I just saw an advertisement for a special pillow for acid reflux sufferers.

Apparently, this pillow keeps your upper half slightly elevated while you sleep so that gravity can work its magic and keep your stomach contents where they belong during your slumber.

Although this pillow has gotten rave reviews and it sure is a much safer answer than crippling your stomach acid with drugs, I still have a question:

Why not figure out WHY you have chronic heartburn (aka reflux/GERD) in the first place and do something about it?

Because even if this pillow prevents your partially digested food from cruising into your throat, you STILL have an issue with your digestion…and trust me, you will pay the price.

“The price” can include constipation, leaky gut, poor nutrient absorption, yeast overgrowth and weakened immune function, among other things.

So if you’re ready to solve your acid reflux problem at its root cause(s), then it’s time to look at…

What’s really going on with acid reflux?

Acid reflux is nothing more than your body being unable to properly break down and digest what you’ve put in it.

And there are four primary reasons that this happens:

Acid reflux cause #1: Your diet

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is murder on your digestive system.  It’s loaded with processed garbage, fast food, and meals that are next to impossible for your body to effectively break down.

If you have a typical diet like this, it's time to face facts--YOUR DIET is the main cause of your misery. 

Accept it, stop making excuses and do something about it--like changing your diet to include more nutritious REAL foods—stuff that doesn’t come with a bar code and ingredients you can’t pronounce.  Lay off the soda too while you’re at it. 

Make your meals inherently easier to digest.  Don’t combine proteins and starches (like meat and potatoes) together because that combination is far too taxing on your system.  Instead, pair proteins OR starches with lots of veggies and a tossed salad.

I guarantee you will see a significant difference in your reflux almost immediately. 

Acid reflux cause #2: Enzyme deficiencies

If you've eaten a typical American diet for quite some time, chances are excellent that you have expended far more digestive enzymes than Nature intended you to.

As a result, your body's ability to produce enough enzymes may be diminished...and this can be a major contributing factor to poor digestion and acid reflux!

If you suspect low enzymes are a concern for you, then a full-spectrum enzyme supplement like Digestizol Max can give your body the help it needs to completely break down all your foods!

Acid reflux cause #3: Stress

Digestion is a parasympathetic process, meaning your body must be in a relaxed, non-stressed state for it to be accomplished. 

Eating in a relaxed state also encourages you to eat slower, which means that your body can recognize satiety before you overeat.

But if you instead eat when your sympathetic nervous system is in gear (such as when you're working, driving, emotionally upset, stressed, rushing, etc.) that can have a devastating impact on your digestion and lead to reflux.

So slow down and relax!  Avoid eating in a stressed state.  Make time for meals and don't eat on the run. 

Acid reflux cause #4: Smoking

Nothing destroys your digestion like smoking. 

So add this to the list of reasons that you should put that deadly habit behind you for good.  There are many stop smoking aids and programs out there—get the help you need.

But what if I overindulge?

We’re all human…and that means that every now and then, we might overindulge and end up with heartburn as a result!

Here are some safe, natural answers for occasional heartburn:

1) Fresh ginger

Fresh ginger root has been used since ancient times as a natural anti-inflammatory and a treatment for digestive conditions.

2) Licorice

Licorice root is soothing to the mucous membranes of the GI tract and can promote healing. 

However, the glycyrrhizic acid in licorice root can raise your blood pressure and lower potassium levels if you eat too much, so look for deglycerrhized licorice (DGL licorice) supplements.

3) Slippery elm bark

Slippery elm bark is another herb which soothes mucous membranes and has been used as a remedy for stomach problems for centuries by European and Native American cultures.

4) Aloe vera

Aloe vera juice is another natural anti-inflammatory that can help soothe inflammation in the stomach or esophagus.

Aloe vera is available at many health food stores and retail merchants.

5) Apple cider vinegar

Sometimes heartburn can result from too little stomach acid.

In those cases, you can easily improve the acid content of your stomach by taking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water.  Be sure to get raw unfiltered vinegar that contains “the mother.”

When you naturally help your body accomplish digestion, a whole new world free of acid reflux can open up for you.

And that world is very sweet indeed!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia