then having your bitters before your meals.
4. Watch your water intake
And the reason I've labeled my next point as: 'watch your water intake', is because, of course, we want you to have a good water intake, up to 2 litres for most people in order to support your digestion, as well as all other systems of your body. But what I often recommend, is to try and separate your water from your meals.
And the theory behind this just goes back to that stomach acid that I've talked about so passionately. We need stomach acid in the correct quantities and in the correct pH. See, your body works really hard to secrete that acid in the correct pH, meaning it is quite a strong acid. So, if we go in with a big load of water when that's just been secreted, then we can affect that and risk diluting it! The strong acid is really important for breaking down tough dietary components such as proteins.
5. Keep up your zinc intake
Zinc is actually a very important mineral for supporting the stomach and it is thought to work in a number of ways.
Firstly, there is some research to suggest that it may affect the stomach acid levels (1), and also, quite likely, how it's doing that is supporting the function of the LOS, the sphincter that's so important for helping to keep the acid in the right place.
So, rather than inhibiting your all-important stomach acid, it's likely that it's helping to support the functions of the LOS, and therefore help to keep the acid where it belongs, in your stomach.
Zinc also helps to protect the stomach, especially the lining of the stomach as well. This can therefore also help protect against some symptoms of acid reflux and any related symptoms such as stomach acids.
Also, unfortunately, certain medications such as PPIs could potentially deplete your levels of zinc. So, this scenario is where we would want to consider adding some extra zinc in.
This is where something like our Balance Mineral Drink can help to provide you with zinc. This multinutrient formula means that zinc comes in combination with other nutrients such as calcium. And handily, the calcium is in a form called calcium lactate, which is actually very stomach-friendly. So, this is a nice one to consider if you're keen to add in nutrients beyond the Silicol Gel and then the herbal bitters support with the likes of
Digestisan or one of our other remedies such as Yarrow or Centaurium.
6. Raise a medication review
Last on my list, and just to sum up really, is to consider raising a medication review with your doctor if you feel this would be helpful.
Here at A.Vogel, we would never contradict your doctor's advice. But what I would say is, if you have been on a PPI or an antacid medication for quite a long time, read the information leaflet, first of all, just so you have a better understanding of any side effects, but also the length of time you should ideally be taking it.
Then, if you feel that you've been taking this longer than the recommended length of time, and/or your symptoms haven't gotten better, or have even gotten worse than what they were originally prescribed, then it would definitely be worth chatting to your doctor.
Also, please note that remedies like our Digestisan. Also, our other herbal bitter remedies such as Yarrow, Centaurium, these are all really lovely options as well, and none of these have any contraindications with medications such as your stomach meds, your PPIs, your antacids. Therefore, it would be fine to take them at the same time, although, you should note that they are working in quite different ways.
