Heartburn: Why it happens and what you can do | Dr Will Bulsiewicz

[@gutmicrobiomequeen]

I've found the following simple, low-budget things to be really helpful for GERD: - Deep breathing practice daily (this tones the sphincter he mentioned!) (pick your fav- there are many techniques) - Taking a 10-20 minute walk right before or right after a meal (this helps with stomach emptying and bile flow) - Ensuring that you're getting good quality sleep (important for the gut-brain axis) - Managing stress to the best of your ability (important for the gut-brain axis) Remember, the gut-brain axis controls the whole gut, including the lower esophageal sphincter and the stomach! Ps. I love that the emphasis is on diet and lifestyle and not on simply demonizing the meds. Sometimes they can be life-saving, but they shouldn't be first-line therapy.

[@joinZOE]

There's definitely no shame in meds, but we should always utilise diet and lifestyle where we can 😊

[@MochiChuru]

Well said, very insightful!

[@nlturcott5168]

An elderly Dr. told us to take a big spoon of well aged sauerkraut (the salted kind, Not the wine kind) for heartburn. Works like a charm and reduces the frequency of the issue. Thanks again to the ZOE team for all the great discussions.

[@cycleoflife7331]

Because it’s fermented with natural probiotics and fiber. Feed your gut with probiotic Kim Chi, whole milk indian yogurt, balsamic or cider vinegars and high fiber foods like salad. Feed your gut!

[@caroldoyle70]

My consultant diagnosed functional dyspepsia….fancy name really for a type of indigestion….said it was like IBS but in the upper digestive tract. I’d have this terrible burning in my upper stomach/chest/diaphragm sometimes for months on end. It was worse when hungry. Food often relieved it but overall It made no difference what I ate or when and Lanzoprazole made no difference. The consultant said if it didn’t definitely help then ditch it so I did. Stress and tiredness seems to be the trigger for me. Once I calmed down that my oesophagus was ok (endoscopy) , I concentrated on trying to not letting stressful situations hit my stomach, more relaxation, exercise etc. My diet is pretty healthy and I don’t like to eat late anyway. I’d a flare up on a recent holiday to the USA..anxiety about the long flight, different time zone /tiredness and consciousness /anxiety of the crazy gun culture were the triggers..the stomach is definitely the second brain! It’s gone now I’m home. Having a predisposition to worrying does not help!

[@leialee6820]

I have needed this type of medicine for years. Had tests you can take as some types can be rectified. It gets worse or should I say comes on at times when you lie down due to gravity, hasn't got to push it upwards. I find the same when bending again gravity makes it easier to cause it to happen. I find the opposite that I actually need to take food to settle my acid reflux like yogurt, going to long without food does not help especially at night. The pain feels like it is in the sternum & often extends into the back.

[@bobsastrophotography7812]

Don’t forget hiatel hernia. My hernia was so big that in MRI it looked like I had two stomachs. I would eat & drink & it would all come back up. Finally had to have esophageal surgery to get rid of hernia & I’ve been awesome ever since. Off of Nexium, but also limit grease (fried foods, not given them up, but cut down), no more milk. I don’t have a problem with citrus products. You’re life will change if you see the real reason why you have heartburn, get an MRI & upper Endoscopy….

[@daviddrysdale8866]

Acid reflux can be an underlying symptom of disease such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or Helicopter. I work as an Osteopath and I see 2 or 3 patients per month who have undiagnosed EDS .. Also, people who work at desks and continuously bend forwards compress their stomach and small intestine. This puts pressure on the cardiac sphincter at the top of the stomach.. causing reflux.

[@danyelnicholas]

Information starts at 12:00

[@simontemplar404]

Thanks

[@4623620]

My mother taught me that taking a walk after dinner helps (movement makes the food go down easier).

[@k8eekatt]

Yes!

[@tariqqurashi3527]

My doctor mentioned that humans had only been eating wheat for about 10 thousand years which in evolutionary terms was negligible. Apparently we are not very efficient at digesting wheat. He suggested I gave up wheat based products, or at the very least not eat them after lunchtime. The results were amazing! My Gerd disappeared!

[@cellom.9227]

Everyone is different. Glad it worked for you.

