Do I Have Acid Reflux?

After what meal do the symptoms first manifest?

I know this sounds crazy, but I was having digestive problems after eating oats. When I quit cooking it and started mixing it uncooked with yoghurt, everything was much better.

[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
meal 5
2 servings whole wheat pasta
8-10 oz grilled chicken
2 servings salsa on top
2 cups milk
1 Carbolin 19 19[/quote]

This meal looks suspect. Much, much bigger than your previous 4 meals. Add some to other meals, and take some off this one.

[quote]
1 can tuna (or hamburger steak and ketchup)
2 servings natural pb
1 serving greens+[/quote] ICK?!?

[quote]
3 ZMA caps[/quote] Try taking two instead of three.

Acid reflux is a bullshit diagnosis? I saw at least two patients today with damaged oral tissue due to acid reflux. I will have to let them know it is all a figment of their imagination. I don’t think the OP needs antacid tablets at all. I think he needs to plan his meals better and allow his body more time to adapt to what he is eating.[/quote]

Not that I don’t think it happens, but like other diagnosis I believe it is loved by pharmecutical companies. They are not interested in curing the problem but masking it. From what I have seen its related to people who do not tolerate carbs well. (physiologically).

Heartburn Cured
Bad heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as it’s called in medical parlance is a wretched disorder that causes misery to millions of people. This problem is so widespread that the drug companies that make medications to lessen the symptoms (the little purple pill that is advertised continuously, for instance) are pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars. Those of us in the business of treating patients with low-carbohydrate diets have known for years that these diets successfully treat GERD virtually 100 percent of the time. Until now, we haven’t known why. Thanks to Norm Robillard, Ph.D. we now have a mechanism for how GERD happens and why the low-carb diet works so successfully to treat it. Before we get to Dr. Robillard, however, let’s take a look at what heartburn really is.

The lining of the stomach contains a number of specialized cells. One type of these cells produces the hydrochloric acid that mixes with the food entering the stomach to start breaking it down as the first phase of the digestive process. This food-acid mixture will easily damage any tissue it might come into contact with except for the stomach itself. Why is the stomach spared? Because the stomach lining contains other specialized cells that produce a mucus-like substance that coats the stomach and prevents the acid from actually coming into contact with the tissue itself.

The esophagus, the long tube that leads from the back of the throat to the stomach and carries the swallowed food to the stomach, does not contain specialized cells that prevent acid from damaging the esophageal tissue, but it doesn’t have to because under normal circumstances stomach acid never gets into the esophagus. At the bottom end of the esophagus there is a muscular ring that opens when swallowed food hits it, allowing the food to enter the stomach. This muscular ring, called the lower esophageal sphincter, snaps shut after the food passes through, preventing the acidic stomach contents from entering (or refluxing into) the esophagus.

When stomach acid does reflux into the esophagus it burns the unprotected esophageal lining, causing a dull discomfort in the central chest area called heartburn. The pain can range from mild discomfort to severe and unremitting. Sometimes the acid refluxes far enough up into the esophagus that it actually gets into the throat and then into the back of the mouth causing a severe burning pain, the kind of pain one would expect were strong acid dumped into one’s mouth, which is exactly what happens.

The constant bathing of the esophageal tissues with strong acid doesn’t really do them a lot of good. In fact, years of such bathing causes a condition known as Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition in which the cells of the esophageal lining change into cells that are more like the cells of the stomach. A percentage of people with Barrett’s esophagus will develop cancer of the esophagus, which is a deadly cancer. The incidence of esophageal cancer is on the rise and has increased about 500 percent in the US over the past couple of decades. The best strategy to avoid this invariably fatal cancer is to prevent GERD and the resultant changes to the esophageal lining.

Medications that prevent GERD do so by decreasing the production of stomach acid. If the stomach contains less acid, then the stomach contents that reflux into the esophagus don’t cause pain and don’t cause damage. But, stomach acid is there for a reason, and it’s probably not a good thing to get rid of it. Not only does stomach acid start the digestive process, it also acts as the first line of defense against infective agents. There have been a couple of studies published showing that people who take medications for GERD have increased rates of pneumonia.

Although more and more people have come to recognize that low-carb diets effectively eliminate GERD, no one has really come up with a viable mechanism as to why.

