Re: Connection between methylation and GERD/Chardale

[Guest guest]

i've done a lot of research into heartburn remedies. here are the results of the

research. -- rrrr

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THINGS I COULD DO NEXT TO ADDRESS HEARTBURN LONG TERM

First, see if my stomach has enough stomach acid present:

Here's a simple home do-it-yourself test: On an empty stomach, such as first

thing in the morning, drink an 8-ounce glass of water, into which you have mixed

one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Time how long it takes

you to burp. If you have not burped in 2 minutes, you have low stomach acid. If

so, see " If you want to add acid " list below.

IF YOU WANT TO ADD ACID

If stomach acid is low, try any of these suggestions by Rich Van K:

1. " The Allergy Research Group dilute hydrochloric acid, taken with each meal,

would be my first choice for augmenting the stomach acid, until the normal

secretion of it can be restored by bringing up glutathione with a methylation

protocol. "

2. " Betaine-HCl is probably O.K., too, though it may boost the BHMT alternative

methylation pathway too much. I'm still not sure about that. To determine the

appropriate dosage of betaine-HCl, start with one pill for a meal, and then

raise the dosage by one more for the next meal, and so on, until you experience

a warm feeling in your stomach. Then drop the dosage by one pill, and use that

dosage for each meal "

3. " Lemon juice would probably work, too, and some people have reported that

apple cider vinegar works for them. I do recommend using a straw and flushing

the teeth with water afterward. "

IF YOU WANT TO ALKALIZE

If I want to make my stomach less acidic (more alkaline) between meals, do these

things, (but do not alkalize your stomach during meals. With meals, you want an

acidic stomach):

- Add baking soda to my water when you guzzle it (too much water causes an

acidic stomach) add 1/4 teaspoon for 12 ounces of fluid. By doing this all the

time, you'll always be alkalizing your stomach and body.

- Put a mix of baking soda & Bragg's apple cider vinegar into 4-6 oz. of water &

consume after every meal and snack. This will alkalize the contents of your

stomach and act as a preventative.

http://bewell-naturally.blogspot.com/2006/07/acidic-foods-can-stop-acid-reflux-a\

nd.html

- Not consuming liquid 30 minutes before and 45 minutes after food consumption.

Water (liquids) often times slow digestion and digestive fluids, thus

contributing to acid reflux and slow digestion.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF OF HEARTBURN

- Acid reflux is reduced if you sleep on your left side.

- Eat an apple or pear

- Apple cider vinegar with baking soda (see earthclinic.com) -- " Put a mix of

baking soda & Bragg's apple cider vinegar into 4-6 oz. of water & consume after

every meal and snack. This will alkalize the contents of your stomach and act as

a preventative. "

- Baking soda alone -- " 1/4 tsp of bicarb in 1/4 glass of water at least 1 hour

after food is another way to lower stomach acid. "

- Mustard -- " 1/2 tsp with heartburn, and again in the a.m. and heartburn may

go away for life "

- Celery -- 1/2 to 1 stalk

- Coconut water

- Soy, almond, rice, and even coconut milk to soothe heartburn. " I find that

when I drink the non-dairy milks it will take a lot more to soothe the burning

than dairy milk. However, my favorite remedy is chocolate milk and dark

chocolate almond milk (better than water!) Try silk almond chocolate milk,

tastes great and more effective than tums or other methods. it works in minutes "

LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO HEARTBURN

(Some of these may be the acid approach and others may be the alkaline approach.

I have not yet figured out which is which. And some may not have anything to do

with acid/alkaline)

- Eliminate sugar (recommended on earthclinic.com) because candida can cause

heartburn

- Low carb diet (recommended on earthclinic.com: " By low carb I mean 30-40g of

carbs per day. If you feel you have tried everything to cure heartburn, this may

be just what you needed. " )

- Gluten-free diet

- Digestive enzymes

- Probiotics

- Magnesium chloride (http://www.earthclinic.com) " take in liquid form: 2

teaspoons 3 times a day completely gets rid of all my acid reflux symptoms. " --

" The dose I have found to be about 250-500 mg taken three times a day in one

warm cup of water. The magnesium was designed to protect against the toxicity of

the excitotoxins, which occur from monosodium glutamate, aspartame, aspartic

acid, for example. It's effect in relieving the acid reflux is almost instant

upon taking the first dose, but almost a complete stoppage of acid reflux may

occur after three days to seven days. "

- Aloe vera gel

- Orange peel extract (d-limonene). See

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400477/What-Quenches-Heartburn.html

" d-limonene stimulates esophageal peristalsis, helping move acid and liquids

back into the stomach. She recommends buying it as orange peel extract in 1,000

mg doses (standardized to d-limonene 97-99%) and taking it once a day every

other day for a total of 10 doses over 20 days. After that, take it as needed.