[@anniehosking2408]

I took Omeprazole for over four years. I was prescribed it because I was taking an anti-inflammatory. Earlier this year I had to stop taking the anti-inflammatory due to lowered kidney function so I stopped the Omemprazole too. I has also been anaemic for over year. Stopping Omeprazole was a good thing because within months I was no longer anaenemic but now I get heartburn everyday. I didn't before taking Omeprazole. I do wonder if it did some damage to acid production. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy as part of the investigation into my anaemia but nothing was found to explain it. I found out that proton pump inhibitors can prevent absorbtion of iron while looking up information about iron. When I mentioned it to my GP she said "We know about that" but none of the doctors seem to have considered that it might be the cause of my anaemia. I think it probably was so I don't want to take a proton pump inhibitor for my heartburn,

[@gertrudelisehahn2996]

I am NOT a doctor, but as far as I know NSAIDS can cause problems for your stomach lining 😕

[@barbaradonalson9196]

I’m struggling with this! Had endoscopy- told no reason visible why i suffer but despite periods of being to stop taking omeprazole, being careful what and when i eat, ( been in zoe testing etc) it always reoccurs. Very painful and breathless! All ideas welcome ❤

[@joinZOE]

Have you listened to the full episode yet? Dr Will Bulsiewicz has lots of great tips 🙌

[@gerrypowell2748]

Try eating a red apple,it seems to work,I tend to peel mine now.

[@paganqueen1]

Try an elimination diet to see if you are allergic to anything. Mine was wheat.

[@barbaradonalson9196]

@@joinZOE he did but sadly not working for me @joinzoe

[@barbaradonalson9196]

@@paganqueen1 thanks but already been down that route . Nothing seemed to make a huge difference. I had long covid for over 2 years and just seems that it “ did sonething “ that noone can pin down 🤣

[@cycleoflife7331]

I’ve stopped eating lots of carbs switching to a low carb diet and havent had an acid bout since then.

[@petedannatt]

I find the effectiveness of PPIs reduces over time, but stopping causes of huge , but temporary, spike in symptoms making uit tought to stop. What would have also been good is to hear about methods of improving the valve effectiveness, wlking after meals, impact of weight gain / loss, impact of exercise, stress, seating position (airplane seats arf bad for me), etc. One thing that works for me is simply drinking lots of water to reduce the acidity in my stomach. Almost as good as Gaviscon or Algycon.

[@mugwarmers]

My sister in law recommended taking a herbal tincture called centaurium to help acid reflux. I have started using it, but as I only have the problem intermittently, I haven't established whether it's working for me yet. Does Will have any information on use of herbs to support improving gastric issues like this?

[@porrohmann]

I'm surprised there was no discussion of the role that stomach acid pH can play? There are many doctors who believe that acid reflux is caused by stomach acid being too weak to trigger proper closure of the LES. It is believed that low stomach acid also contributes to insufficient digestion of proteins leading to nutrient deficiencies. Those who suffer from leaky gut can then suffer all sorts of symptoms as a result of undigested proteins reaching the liver and causing havoc with the immune system and many other organs and functions. Does Will agree with these doctors or is there insufficient research to prove or disprove this belief?

[@leialee6820]

I have suffered with this for years & years but my immune system is great. I didn't even get Covid & have never had the Flu in my entire life. I also never had the vaccine & I have never had the Flu jab though offered one every year. I virtually never ever get colds either.

[@Rikki.64]

One claim made is that low stomach acidity increases intra-abdominal pressure, causing the opening from the food pipe to the stomach to open, allowing acid reflux to occur. THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS so if you are experiencing frequent reflux or are worried about low stomach acid, we suggest you contact your doctor.

[@Taytates-lr6kg]

I been taking omeprazol for around 15 years if I forget to take it the next day I'm in horrible pain but I'm looking for alternative. I've asked my doctor many times about looking into why it's happening instead of taking medication instead of finding cause and trying to fix it bur I get nothing except excuses..

[@tonyhodgkinson4586]

I have reflux, I stopped eating any junk, sweets, cakes, biscuits and it went away for a while. Now it's coming back so I am interested to know why.

[@gcs7817]

Look at the role of ACV and GERD Your stomach pH might be too high (meaning toward 7.0 and not in range of 1.2-2.5) The release of stomach acid signals to the LES to close , but the signal is based on the pH level of stomach acid

[@helenhucker346]

I always assumed that regularly filling the stomach with hard to digest fatty food was asking for trouble (too much pressure on the valve for too long). I would be interested to know if people who eat a whole food plant based diet have the same problem?