A biochemist friend of mine told me that he knew a microbiologist who had a theory as to why low-carb diets stopped GERD cold that involved bacterial overgrowth. I told my friend that I didn’t think that bacteria had anything to do with it, but he persisted and gave the microbioligist my email address. The microbiologist contacted me and we agreed to meet for coffee.

Norm Robillard is the microbiologist and he himself has been a GERD sufferer for years. As we drank coffee he outlined for me his theory of why GERD happens and why a low-carb diet fixes it. His theory makes perfect sense, and now that I understand it, I buy into it 100 percent.

Dr. Robillard has written a book entitled Heartburn Cured that explains in detail what happens to people who are genetically predisposed to GERD when they eat too many carbohydrates and explains why restricting carbs makes it go away. The book is an excellent primer on gastroentestinal physiology written in simple terms and it should be in the library of every serious low-carber. Anyone with GERD should get a copy immediately. It can be ordered through Dr. Robillard’s website.

I have no financial affiliation with Dr. Robillard; I get no click-through kickback. I’m recommending his book because I believe it will become a classic. Thanks to Dr. Robillard’s research and his book in several years everyone will know why GERD happens and what to do about it.

I can’t recommend Heartburn Cured highly enough.

This was written by Dr. Eades , writer of Protein power. You might want to check the book out fun guy!

[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
my diet has been this the past 2 weeks with no alterations really (turns out to feel like a whole lot more than I was eating before to gain about a pound a week or a little less)…

meal 1
1 cup milk
1 scoop whey
1 banana
1 cup oats
1 Carbolin 19
1 multivitamin

meal 2
2 cups milk
1 scoop whey
1 apple
1 serving natural pb

meal 3
1 cup oats

pwo shake:
20g dextrose
40g malto
30g whey

meal 5
2 servings whole wheat pasta
8-10 oz grilled chicken
2 servings salsa on top
2 cups milk
1 Carbolin 19

1 can tuna (or hamburger steak and ketchup)
2 servings natural pb
1 serving greens+

10 egg whites
2 servings olive oil
1 serving flax oil

3 ZMA caps

2 servings cottage cheese
2 cups fat free milk
1 serving olive oil
1 serving fish oil

4,368 cals[/quote]

SHOOT this is easy to figure out,
! DUDE!
DITCH THE MILK ,OATS, COTTAGE CHEESE, and WHOLE WHEAT PASTA!and even the PB.

THESE are very allergic foods for many people. what could be happening is imflammation, due to gluten intolerance, and dairy intolerance, and many people have allergies to PB, and WHOLE WHEAT>even.

before you do anything else, replace these foods and keep everything else the same than go from there.

NO MILK JUST WATER
USE BROWN RICE , QUINOA< AND SWEET POTATOES AS YOUR WHOLE FOOD CARB SOURCES
MAKE SURE YOUR WHEY IS HIGH HIGH QUALITY>NO FLOOR SWEEPING SHIT

DITCH THE COTTAGE CHEESE for a solid protein source, OR EGGWHITES

USe almond BUtter instead of pb

than get back to the thread. Im almost willing to bet that just eliminating the milk, and whole wheat pasta, and even oatmeal, will do the trick.

as another test I want to know if as your first meal you have a grassfed beef patty and vegetables if you have the burps after that?

[quote]Shortest Straw wrote:
relativelyfunguy wrote:
my diet has been this the past 2 weeks with no alterations really (turns out to feel like a whole lot more than I was eating before to gain about a pound a week or a little less)…

meal 1
1 cup milk
1 scoop whey
1 banana
1 cup oats
1 Carbolin 19
1 multivitamin

meal 2
2 cups milk
1 scoop whey
1 apple
1 serving natural pb

meal 3
1 cup oats

pwo shake:
20g dextrose
40g malto
30g whey

meal 5
2 servings whole wheat pasta
8-10 oz grilled chicken
2 servings salsa on top
2 cups milk
1 Carbolin 19

1 can tuna (or hamburger steak and ketchup)
2 servings natural pb
1 serving greens+

10 egg whites
2 servings olive oil
1 serving flax oil

3 ZMA caps

2 servings cottage cheese
2 cups fat free milk
1 serving olive oil
1 serving fish oil

4,368 cals

SHOOT this is easy to figure out,
! DUDE!
DITCH THE MILK ,OATS, COTTAGE CHEESE, and WHOLE WHEAT PASTA!and even the PB.

