Acid Reflux Protocol

With acid reflux or heartburn affecting over a quarter of all adults in the UK, it’s no wonder that sales of antacids and other acid ‘controlling’ drugs are expected to reach a staggering $6bn between 2020 and 2025!

Before reading below what I would recommend clients to focus on when suffering from acid reflux, I would suggest that you should read this article to understand how acid reflux works and what might be the cause(s) for you.

The following guidelines will help you digest your food more quickly and easily, without the feeling of acidity and indigestion/slow digestion coming up. You can try to follow most or all or only some of these – it’s up to you.

Foods to avoid for 6 to 8 weeks:

• Tomatoes (cooked and raw)
• Citrus fruit (lemon and lime are ok)
• Vinegars (and sauerkraut & other fermented foods for now) – apart from apple cider vinegar
• Gluten will slow down your digestion
• Dairy will also slow down digestion, particularly when eaten with other foods.

How you eat

It’s not just what you eat! How you eat is crucial for re-balancing your digestion and allowing your naturally occurring enzymes and acids to breakdown and process your food.

Follow these guidelines:

1. 1. Chew thoroughly all your food, including liquid foods like smoothies and soups.
   2. Slow down your meals, especially breakfast, lunch and dinner to 20 minutes.
   3. Eat mindfully: pay attention to the whole experience of eating – the smells, textures, taste, what you’re looking at and doing while you eat. Make it a peaceful and mindful moment – be in the moment.
   4. Breathe deeply with each mouthful while chewing: this is at least as important as the actual food you eat.

Other considerations

1. Keep fruit away from other foods, particularly from proteins and carbs.  Eat fruit up to 15 minutes before a meal and wait at least 1.5hrs after a meal. No fruit juices/smoothies during a meal.
2. Keep water away from meals: drink up to 20 minutes before a meal and wait at least 1.5hrs after a meal.
3. Never ever eat when rushed, stressed, upset or over-excited.  Your gut is not in the right ‘mood’ to produce the right amount of digestive ‘juices’ that will breakdown and digest your food.
4. Consider how your anxiety and stress levels are really, deeply affecting your body. Assess all areas of your life (work, relationships, exercise, commute, media exposure, screen use, sleep etc.) and decide what needs focus and change.

Do you want help to transform your gut or any other health issue?

Click the button below and let’s chat!