Note that some orange peel extracts are standardized to synephrine, a stimulant

drug that is generally taken for weight loss. Synephrine-containing products can

cause unwanted side effects and are not what you want for heartburn treatment. "

- DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice). " How does DGL work [for heartburn]? It

doesn't reduce stomach acid itself or decrease acid reflux. DGL may soothe the

tissues of the stomach and esophagus that have been irritated by refluxed

stomach acid. It may also act as an anti-inflammatory. " -- " The natural remedy I

usually recommend for heartburn is deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL). Whole

licorice can increase blood pressure; no such effect occurs with DGL. You can

buy DGL in powder or tablet form. The easiest way to take it is to chew two

tablets slowly 15 minutes before every meal and at bedtime, or take one-half

teaspoon of the powder before meals. Allow either form to dissolve in the mouth

and slowly trickle down the throat. You can continue to take DGL as long as you

have symptoms. " -- " It will repair the esophagus and correct the GERD in a few

days. " -- " 1 in the morning and one in the evening. Take the whole bottle. After

that I take one pill about 4 or 5 times a wk. End of problem. " -- " Research and

you will find several articles saying DGL cures ulcers! Take it 20 minutes prior

to eating each meal (up to 3 times/day). I went from having acid reflux every

day-all day to seldom if ever. I no longer vomit stomach acid in the morning and

I am able to eat spicy foods again. I also don't have to take it before every

meal anymore. I only take it before I eat spicy foods. Two last things, if you

don't like licorice, they do have German Chocolate flavored DGL which helps to

disguise the flavor. Secondly, if you have high blood pressure, make sure you

buy the kind that has the glycyrrhizin compound (associated with high blood

pressure) removed. "

- idea: take my normal dose of licorice root extract at night instead of

morning?

- Turmeric, coconut oil, black pepper combo

- Slippery Elm Bark

- Zinc ( " Zinc deficiency could be a possible reason for low stomach acid

production " )

- Create a permanent alkaline environment in your stomach with an Alkaline diet

(search for ph Diets online)

- Mint tea (idea: maybe after dinner, before bed?): earthclinic.com " One cup a

day for a week. By the second day I hadn't had an attack. By the end of the week

I threw away my Zantac. The tea was only used for a week as it was. After about

1 month the erosion was healed and it would be 4 years before I would have

heartburn again. " -- " I just did my science fair project on this subject and got

a 1st, and Best of Show. I found that peppermint will actually lower the acidity

in your stomach. Like a mint (like peppermint candy) or peppermint tea will help

lower the acid in your stomach that produces the acid that gives you heartburn. "

- Papaya enzyme

- Pinch of sea salt on the tongue

- Miso soup (it is alkaline)

- L-Glutamine (???) to heal stomach (?????????)

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

People with EDS have weak collagen in the ligaments/tissues that control the

valves in the stomach, etc. so they usually have what is called gastroparesis in

addition to GERD. The fix for this is eating small meals and limiting fat.

There is a particular diet for gastroparesis. This particular point explains a

lot of symptoms that didn't seem to be ME/CFIDS.

I don't think Prilosec is part of the MCAD protocol but then I am still new to

that.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000936/

It is a Proton Pump Inhibitor and you may want to be careful with that one. I

didn't research it and took it for 3 years and felt worse on it. Once I stopped,

it took months to heal my stomach and get back to some sort of normal.

I recently started the MCAD protocol using Zantac and Zyrtec and feel a little

better. Mostly, my chronic constipation is better and I am not even taking

magnesium or fiber! A miracle!

Have you tried other version of Zantac? Generic Zantac? You may be reacting to

the dyes or coatings. (as I have seen mentioned on other boards).

I use pickle juice or pickled okra juice when I am overly acid - works every

time. I definitely think Rich is correct in this point.

Once I take Tums or similar items, I have to take it contiuously (e.g, I can go

through a large bottle of 750 tablets in a little over a week) as it seems to

cause rebound GERD.

I also try to remain upright for an hour after eating or drinking - not easy

with POTS.

Good luck,

Marti

>

> Thank you for your responses.  

>

> I do have discomfort now, every time I eat. Especially in the summer. I am

going to see a genetic specialist who may diagnose me with EDS (Ehlers Danlos

Syndrome) or MCAD (Mast Cell Activation Disorder) and in either case, it is

recommended that a patient take, in combination H1 and H2 inhibitors, in the

morning and the evening. H2 inhibitors are like Prilosec or Zantac and H1

inhibitors are Benadryl and Zyrtec. 

>

> In terms of natural remedies - they kind of contradict what the doctors from

above recommend - as one of our problems is the low amount of acid in our

tummies which in turn gave us acid reflux. So, the goal, as my nutritionist

mentioned a couple of years ago and another member just listed here, would be to

up the acid for eating and then lower it in between eating in order to control

the pain of GERD. In between meals, I take aloe vera and probiotics and drink

teas with fresh ginger. With meals I'm taking enzymes and eating very

slowly. I've been trying to reduce acid between meals with that NOW enzyme/acid

reducer I told you about. I don't tolerate Zantac or Pepcid very well.  

>

> I'm going to order the colostrum soon, so thanks for that too.

>

>  It's all a work in progress, because the more I try to work with my stomach,

the more symptoms I'm having.

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