THESE are very allergic foods for many people. what could be happening is imflammation, due to gluten intolerance, and dairy intolerance, and many people have allergies to PB, and WHOLE WHEAT>even.

before you do anything else, replace these foods and keep everything else the same than go from there.

NO MILK JUST WATER
USE BROWN RICE , QUINOA< AND SWEET POTATOES AS YOUR WHOLE FOOD CARB SOURCES
MAKE SURE YOUR WHEY IS HIGH HIGH QUALITY>NO FLOOR SWEEPING SHIT

DITCH THE COTTAGE CHEESE for a solid protein source, OR EGGWHITES

USe almond BUtter instead of pb

than get back to the thread. Im almost willing to bet that just eliminating the milk, and whole wheat pasta, and even oatmeal, will do the trick.

as another test I want to know if as your first meal you have a grassfed beef patty and vegetables if you have the burps after that?[/quote]

interesting you should say this, honestly, because just the past 2 weeks since this started happening, i severely increased my milk consumption by like 5-6 extra glasses a day and switched from brown rice to whole wheat pasta. not joking either, those are the exact things i increased.

as far as ditching the oats, pb, and cottage cheese, i don’t think i’m going to do that, as cottage cheese is something i feel i really need before going to bed, with the casein protein and all. as well, oats is a staple for my breakfast food that i’ve eaten with no problem for a very long time, and have never had any problems with it. PB, i will consider it, but i think for now i’m gona try the getting rid of excess milk and pasta. thanks for those tips.

[quote]Shortest Straw wrote:

This was written by Dr. Eades , writer of Protein power. You might want to check the book out fun guy!

[/quote]

Why would I need to? All acid reflux is related to high carb diets? If anything is full of shit, it is that notion. Most people experience this at night and are unaware of it until their doctor or dentist notices the backs of their teeth being worn away from it. Not all even manifests as “heartburn” noticeable to the patient. Overeating can even cause it which is what I suspect is part of the problem with the OP as far as eating more than his body has adapted to at one time for several meals a day.

People who get all of their info from only one place are doing themselves a disservice. How about you read more than one man’s book before you tell us how much you know?

[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
interesting you should say this, honestly, because just the past 2 weeks since this started happening, i severely increased my milk consumption by like 5-6 extra glasses a day and switched from brown rice to whole wheat pasta. not joking either, those are the exact things i increased.
[/quote]

Then perhaps this is as simple as you taking in more than you have given your body time to adapt to. Decrease the amounts first. See if that helps you.

On another note, some people have what is known as a hiatal hernia. No, I am not suggestion you have that, but I am trying to debunk the notion that acid reflux is not real.

Lucky for you, your issues are very recent and are most likely easy to solve, whereas some people live with it every day, whether or not they eat very much. One poor ex of mine had all kinds of stomach issues… probably more so because of a lifetime of not eating enough coupled with too much drinking and partying.

Personally, I’ll get heartburn if I eat a large meal and then lie down to sleep. The change in position allows too much pressure on the esophageal sphincter and it’s then almost impossible to sleep. Luckily for me, my situation is marginal, in that I can take an antacid or two and forget about it.

In any case, I’d suggest you NOT stuff your stomach to the point that you can’t get any more in there, though it is sometimes suggested in these parts. Especially do not do this near the end of the day. This goes double for people that have never gotten used to eating large meals.

Shrink your meals a bit and add in some healthy fats. Eat a reasonable meal of nutritious foods and then end the meal with something very calorie dense. Find ways to avoid acid reflux while still meeting your caloric goals.

The whole thing pisses me off a bit, don’t follow the damned dogma. Do what works for you! If certain foods aggravate your stomach, then sure, find out what they are an eliminate them perhaps. However, people are awfully quick to jump on the “this food is evil” bandwagon and unless you have “issues” with certain foods, it’s really bullshit.

Anyway, I don’t care how much the food nazi’s whine about it… if you eat clean foods, don’t be afraid to then follow it with some crappy calorie dense stuff. Your body will get the nutrition and the calories, it won’t really know or care how they were partitioned on the way in for any particular meal.

