GERD/Acid reflux

Steve

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Very bizarre, we had fish and chips for dinner tonight, so I was fully expecting a rough night. Greasy, fatty, deep fried food. It's been about 4 hours since we ate, and I feel absolutely 100% fine haha. No difference whatsoever! So am relieved about that, but makes me further feel that diet isn't the biggest contributor for me personally.
Stress can be a big one. Do you think that might be part of it?
 

Xue Sheng

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Very bizarre, we had fish and chips for dinner tonight, so I was fully expecting a rough night. Greasy, fatty, deep fried food. It's been about 4 hours since we ate, and I feel absolutely 100% fine haha. No difference whatsoever! So am relieved about that, but makes me further feel that diet isn't the biggest contributor for me personally.

There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others

  • alcohol, particularly red wine
  • black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods
  • chocolate
  • citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges and orange juice
  • coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda
  • peppermint
  • tomatoes
And there are others. When I'm having issues cinnamon is a huge trigger for me. Cold drinks were bad too. Also could not drink coffee or tea no matter caffeinated or decaffeinated. As I got better I found I could drink decaf coffee.... finally got back to tea, but it took time

I looked at a lot of web info and purchased a book or two when it was bad and they wanted to medicate me. Different people, different times, different triggers.
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others

  • alcohol, particularly red wine
  • black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods
  • chocolate
  • citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges and orange juice
  • coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda
  • peppermint
  • tomatoes
And there are others. When I'm having issues cinnamon is a huge trigger for me. Cold drinks were bad too. Also could not drink coffee or tea no matter caffeinated or decaffeinated. As I got better I found I could drink decaf coffee.... finally got back to tea, but it took time

I looked at a lot of web info and purchased a book or two when it was bad and they wanted to medicate me. Different people, different times, different triggers.
Red wine is the worst for me. Doesn't matter what else I do, I have a glass and the acid reflux is happening. Luckily, doesn't happen with mead.

My wife's family is Italian, and they never understand when I refuse to drink wine/sangria at events. They just can't comprehend it when I explain why, and forget by the next event.
 

Xue Sheng

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Red wine is the worst for me. Doesn't matter what else I do, I have a glass and the acid reflux is happening. Luckily, doesn't happen with mead.

My wife's family is Italian, and they never understand when I refuse to drink wine/sangria at events. They just can't comprehend it when I explain why, and forget by the next event.

My first wife's family was Italian so I feel your pain. But it was not because of GERD then, it was because I would get some sort of reaction from Wine, I't turn red, feel incredibly warm, lose all my energy and fall asleep. And that could be after a couple sips....
 

hoshin1600

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I'm not a doctor or a gastrowhateveritscalled, but I think a major factor has to do with each individuals gut bacteria make up. If I have pasta sauce ( gravy for you Italians) I'm done for. I also find for myself it's not the precise food but the amount of sugar in the food. Thus eating vegetables is both a balance for the PH and your body is not reacting to the processed cane sugar. alcohol and spice kills the gut biome triggering the acid build up. I keep a healthy gut and try my best to stay away from processed sugar and I'm good.
There is nothing worse than waking up at night with a mouth full of stomach acid bile.
 

Steve

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There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others

  • alcohol, particularly red wine
  • black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods
  • chocolate
  • citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges and orange juice
  • coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda
  • peppermint
  • tomatoes
And there are others. When I'm having issues cinnamon is a huge trigger for me. Cold drinks were bad too. Also could not drink coffee or tea no matter caffeinated or decaffeinated. As I got better I found I could drink decaf coffee.... finally got back to tea, but it took time

I looked at a lot of web info and purchased a book or two when it was bad and they wanted to medicate me. Different people, different times, different triggers.
I enjoy overeating pretty much all of these. Add red meat and sausage to that list and I'm completely hosed! :)
 
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_Simon_

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Stress can be a big one. Do you think that might be part of it?
Oh 100%, yeah I mentioned earlier I think that may be the main driver, but wondering how to holistically address it and see what some interlocking variables may be... reflux is so widespread huh, I honestly feel stress is a driver for a great deal of things. Stress->inflammation->conditions->symptoms
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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Oh 100%, yeah I mentioned earlier I think that may be the main driver, but wondering how to holistically address it and see what some interlocking variables may be... reflux is so widespread huh, I honestly feel stress is a driver for a great deal of things. Stress->inflammation->conditions->symptoms
If stress is the main driver for you, honestly a combination of yoga, tai chi, meditation and therapy may be good. I personally hate yoga, and therapy doesn't work too well for me as a therapist, but meditation and tai chi did wonders for my stress, which improved a lot of physical issues I had.
 
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_Simon_

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If stress is the main driver for you, honestly a combination of yoga, tai chi, meditation and therapy may be good. I personally hate yoga, and therapy doesn't work too well for me as a therapist, but meditation and tai chi did wonders for my stress, which improved a lot of physical issues I had.
That's an awesome recommendation, and very observant of you haha. Those fit me to a tee. I've definitely exploring karate in a more "taichi" style, as in slowing down everything and being very mindful of everything. Exploring movement deeply.. and been meditating more too. All have been super helpful, but I will seek therapy if needed for sure. Thanks for that
 
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_Simon_

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Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go
 

Xue Sheng

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Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go

Sounds like it is time to see the MD, I hope all goes well, or at least you get answers that help

I have been having minor flare ups this past week, but I know what caused it and that it is time for me to be a little more careful for awhile
 

Steve

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Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go
Hope all goes well.
 

Argus

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There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others

  • alcohol, particularly red wine
  • black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods
  • chocolate
  • citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges and orange juice
  • coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda
  • peppermint
  • tomatoes
And there are others. When I'm having issues cinnamon is a huge trigger for me. Cold drinks were bad too. Also could not drink coffee or tea no matter caffeinated or decaffeinated. As I got better I found I could drink decaf coffee.... finally got back to tea, but it took time

I looked at a lot of web info and purchased a book or two when it was bad and they wanted to medicate me. Different people, different times, different triggers.

Oddly, tea doesn't affect me much, whilst coffee really affects me. I've since substituted coffee for tea...
Makes me wonder if I should try decaf coffee though. My theory is that acid is the bigger trigger for me, and tea is less acidic than coffee, whilst caffeine is largely irrelevant, but I could be wrong.
I don't know what the decaffeination process involves, though. Perhaps it makes the coffee less acidic.
 
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_Simon_

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Oddly, tea doesn't affect me much, whilst coffee really affects me. I've since substituted coffee for tea...
Makes me wonder if I should try decaf coffee though. My theory is that acid is the bigger trigger for me, and tea is less acidic than coffee, whilst caffeine is largely irrelevant, but I could be wrong.
I don't know what the decaffeination process involves, though. Perhaps it makes the coffee less acidic.
I'm not 100% sure whether it's the particular caffeine content that affects those with reflux, but I have heard people having success with decaf, so it's worth a shot.

Also I've heard of a pinch (not sure the exact amount) of bicarb in your coffee helps people so definitely look into that, you may not have to give up coffee. (Bicarb in water is a good temporary fix for reflux that I use as it's very alkaline, so this makes sense)
 

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