Is heartburn or acid reflux making your life miserable?
1 in every 4 of UK adults suffer with heartburn, if this is getting you down you are not alone. Digestion issues and reflux are so common. I see clients in clinic everyday who have for years suffered in silence with:
Acid reflux, Bile reflux, Indigestion, Heartburn
IBS Diarrhoea and/or Constipation
Bloating
Wind
Nausea
If this sounds familiar you may have been diagnosed with:
Hiatus Hernia
Gastritis
Gallstones / Gall bladder removal
Peptic ulcer
Barrett’s oesophagus
Silent reflux
After the diagnosis have you been left with pesky symptoms which can truly be life limiting?
You may have been prescribed a long-term Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI). Have you wondered:
Can I breakup with my heartburn pill? (in line with NICE guidelines of course)
Would I suffer with rebound heartburn?
(When a PPI is essential there are strategies to support digestion, reduce side effects and nutritional deficiencies, we can discuss this together).
If you are reading this and thinking YES THIS IS ME, I can help. I have been busy behind the scenes of Hartwell Nutrition and want to share my exciting news!
I am now an ACCREDITED REFLUX PRACTITIONER with Digestion with Confidence.
As you can imagine I am VERY eager to put all this extra learning into practice, if you:
Suffer with any of these symptoms
Want to improve your digestive health
Are keen to look at safely removing your PPI (with your GPs support) or optimise PPI usage
I would LOVE to work with you.
But just so I don’t leave you hanging I thought I would share some key points.
What is Acid reflux?
Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid or bile flows back into the food pipe (oesophagus) and this backflow, or reflux, irritates the lining of the oesophagus.
Triggers for Acid Reflux and Indigestion:
Diet: spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate, peppermint, caffeine, alcohol, and fatty or fried foods.
Lifestyle: overeating, lying down after eating, obesity, smoking, pregnancy, eating too quickly, stress.
Medical: Some medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, certain muscle relaxers, and blood pressure medications.
Lifestyle changes I encourage you to try:
Eat smaller meals to reduce the pressure on the lower oesophageal sphincter
Avoid trigger foods which can relax the oesophageal sphincter and/or increase stomach acid.
Elevate the head of your bed and sleep on your lefthand side.
Avoid lying down for 3 hours after eating.
Keep hydrated.
Support digestion with mindful eating.
Practice relaxation at mealtimes to help improve vagal tone, this will help you settle into the rest and digest state.
Don’t underestimate the lifestyle steps, it is a proven fact stress slows digestion down… unleash your inner yogi and see what a difference it makes.