[@patrickgrace6298]

I have had both heartburn and acid reflux and they are definitely different, unless it was an ulcer that was diagnosed as heartburn that I had.

[@christinelillywhite777]

He said they were different

[@leialee6820]

I am sure I probably have both when you come to think of it but it has never been described as such by a Dr. I could get what I consider heartburn as soon as I eat or drink anything to acidic so avoid this. The gastric reflux I get is made worse by bending or lying down but being on meds it keeps it under control if I remain in an upright position. The pain is different to.

[@bbsaid218]

Omeprazole etc treat the symptoms not the cause.

[@cellom.9227]

My Uncle took PPI's for years, mainly so he could keep drinking his coffee. I thought that was outrageous. They were developed to be used short-term, not years or decades.

[@davidtsw]

True. I was put on PPIs and then told by several doctors that it was ok for me to keep taking them long term. Ended up with lots of problems because of this and I eventually managed to get rid of most heartburn by dietary changes but also by drinking a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before meals. Definitely helps.

[@barbbrazes869]

Love Dr. B!!!

[@lindamorgan4604]

So what can i do to help if i have a hiatus hernia?

[@Inty6]

A great video but for a lot of us, we still get symptoms despite lifestyle changes and taking high dose of the medication. A lot of people don't get symptom releif even WITH the medication.

[@Rikki.64]

Particularly when they are given sub-clinical doses of meds or less effective medicines in the same class of meds. For example a low dose of Omeprazole when for them a higher dose may be appropriate. Also if Omeprazole is ineffective or you still get breakthru acid reflux while on it then Esomeprazole may be more effective. Esomeprazole is an S isomer of the original Omeprazole and performs more effectively in various clinical trials

[@Inty6]

I thought the problem was overprescribing these tablets, not giving doses that are too weak. Often times if theres no reaction it seems a lot of people end up on things like 60mg 2x a day

[@Rikki.64]

@@Inty6 overprescribing is just one of many problems but focused on as reduction in prescribing reduces costs for NHS. Other problems are not testing samples to see if patient has gram negative, gram positive, atypical, or mixed bacteriologic sample and which antibiotics they react best to on that particular illness episode (or exacerbation if reoccurent). Also, doseage, as someone may be put on a 150mg dose of drug X but after a week of no sign of improvement titrated to 300mg, or a twice a day prescription amended to six times a day. Lack of testing samples (be they sputum, blood or urine), correct dosage, correct frequency of dose, and number of days duration of therapy, all these are just as important as overuse. Because giving a drug with sub-clinical response to a patient's bacteria, or having to swap over drugs after a week and try another, they all have their part to play in the build up of drug resistance. If a GP guesses and gives you drug A without testing and then puts you on drug B, you had drug A inappropriately and should that happen too often (and financial pressures on the NHS lead to the cheapest drugs being dished out too often when selective use of a more effective but more expensive drug may have been a more optimal treatment) this may lead to you finding drug A becomes ineffective for you.

[@Rikki.64]

@@Inty6 giving a dose that is too week doesn't kill off that bacteria and then having been exposed to that antibiotic they may develop a resistance to it. At least according to a Senior Microbiologist and Assistant Professor in Molecular Epidemiology who gave a lecture while I was working in the pharmaceutical industry. She was a special advisor to the DOH* on bacteriology and virology. *the UK's Dept of Health (a Government body overseeing their National Health Service etc)

[@Rikki.64]

Doctors also need to not just assume symptoms are from acid reflux or helicobacter pylori, but also look into other possible causes like a hiatus hernia.

[@gcs7817]

No discussion of stomach pH and its role in closing off the LES or the role of ACV

[@Rikki.64]

One claim made is that low stomach acidity increases intra-abdominal pressure, causing the opening from the food pipe to the stomach to open, allowing acid reflux to occur. THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS so if you are experiencing frequent reflux or are worried about low stomach acid, I suggest you contact your doctor.

[@gcs7817]

@@Rikki.64 Research the topic of ACV and acid reflux on KZbin

[@Rikki.64]

@@gcs7817 I am not going to do research on KZbin 🤡 I'll stick to peer reviewed clinical papers and legitimate medical sources thank you.

