The Heartburn & Acid Reflux Blog

Lumpy Throat and Hoarseness Can Be Acid Reflux

Most of us associate acid reflux with heartburn, that burning sensation in the center of the chest or chest pain that can be bad enough it mimicks a heart attack.  Acid reflux can strike higher up, however. If you have hoarseness or a lumpy feeling in the throat, it could be Laryngopharyngeal acid reflux, which specifically attacks the throat.  The body responds by producing a lot of mucus, and that makes it feel thicker back there.  It's not usually painful the way typical acid reflux is, but it can cause damage, so it's important not to ignore it.  "Your larynx is literally 100 times more sensitive than your stomach, so the damage there is a little more extensive over a shorter period of time."

You should see your doctor if you suspect Laryngopharyngeal acid reflux might be your problem.  I would like to stress, however, that it's a good idea to be tested for food allergies, if you haven't.  I had a hoarse throat and was even losing my voice at times, and I thought it might be related to my acid reflux problems.  It turned out I had a boat-load of food allergies (which also ended up being the cause of my heartburn!) and all I needed to do was stop eating certain foods.  Please don't let a doctor put you on some drug without investigating this possibility.

Quote from "Lumpy Throat? It Might Be Acid Reflux."

Mustard

Looking for herbal or natural rememdies for acid reflux?  Well, you might have an easy one right in the door of your refrigerator.  Mustard is a "little known and perhaps surprising remedy for heratburn.  The next time you have an attack of acid reflux, try eating a half teaspoon of any yellow or gray commercial mustard."  Granted mustard isn't that tasty without the hot dog or sandwich to go with it, but, hey, if it works, it works.  I haven't personally tried this one, so if anyone does, let us know how it works.

Quote from the Natural Stomach Care book.

Symptoms of Acid Reflux Disease

What does acid reflux feel like?  How do you know if you have it?  Well, here's a look at the common symptoms of acid reflux (keep in mind, not everyone will have all the symptoms):

• chest pain
• nausea
• a burning feeling in the chest or a feeling of fullness or undigested food
• night time acid reflux symptoms can include coughing and asthma

Because heartburn can mimick a heart attack, always rule that out first.  See your doctor and make sure your heart is healthy. 

Also read What Is Acid Reflux for a basic overview.

Foods That Help You Sleep

Heartburn is a pain in the butt, especially at night when it can keep you from sleeping.  It always seemed like the longer it took me to fall asleep, the more likely my symptoms would come on, making it even harder to find rest.  On the flip side, sometimes when I was exhausted enough, I'd fall asleep regardless of heartburn or before it could start to bother me.  In case other people have the same problem (or are just struggling with insomnia in general), I figured I'd post a list of foods that may help you sleep:

• turkey, beef, veal
• tuna fish
• dates
• milk
• whole-grain breads/cereals
• yogurt
• cottage cheese
• peanut butter
• rice

There is some science behind this seemingly random list.  These are all foods that are high in L-Tryptophan, an essential amino acid that, once eaten and digested, is converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that controls moods, pain levels, and our ability to fall asleep.  According to the Natural Stomach Care book, "adults who suffer from insomnia are often found to have low levels of serotonin in their blood.  Elderly people are notoriously deficient in this substance and tend to suffer from insomnia more frequently than younger people."  The list above contains foods that are all high in L-Tryptophan, so if you're having trouble sleeping, snack on some turkey and milk a couple hours before bedtime.

Preventative Diet to Stop Acid Reflux

If you're having trouble with indigestion or bloating, you might want to try a preventative diet (avoiding foods that are likely to trigger symptoms) for a while.  Below is what the book Natural Stomach Care recommends (the diet assumes you don't have any food allergies--that's definitely worth checking out first, as they can be the cause of your GI problems):

• Eat approximately 35% grains -- stick with whole grains when you can, i.e. high-fiber wholegrain bread and cereals, unpolished rice, barley, millet, rye, etc.
• 40% of your diet should be high-fiber fruits and high-fiber vegetables -- try to eat fresh fruits and veggies instead of frozen or canned ones, and go for more vegetables than fruits (i.e. 70% veggies and 30% fruits).
• Make 15% of your diet eggs, oils, and meats -- eggs are relatively easy to digest, and you get a high quality protein from them.  Use quality nut or olive oils instead of cheaper alternatives.  When buying meats, go for organic, fresh, lean cuts, preferably sold at the butcher's counter.
• The last 10% should include dairy products -- go for live-culture dairy products such as yogurt and buttermilk whenever possible.  Go easy on the butter and avoid heavy cream.
• Avoid junk food, super-rich foods, super-spicy foods, sugared desserts, carbonated drinks, chocolate, and artificial sweeteners (This is, of course, the hard part of the diet. It's worth eliminating these things completely for a while though to see if it makes you feel better.  You could always add in occasional treats later, as your stomach tolerates them.)

