Acid Indigestion- How to Cope

Acid reflux is not just a symptom that needs a band aid medication or supplement ,but it can be viewed as a signal from the body that something you are doing is not agreeing with the way you’re body likes to function. People are so in a hurry to fix it and move on with their lives; rightfully so. It’s uncomfortable, it’s annoying,  it interrupts sleep patterns and we have other things to tend to don’t we?  Well, I invite you to take a deeper look in spite of all the ads and TV  brainwashing that offers you another drug for your problem. Although alternative remedies seem like  alot sometimes the key is to approach it one step at a time so you can feel you’re way.

When I ask people what their diet is like,the nutrition response I often hear is “I am eating well”  I eat fruits , veggies etc. etc.” What does that exactly mean if your body does not respond by feeling well. You are not what you eat you are what you absorb and digest!

Very simple food combining can be a real contribution to acid reflux as well as the amount of acidic foods you are eating and WHEN..  when is key here. For example in America fruit is served after dinner and other meals as well. According to experts in food combining, fruit should be eaten alone and first thing in the morning as it requires strong digestion. So upon waking is best to eat a piece of fruit , like papaya or mango after drinking a glass or two of water with lemon soaked in from the night before. This starts the digestive tract with an alkaline environment. Ayurvedic medicine, science of health from India does not recommend eating fruit with grains, a popular combo here in the western diet. This sugar environment in the gut  becomes a perfect place for tumors and cancer to grow. Cancer feeds off sugar. We all have yeast, but certain food combinations create more.

An understanding of which foods are acidic and which are alkaline is crucial. A simple diet that includes millet, quinoa, dark green leafy veggies,  basmati rice, ghee,sea vegetables like kelp and nori, split mung beans for protein along with a few others you can find in a food combining book is great to give your body a new start and a rest from rich proteins which are mostly eaten at night in the American diet. Eating light after 6pm like a veggie soup with lentils is key for digestion. In this way people won’t feel like they need to cleanse all the time. The body will be doing this naturally because it won’t be overburdened with rich food combinations.

Another problem people often have with digestion  is  starchy foods with protein foods. A pasta dinner should be eaten alone with veggies and some organic chicken but the meat and potatoes combo which is very popular like burger and fries wreak havoc on digestion over time. Keep your protein with veggies or salad.

In this way you will not only feel better and reduce acid but this can reduce inflammation, joint problems as these are all results of undigested food and on top of that you will keep your weight down. It’s really simple. If you shop the farm markets and enjoy simple organic food, local and seasonal you are on you are  way to better health and vitality.

Treat yourself like a temple and holy place. Because you are. Everyone is a part of the great universal consciousness that exists. So as we each do our parts and align ourselves  with our highest purpose, leaving out indulgence and over consumption both internally and externally we are contributing to a better world. Having good thoughts and surrounding ourselves with family and friends  is another great pillar of health. Looking at the whole picture not just the symptom, being honest with ourselves , slowing down enough so we can pay attention, which pain is a signal for, and realizing we can make simple changes and choices daily that will affect our health over time. In the same way you would not expect to run a marathon first time out running, taking baby steps each day in you’re food choices, thoughts, relationships  and  all this can significantly effect the way you feel.

In the meantime as you are making these changes and also incorporating some fermented foods in you’re diet like Kefir, raw sauerkraut, you can also consider the following:

The Body Ecology Book

Aloe Vera Juice- drink an ounce several times a day for indigestion

Triphala- Ayurvedic herb in capsules or tea for balancing- perfect for long term colon cleansing

A good digestive enzyme which includes bromelain and papaya for digestion or serrapeptase when you are eating heavy proteins.

A good probiotic with multiple strains

Ginger capsules – not the raw but powdered ginger is not heating

Peppermint oil  one drop in water or in capsules.

If you’re indigestion is so bad you can’t sleep prop up on a pillow to prevent the acid from moving upward.

Breakfast like a king, lunch like  a queen and dinner like a pauper!!  Have a nice evening walk , ponder the moon and sweet dreams!