[@gcs7817]

@@Rikki.64 You can stick to what ever you want. No harm in trying it and if it doesn’t work, well you can make salad dressing with the leftover. It worked for me Here’s one kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJnYhJKMjM1rqNk

[@silentwilly2983]

I solved the issue and got of medication by doing pretty much the opposite of your recommendation. I woke up and had issues going back to sleep due to the heartburn. Got a endoscopy and the doctor told that stomach entrance was damaged, that an operation was not advised due a high risk of complications and got omeprazol subscribed. I experimented a bit and got the issue mostly solved by putting my bed at a slight angle and eating late, typically I go to bed immediately after my evening meal. Only occasionally reappears mostly after overeating or eating junk food, stress also plays a role.

[@ponchobarr3455]

not to smart eating before going to bed, crazy, the only thing helping you us your bed.

[@ericabroquah6648]

Am experiencing heart burn very seriously,

[@bbsaid218]

Reflux is caused by a LACK of acid in your stomach. The oesophageal sphincter needs acid to close it. Cut out all processed food, especially cereal based foods. Apple cider vinegar is a great cure along with intermittent fasting.

[@Lee-yr4ib]

Well said. Also lemon juice or hydrochloric acid mixed in water then rinse mouth and throat with water, and I also drink a bit of slippery elm powder mixed in a quarter cup of water to coat and soothe the throat

[@paganqueen1]

@@Lee-yr4ib Please don't drink hydrochloric acid. It is extremely dangerous just handling it without ingesting it.

[@Lee-yr4ib]

Wendy Mead yes you are right. Drinking it is not correct. You can get it in capsule form.

[@Rikki.64]

One claim made is that low stomach acidity increases intra-abdominal pressure, causing the opening from the food pipe to the stomach to open, allowing acid reflux to occur. THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS so if you are experiencing frequent reflux or are worried about low stomach acid, I suggest you contact your doctor.

[@cellom.9227]

ACV made mine worse.

[@paganqueen1]

I had problems with this until I realised I have developed an allergy to wheat. When I eat wheat I get instant acid reflux followed by intense abdominal pain diarrhoea and vomiting. The pain is so severe I go into shock and collapse, often semi conscious. Since removing wheat from my diet I have seen vast improvement with little to no problems. I am also on intermittent fasting. I only eat between 5 and 10 pm. I go to bed at 2 am every day.

[@paganqueen1]

@@myrtlem9009 2 am I get up at 10 am.

[@paganqueen1]

@@myrtlem9009 Not a need, just a choice. I prefer to sleep during those hours. I don't work, have no commitments so I am free to set my own timetable. My husband works and does shifts so the times suit us both.

[@simontemplar404]

I get it if I do not have enough vegetable matter in my diet. A late night curry always gives it to me during the night. Eat protein carb and fat alone and you will get it. When I was young this did not happen. Irritating consequence of the body ageing. Eat more vegetables fixed it for me.

[@RSLtreecare]

Very interesting...

[@suzannegagne8692]

Has a lot to do with what you are eating. No spicy tomatoes sauces or fatty foods. No alcohol….I could go on and on…look it up.

[@gertrudelisehahn2996]

As he said in the video

[@moosabones]

A GERD diet has had miraculous results for my partner, whose life had become unbearable.

[@swahilijs]

There’s nothing like pain. I gave up spaghetti , salsa, and spices. I’ve been plant based for 11 years.

[@sandrar9649]

Unless I missed it no mention of hiatus hernia as a cause.

[@lindahoganson8721]

Look at 4:20

[@deedeec102]

Really long vid for content.

[@joesphbegley3088]

Daily use of antacids caused my folate deficiency.

[@traciemeikle5479]

I find drinking milk slowly works every time for me when I have heartburn

[@Rikki.64]

While drinking milk or Gaviscon or sucking a chalky tablet calms minor heartburn, GORD (GERD in US) can be made worse by consumption of milk or other dairy products. There are chemoreceptors that detect calcium and more acid is then produced when they detect it, so while milk may be a temporary fix it may then lead to rebound acid reflux later as the body adapts acid production because calcium stimulates gastrin and gastric acid secretion in humans.

[@heidihstland1682]

Lovehearts candy helps me

[@heidihstland1682]

And potato water

[@JamieHarris37]

Have a heartbeat

[@LS030]

I started drinking cow milk and my gerd has gone away.

[@karenchadwick5853]

Why not 1 in 5 😅

[@joesphbegley3088]

Daily use of antacids caused my folate deficiency

[@danyelnicholas]

Could you edit out the blue pullover gentleman next time?

[@jaishankarravindran2242]

Heart is a hard organ you have to take food for supper to work well .

[@sandra918]

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