Acid Reflux: Home Remedies

 

Curious Case of Priyanka!

Well, most of the things Priyanka tells me when she gets sick is out of my understanding. I might have to write a separate blog on that topic. Anyways, as the entire world is struggling and trying to deal with COVID 2019 issue in their own ways. Priyanka was really stressed out and finding it difficult to accept the situation. Usually she is the pillar in most of other cases as she lives in present but when it comes to health issues, she deals with it differently or gets overanxious.

On March 22, she started having some weird symptoms, starting with weird sensation in her right ear and throat. We did not really think that it could be due to acidity so kept having some good spicy food as always along with some antibiotics. The symptoms grew with less /no sleep at night, sweating at night, pain or burning in chest etc., right ear blockage and dryness in throat. That is when we decided to go and meet an ENT which rightly analyzed it as GERD. She was told to eat anything and everything except for oil and spice but in less quantities however that did not work at all.

Considering this, I started reading a lot about GERD and what can be done and then came up with diet and timetable for her. Please note, there was a lot of trial and error before we finalized on this which indeed helped curing GERD.

Acid Reflux: also called as GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease.

A digestive disease in which stomach acid or bile irritates the food pipe lining. Acid reflux and heartburn more than twice a week may indicate GERD.

Mind you, we are neither doctors nor experts in this however severely faced acidity. We are not claiming it will 100% cure acidity but that is what helped us. it is always advisable to consult a doctor. We decided to write this blog as Priyanka faced it and had been through tough time recently due to GERD. Some of the measures which we implemented helped her recover faster.

If you ever face this, it is like beginning your day with Christ's prayer: "Give us this day our daily bread". Why this prayer? As the prayer asks only for today's bread and does not complain about yesterday or tomorrow. You got to be patient and take one day at a time. 

Don’ts - No Stress at all, be it emotional or physical.

Do's - Stop overthinking and accept the problem.

• GERD Symptoms (The one which I faced)

1. Burning pain in the chest that usually occurs after eating and worsens when  lying down
2. Right Throat and Ear Blockage
3. Dryness in Throat, some food particles used to stick to the throat
4. Left Hand & Chest Pain
5. Indigestion
6. Back Ache
7. Sweating especially in the middle of the night
8. Difficulty sleeping

• Other Symptoms (which I did not face):

1. Loss of appetite
2. Trouble swallowing
3. Gagging or choking
4. Burps or hiccups
5. Irritability during or after eating
6. Arching of back 
7. Weight loss
8. Recurring cough
9. Loss of voice

• Side Effects of the GERD Medicines:

1. Heavy Breasts
2. Vertigo
3. Imbalance on one side while fast asleep

• If you suspect that anxiety is making your symptoms worse, some things you can do to reduce anxiety include:

1. Limit your exposure to experiences, people, and places that make you feel anxious
2. Practice relaxation techniques, like meditation or deep breathing exercises 
3. Adjust your sleep habits, exercise routine, or other lifestyle behaviours

• Diet and GERD

In some people, certain types of foods and beverages trigger symptoms of GERD. Common dietary triggers include:

1. High-fat foods
2. Spicy foods
3. Chocolate
4. Citrus fruit
5. Pineapple
6. Tomato
7. Onion
8. Garlic
9. Mint
10. Alcohol
11. Coffee
12. Tea
13. Soda

• Week 1 Diet and Routine:

8.00 AM - One glass of Warm Water and after 10 minutes the tablet to be taken before eating breakfast.

8.30 AM - Probiotics tablet. 

9.00 AM - 1 Apple + 1 Pear or 1 Banana if no cold or cough + 2 Boiled Egg Whites or 1 Boiled Potato

11.00 AM - Pressure Cook 2-3 Florets of Cauliflower, Brocolli, half Beetroot and Carrot, 6-7 Palak Leaves, 1/2 teaspoon of cummin and small ginger with some water. Then once it is cold, strain the water and grind the mixture and strain the soup. It comes out to around 1.5 glass of soup.  [You can add Red Cabbage, Lettuce as well]

1.30 PM – Basmati Rice Porridge [Tandalachi Pej] (Please note other brands did not work in her case, read online and understood Basmati works in acidity). If you are still hungry can have 2 boiled egg whites.

4.00 PM – Yoga for Acid Reflux at 4.00 PM daily - https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUFKE7WVJfvaHW5q283SxchA&v=DQew7AiwPWw&feature=emb_logo. 

Followed by Ensure Powder – 3 scoops in half a glass of water. If taken more than this or as prescribed on the box she used to feel bloated. You can have one Banana if you do not have cold or cough. Or handful of Almonds with 2-3 dates.

6.00 PM – 2^nd tablet which is to be taken before dinner

6.30 PM – Probiotics tablet.

7.15 PM – Rice Porridge or Veg soup as mentioned above.

9.00 PM – Trifala Churna (1 teaspoon with warm water)

10.00 PM – Gel (after this no water, no food)

10.30 PM – Go to Bed

• Week 2 Diet and Routine:

1. Once she was okay with Week 1 Diet and her digestion improved. We made following changes and rest of the diet and routine as per Week 1. I am only highlighting the changes in the diet. You can introduce solid foods now.
2. For breakfast – Oats Smoothie: 1 cup of oats soaked in curd(very little and not sour) then grind it with 2-3 dates, 4-5 almonds, 1 Apple, 1 Pear, some jaggery and top it with soaked sabja seeds.
3. For Lunch – Rice with Kokam saar: Boil equal amount of kokam and jaggery with 1 glass of water to make it half. Or even Khichdi with vegetables which we used for soup. Or above-mentioned Soup but no need to strain it just grind it and can be consumed.
4. If there is no cold, then very thin consistency buttermilk made at home not the market one.

• Another important tips to follow: 

1. Voluntarily Induced Vomiting (Kunjal Kriya) - is a yogic cleansing technique which involves voluntarily inducing vomiting after drinking saline water (5%) on empty stomach. It is a detoxifying yoga technique for helping us to strengthen our digestive system. Did it four days with the new diet.
2. Do not lie down after eating for atleast an hour or two.
3. Atleast 20-25 minutes of walking.
4. Eat ginger at regular intervals but do not cross more than 4 grams per day.
5. Have honey once a day.
6. Take steam for a minute or two, twice a day. Inhale through nose and exhale through mouth.
7. No Sugar or sweets
8. Do not eat full, eat upto 60-70% and in small meals every three hours
9. Any food items which are high in PH level and Alkaline
10. Green Vegies excluding Methi (Fenugreek).
11. No citric food at all.
12. No Spice of Oil for atleast 2 months
13. Keep yourself hydrated with water and in between Electral Powder through the day.
14. Take medicines as prescribed by your doctor.

*Diet and Routine ON,  Acidity GONE!!!


*Offcourse along with prescribed medicines from your doctor.