When I got ready to write about this topic I started getting e-mails from blog readers about it. It’s like the universe was reading my mind.

Acid reflux is a very common problem with IBS sufferers. I’ve seen statistics that say up to 40 percent of IBS sufferers also have reflux issues.

During the time I had IBS, I was also diagnosed with a serious form of reflux called GERD, as well as a hiatal hernia.

Like IBS, doctors don’t understand the cause of acid reflux. They call it incurable and treat it with medications.

In some cases these medications can cause more harm. I learned this from research, other people and most importantly, from my own experience.

I believe acid reflux (even GERD) is not a disease or condition, it’s a symptom of an unhappy digestive system. Therefore it should not be treated in isolation. Healing it depends on healing the gut.

Most doctors prescribe acid blocking medications to ease the reflux, heartburn and GERD symptoms.

I took these acid blocking medications when it got very bad. But even before that I medicated myself with over the counter solutions like Tums. These were not harmless experiences.

Years later, I discovered from a hair analysis test that I had off the chart levels of aluminum in my body. I also learned that the Tums I was popping like candy, contained trace amounts of aluminum. It added up and never left my body.

Neither the Tums nor the prescription acid blockers (called PPIs) brought much relief.

This was lucky because later I learned that PPIs can do a number on beneficial bacteria in the body and may be one cause of SIBO according to this research article.

But this isn’t their only potential harm.

Many in the alternative health world think acid reflux is caused by not enough stomach acid. This condition is called to as hypochlorhydria. It is also linked to infections like H pylori.

Sufficient stomach acid is needed to kill pathogens and unfriendly bacteria that enter the body and prevent intestinal bacteria from colonizing the stomach.

Some believe that reflux and GERD are caused by an overgrowth of pathogens or bacteria in the stomach. And that hiatal hernias (the protrusion of the stomach through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm) is caused by pressure from gas produced by this bacterial overgrowth.

Lastly, low stomach acid can lead to undigested food particles passing into the small intestine where it becomes food for bad bacteria. That’s how it promotes SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

It does seem counter intuitive, that reflux could be caused by acid deficiency. But adding acidic foods and supplements to the diet like apple cider vinegar, Swedish bitters and lemon juice has helped many people reduce their reflux symptoms.

Not having enough acid is just as common as having too much acid. If too little acid is the problem, acid blockers are the last thing you should to take.

You can read more about low stomach acid here. This article may suggest taking a Betaine HCL supplement for relief, but I caution AGAINST doing this without expert supervision. Betaine HCL is strong and there’s a risk of burning holes in the stomach if used improperly.

Another cause of acid reflux

I believe another cause of acid reflux can be food allergies.

One of the major foods that triggered my symptoms  were nuts. When I followed the raw food diet (to try to heal IBS), nuts were my main protein source. And my reflux was out of control.

Reflux runs in my family. My mother recently noticed that her episodes were also brought on by nuts.

Nuts are extremely hard to digest, and so are raw foods. So if my problem was low stomach acid, then I would have done much better on a diet of hot, pureed soups and stews. These foods are already broken down and “predigested” through the long cooking process.

The dominant medical paradigm says high fat meals trigger acid reflux, but I felt better eating red meat than a big salad with pecans.

The fatty, red meat in burgers may get blamed for causing reflux but it could be the bread (gluten), cheese, mayo, ketchup and lettuce, that’s the problem. Don’t let conventional wisdom confuse you, test foods for yourself to figure out what’s bother you.

The causes of acid reflux are not as straight forward as they may seem.

It’s important to also consider the impact of emotions on these symptoms.

How stress causes reflux

Stress has never been directly linked to acid reflux or GERD, but there are many ways it can contribute.

Stress effects the tightness and function of muscle contractions throughout the body. Sometimes we feel those contractions and sometimes we don’t.

Since reflux is theorized to be caused by a malfunction of the LES (lower esophageal sphincter), a valve-like group of muscles that should prevent acid from backing up into the esophagus, it’s possible the malfunction can be caused by stress.

We know that fear and anxiety tighten the stomach and bring it up, so it’s not that far fetched.

My study of chi gong has taught me that stressful emotions bring energy (along with body fluids) into the upper part of the body and head, causing symptoms like reflux, head aches and stiff shoulders and neck.

Once I stopped my mothers reflux episode by giving her a chi gong treatment that brought her energy back to the lower part of her body. We were both very surprised that it worked so well.

What finally worked for me

It’s important to see reflux or GERD as a symptom of a larger digestive and/or emotional problem. So isolating and treating this symptom is missing the point.

Healing the gut through a diet like GAPS, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet or Paleo, in conjunction with stress relief and emotional work, alleviates reflux symptoms for many.

That’s what happened to me. I did nothing to address the symptom directly, I just concentrated on healing my gut by resting, removing inflammatory foods and balancing my bacteria with a strict Paleo diet that excluded nuts.

Of the three diets above, the GAPS diet may provide the best relief because it uses probiotic foods and digestible soups and stews in its first stages.  I’ve read that a couple ounces of sauerkraut juice taken with meals can also relieve reflux symptoms.

At least it can’t hurt.

And if the issue is indeed bacterial or due to low stomach acid, this makes perfect sense.

I hope I demystified this issue for you and given you a few options to explore and a new way to think about solving it.

These days, reflux, GERD and even my hiatal hernia are just bad memories, just like IBS.

And I wish the same for you.

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