Acid Reflux — too much or too little acid?

That burning sensation rising in your chest. The discomfort after eating, the disrupted sleep, the constant awareness of what you can and can't eat. Perhaps you've been prescribed medication that helps manage the symptoms, but the moment you stop, everything returns even worse.

Acid reflux is rarely just a stomach acid problem. Managing it long term means understanding what is actually driving it.

Contrary to popular belief, acid reflux is often associated with low stomach acid rather than too much stomach acid. This means that the stomach struggles to properly break down food, which can sit and ferment, creating gas and pressure that pushes acid upward.

Low stomach acid is common as we age but is also commonly associated with chronic stress. In a stressed state, your body diverts energy away from digestion because in a perceived emergency, digestion isn't a priority. This means that food isn’t properly digested and absorbed and reflux, bloating and gas become a common complaint. You can have the best diet in the world but if your body isn’t properly digesting and absorbing, you will feel stripped of energy on an ongoing basis.

Managing stress and regulating the nervous system is an absolutely fundamental step in managing reflux.

Breaking the cycle

Are you struggling with reflux? Have you been on medication for a long time and are looking to resolve the problem rather than manage the symptoms?

Withdrawing medication can take time and patience to avoid symptoms coming back worse than ever. As an accredited reflux practitioner I have helped lots of people transition away from medication back to feeling calm and enjoying food again.