Finally, for any real acid reflux sufferers out there, do a Google on orange peel extract and d-limonene, as studies have found that up to 90% of the people taking this stuff are able to alleviate their symptoms. There is speculation on how and why it works, perhaps it’s acting as a surfactant, but if it gives you relief in your life without relying on harmful drugs, then it’s worth giving it a try.

If it doesn’t work, then hey, no harm done. Oh, I don’t think you should take orange peel extract if you have an ulcer though. If you do have an ulcer or other stomach issues, look into DGL licorice… as it is supposed to help the stomach heal up. Again, a cheap and natural thing to try, which if it works, is probably better than drugs and their side effects.

Talk to your doctor!

i should give an update that was kind of weird to me, and not sure if it has any correlation…

yesterday night i gave in after 2.5 weeks of 100% clean eating and went to get some wild wings, 20 to be exact, and when i finished, my stomach felt better than it has for the entire past 2 weeks. also, i didn’t burp the rest of the night bad, and when i did, there was no pain whatsoever. it’s morning now of the next day, and i’ve yet to feel anything bad either. it couldn’t have been that i just needed a little junk food, would it?

[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
i should give an update that was kind of weird to me, and not sure if it has any correlation…

yesterday night i gave in after 2.5 weeks of 100% clean eating and went to get some wild wings, 20 to be exact, and when i finished, my stomach felt better than it has for the entire past 2 weeks. also, i didn’t burp the rest of the night bad, and when i did, there was no pain whatsoever. it’s morning now of the next day, and i’ve yet to feel anything bad either. it couldn’t have been that i just needed a little junk food, would it?[/quote]

What was the goal with “100% clean eating”? I see people use this term as if they get brownie points for eating the most bland food available. Shouldn’t you be eating according to your goals and not some random concept of what “clean” even is?

[quote]Professor X wrote:
relativelyfunguy wrote:
i should give an update that was kind of weird to me, and not sure if it has any correlation…

yesterday night i gave in after 2.5 weeks of 100% clean eating and went to get some wild wings, 20 to be exact, and when i finished, my stomach felt better than it has for the entire past 2 weeks. also, i didn’t burp the rest of the night bad, and when i did, there was no pain whatsoever. it’s morning now of the next day, and i’ve yet to feel anything bad either. it couldn’t have been that i just needed a little junk food, would it?

What was the goal with “100% clean eating”? I see people use this term as if they get brownie points for eating the most bland food available. Shouldn’t you be eating according to your goals and not some random concept of what “clean” even is?[/quote]

the goal was to just stick to as perfect of a diet as i could for 2 months while using Carbolin 19 to try and get the best effects out of it. i was thinking maybe if i ate 100% clean for 2 months, i might be able to bump my weight up just that much more with that less fat gained. that and just wanting to be healthy and all. i guess one-two meals a week won’t kill me though.

[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
Professor X wrote:
relativelyfunguy wrote:
i should give an update that was kind of weird to me, and not sure if it has any correlation…

yesterday night i gave in after 2.5 weeks of 100% clean eating and went to get some wild wings, 20 to be exact, and when i finished, my stomach felt better than it has for the entire past 2 weeks. also, i didn’t burp the rest of the night bad, and when i did, there was no pain whatsoever. it’s morning now of the next day, and i’ve yet to feel anything bad either. it couldn’t have been that i just needed a little junk food, would it?

What was the goal with “100% clean eating”? I see people use this term as if they get brownie points for eating the most bland food available. Shouldn’t you be eating according to your goals and not some random concept of what “clean” even is?

the goal was to just stick to as perfect of a diet as i could for 2 months while using Carbolin 19 to try and get the best effects out of it. i was thinking maybe if i ate 100% clean for 2 months, i might be able to bump my weight up just that much more with that less fat gained. that and just wanting to be healthy and all. i guess one-two meals a week won’t kill me though.[/quote]

As if caloric intake isn’t the major factor?

I just don’t understand the logic here. Who really cares if all you ate was chicken breasts and raw oats…as opposed to mostly chicken, beef, rice, eggs a couple of hamburgers, and even more of a basic understanding of food?

What does “clean” have to do with it and what does that even mean to you?

You could eat too much “clean food” and still get fat. You knew this, right?

Some of you sure do put A LOT of faith in supplements.