Steven Sandberg-Lewis, ND
My new book, Let’s Be Real About Reflux: Getting to the Heart of Heartburn, is not another “it’s all about too much acid” rehash of misconceptions about heartburn. It provides a fresh approach to understanding the multiple forms, causes and mechanisms of reflux as well as a thorough explanation of evidence-based lifestyle hacks and natural medicine treatments.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- How the Upper Digestive System Should Work – Anatomy & Physiology
- Reflux is Not Synonymous With Heartburn
- Overview of Causes of GERD
- Is It GERD? Definitive Tests for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- How stomach acid is produced and suppressed
- Melatonin – More Than Just a Sleep Hormone
- What Determines Whether Reflux Leads to Esophagitis?
- How Lifestyle Factors Affect GERD
- Diets for the Treatment of Reflux
- Natural Remedies for Reflux
- Your Brain May Be Sabotaging Your Digestion
- Hiatal Hernia and Hiatal Hernia Syndrome
- Helicobacter Pylori May Protect Against Reflux
- Too Much or Too Little Stomach Acid?
- Pancreatic Insufficiency and GERD
- Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), GERD, and the Pressure Differential
- Bile Reflux: The Next Valve Down Can Reflux Too!
- Complications of Chronic Reflux: Barrett’s Esophagus
- Reflux in Infants and Children
- Reflux and Sex
Below is a mnemonic device from chapter 8, which lists the more important lifestyle factors that can trigger or increase heartburn and other reflux symptoms. It is unlikely that they are all significant triggers for any one person, but one or more may be important. People with reflux may choose to avoid these various foods, drinks, drugs (check with your doctor before making any changes to your prescription medications), or activities. This can be done one factor at a time based on individual diet and lifestyle. This may help to narrow down just what impact each one has on an individual’s symptoms.
The mnemonic is “Reduce CARBS, Relieve Reflux.”
C – cola (soda in general), coffee, chocolate, cigarettes (tobacco in general)
A – alcohol, acidic foods, aspirin (and other over the counter pain and inflammation medicines)
R– refined carbohydrates; excess carbohydrate intake, even unrefined such as whole grains or starchy vegetables; rapid eating; Rx (certain prescription medicines discussed in chapter 1)
B – breathing shallowly; big meals (eating too much at a meal); bigger waist circumference; bedtime eating/ eating within 3 hours of going to bed
S – snacking; sleeping position; shallow chest breathing; saturated fat, (high intake of any type of fat); spicy food; sensitivity to specific foods
Let’s Be Real About Reflux: Getting to the Heart of Heartburn by Steven Sandberg-Lewis, ND, DHANP, was released on April 6, 2023.. Dr. Sandburg-Lewis is a National University of National Medicine (NUNM) alumnus and professor. The book is available from all major booksellers’ websites (Powell’s, Barnes & Nobel, Amazon, etc).