Source: Natural Stomach Care

Do You Have a Gluten (wheat, rye, and barley) Intolerance?

If you have chronic heartburn / acid reflux, you may have a hard time pinpointing exactly what it is you're eating that gives you trouble.  I know I could never point to one particular food (it turned out I'm allergic to all dairy and all gluten, so pretty much everything I was eating every day!).  When that happens, it may be something ubiquitous that's causing your trouble.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.  Because regular white flour is made from wheat, that means it's in almost everything (even sauces and condiments frequently use flour for a thickener).  This is why I always suggest people head to an allergist for food allergy testing if they are having chronic heartburn (do this before you go to some mainstream doctor who will just tell you to take Prilosec without trying to get to the root of the problem).  However, if you don't have money to spend on a doctor right now, you could try a gluten free diet for a while and see if that helps.  Here are some sites that can help you get started:

http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtgs06.htm -- gives you the basics on what a gluten-free diet is and also helps you decode ingredient lists that can contain hidden gluten.

http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/ -- a very active form that's full of people on gluten free diets, who can give advice

An Alternative to Tomatoes (which can trigger acid reflux)

I just posted about how nightshades like tomatoes can contribute to GERD, heartburn, acid reflux, etc. But dang if tomatoes aren't everywhere.  Ketchup, pizza sauce, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, etc.  And I just love pico de gallo sauce.  *sigh*

Well, there's a niche for everything in the food world, and it didn't take much digging for me to find a tomato alternative.  It's appropriately called Nomato.  Get it?  No... mato.. erm, anyway.  The Nomato people have a line of tomato-free products that replace your tomato mainstays: Nomato sauce, ketchup, barbecue, and (coming soon) salsa. 

http://www.nomato.com/

Are Potatoes and Tomatos Our Enemies?

As someone who was recently diagnosed as being both gluten- and dairy-intolerant, I have a new awareness of foods that are common in our everyday diets (and I've been doing a heck of a lot of reading about them).  Apparently, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and eggplants are all part of a family of vegetables called Nightshades.  If it sounds creepy, it's because some nightshades like belladonna have long been associated with poisons and witchcraft.  All nightshades contain nicotine in some form, yes, even your mild-manner potato (it's called "solanine" in potatoes).

For some people this isn't a big deal, but there are others who are intolerant to these mainstays and can develop a number of mental, emotional, and physical problems from eating them.  So, bottom line: if you're having trouble with heartburn or acid reflux, eliminating tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants from your diet may help. 

For more information, check out this article: Nightshade Foods

Aloe Vera May Help

Everybody's heard of Aloe vera because it's a time-honored anti-inflammatory herb, but most people think of applying it to wounds or using it in lotions and such.  Did you know you can get a form that you digest and that it may help with your heartburn?  Made from the juice of a succulent desert plant, ingested Aloe vera can coat the esophagus and keep rising stomach acid under control. 

In Natural Stomach Care, Dr. Anil Minocha recommends drinking a half cup of aloe vera juice twice a day between meals.  I've also seen it available in gel caps, and some people have said it can help them if acid reflux is keeping them up at night.  The book notes that aloe can cause diarrhea in some people.  If that's a problem, take it with a carminative (gas-reducing) tea, such as lemon balm or mint.  Also, aloe vera shouldn't be taken during pregnancy or by patients with kidney disorders.

Source: Natural Stomach Care: Treating and Preventing Digestive Disorders with the Best of Eastern and Western Healing Therapies

Licorice for Heartburn Symptoms

Ok, before you get all excited this isn't the kind of licorice candy you've eaten before.  We're talking about Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (or DGL), which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and creates a protective coating on the intestinal lining and esophagus.  It's known to be good at healing ulcers, and many folks have also had luck using it to help with heartburn, acid reflux, and other digestive ailments.  You can find DGL at any supplements store.  It comes in pill form, and the directions will be something like take two tablets twenty minutes before eating.  I've tried the stuff, and it's very bitter, so be warned. ;)