Is Acid Reflux Driving you Crazy?
- Laura Beales
- Sep 3
- 5 min read
If you've ever felt a burning sensation in your chest after eating, or a sour taste in your mouth when you lie down, you may have experienced acid reflux. It’s a common issue that can range from mild discomfort to a more persistent condition that can really impact your quality of life. I talk to family, friends and clients about it regularly and am seeing it more and more.
In this blog I cover information about acid reflux and ways to support it via diet and lifestyle. There are specific supplements that can support both digestion and also acid reflux, but these should only be taken under guidance of a qualified practitioner. This is particularly important if you are taking any medication for your reflux from your GP.
What is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux happens when stomach acid travels back up into your oesophagus (the tube that connects your throat to your stomach). This can irritate the lining of the oesophagus and cause that characteristic burning feeling known as heartburn.
What are the types of Acid Reflux?
Occasional reflux:Â Happens now and then after certain foods or large meals.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (known as GERD or GORD):Â Chronic, ongoing reflux that occurs at least twice a week.
Silent reflux (LPR - Laryngopharyngeal Reflux): Reflux that doesn’t cause heartburn but may lead to symptoms like chronic cough, throat clearing, hoarseness, or even a lump-in-the-throat sensation.
Bile acid reflux: This lesser-known type involves bile, not stomach acid, flowing upward into the stomach and oesophagus. It often causes burning, nausea, bitter taste, or upper abdominal pain, especially after eating fatty meals.
Symptoms of Acid Reflux
Symptoms can vary from person to person, but may include:
Burning sensation in the chest (heartburn)
Regurgitation (bringing food or liquid back up)
Bloating or burping
Difficulty swallowing
Sore throat or hoarseness
Persistent cough
Nausea after eating
Bad breath
Other Conditions That Can Feel Similar
Reflux can sometimes be confused with:
Gallbladder issues (especially after fatty meals)
Peptic ulcers
H. pylori infection (H. pylori is bacteria that can affect digestion and increase reflux, bloating and bacterial overgrowth in the gut)
Food intolerances
Anxiety-related indigestion
Hiatal hernia
Tests You Might Be Offered by Your GP
If reflux is ongoing or severe, your doctor might refer you for:
Endoscopy: a camera test to view the oesophagus and stomach lining
pH monitoring: to measure acid levels in the oesophagus
Manometry: to assess the muscle function of the oesophagus
H. pylori test: to check for bacterial infection in the stomach
You may also be prescribed medications like antacids, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs such as Omeprazole), or H2 blockers. These medications are often effective at reducing symptoms, but they do not tackle the underlying cause. Sometimes they don't provide relief at all and it can be helpful to work with a nutritional therapist to understand why.
Functional Tests Used by Nutritional Therapists
As a nutritional therapist, I might look deeper into what’s contributing to your symptoms, such as:
Stool testing to assess digestion, inflammation, and bacterial imbalances
H. pylori breath or stool test to detect the presence of this reflux-associated bacteria
Organic acids testing to explore nutrient deficiencies or imbalances that could affect digestion
These tests help build a clearer picture of what’s going on beneath the surface, especially if symptoms are persistent despite medications or dietary changes.
Common Trigger Foods
Some foods are more likely to trigger reflux, especially when eaten in large amounts or late at night. Common culprits include:
Coffee and caffeinated drinks
Alcohol
Chocolate
Mint
Spicy foods
Citrus fruits
Tomatoes and tomato-based sauces
Fried or fatty foods
Onions and garlic
Carbonated drinks
Natural Diet and Lifestyle Tips
Some tips to support digestion and reduce reflux symptoms:
Eat slowly and chew food well. This breaks food down into smaller particles that are much easier to digest. Chewing can be of great support to bloating as well as to reflux. Concentrate on your next meal: how much do you actually chew each mouthful before swallowing it? Especially if you are starving! Make it easier for your digestive system and give every forkful a good chew!
Avoid large meals: smaller, more frequent meals are often better tolerated because they put less pressure on the stomach.
Avoid/reduce trigger foods as much as possible. It is useful to keep a diary and notice if there are any particular food triggers (or stress for example) that make your reflux worse. There are a number of "low acid" diet books on the market but the reality is over time these can be really hard to stick to and becomes quite stressful when eating out in restaurants or when you aren't as easily in control of the menu. Via keeping a diary know your own triggers and avoid where possible. Alongside this work with a nutritional therapist to understand what is triggering the reflux in the first place so you don't need to maintain long term restrictive diets.
Avoid lying down for 2 to 3 hours after eating. Consider elevating the head of your bed by a few inches if symptoms are bad at night. Sleeping on the left hand side can be helpful.
Finish eating dinner earlier in the evening if possible. This means you are not going to bed with a belly full of food that needs to be digested.
Balance stomach acid. It is untrue that reflux is always caused by too much acid; in many cases, it’s actually too little stomach acid or poor digestion. Digestive bitters or apple cider vinegar before a meal (under guidance) can help stimulate proper digestion in some people. This can be a game changer and a real surprise to clients who believed they had "too much acid" - actually it was the opposite. We need sufficient stomach acid to help with the next phase in digestion lower in the digestive tract where food is further broken down. Quite often other digestive issues such as bloating point back to stomach acid. And the good news is these are easily and affordably addressed.
A healthy microbiome supports digestion. Focus on: Fibre-rich foods (vegetables, whole grains, legumes); Probiotic foods (yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut); Plenty of water.
Review your habits: Quit smoking, reduce alcohol and caffeine and maintain a healthy weight.
Stress affects digestion more than we realise and can also often be the root cause of IBS like symptoms . Gentle exercise, mindfulness, breathing and taking time to relax and create space for calm can have a huge impact on digestion and reflux. Although it sounds simple, alternate nostril breathing before eating may help ease reflux by calming the nervous system, reducing stress, and supporting better digestion through balanced vagal tone.
What about the Supplements?!
The supplement market is booming with products to support reflux and digestion and the choice for us can be quite simply overwhelming (even as a practitioner!)
These include supplements to increase stomach acid, support gut lining repair, soothing supplements to help the digestive process, to increase enzymes and even bile flow. The difficulty is knowing what to buy or even if you need it. This is where working with a nutritional therapist can be very helpful. And don't worry if you are on medications for your reflux, I work alongside not against your GP.
So, don't suffer and put up with reflux - it really is something that can be addressed with targeted support. Reach out for a chat.
The content provided is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material on laurabealesnutrition.co.uk is provided for information and educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your doctor and/ or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, supplement, exercise or other health-related programs.