How I alleviated my acid reflux

My Journey

For years I’ve had digestive issues and I was on and off proton pump inhibitors.  It got to the point where the medication didn’t work.  You name the medication, I probably was prescribed it. I knew I had to make a change.

I’ve always been interested in nutrition and enrolled in an online nutrition class.

It was at a women’s networking meeting that I met a woman who was enrolled in the Health Coach Training Program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  I asked her why she was enrolled at IIN and the difference between their program and the nutrition class I was taking.  She mentioned that she liked the IIN program because they offered a holistic approach to nutrition and taught over 100 dietary theories.

When I got home from the meeting, I got on the internet and began researching IIN.  I was impressed with their program and the fact the program covered learning several dietary theories and there was a section of the program devoted to digestive health. So, I enrolled in the program!  I was excited!  I met so many like-minded people and these people are now my friends/colleagues!

When I enrolled in the Health Coach Training Program, my first objective was to write down my health goal. My goal was to naturally alleviate my acid reflux.

Steps to reducing acid

Elimination Diet

The Elimination Diet means doing the following for one week:

1. Temporarily eliminating dairy products (milk, ice cream, cheese, etc.)
2. Eliminating the “white” stuff (white pasta, white rice, potatoes, white flour/bread)…gluten!
3. Reducing/Eliminating meat (beef, chicken, etc.)
4. Eliminating processed foods
5. Reducing acidic foods
6. Reducing sugar cravings!  This is a big one for me!  I love my sweets!
7. Reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption.

Reintroducing foods the right way

This is also much simpler than people make it out to be.

Pick one thing you eliminated—like gluten, dairy, or eggs—but not more than one, and eat it.

Once you’ve made a call on the first food you reintroduce, pick another one and follow the same steps.

By gradually reintroducing one food group back into your diet at a time and keeping a food journal, you can track how you feel after eating these foods. See how you feel over the next 48 hours. If you have no reaction after two days, eat that same food again, and for a second time, notice how you feel. From there, it’s up to you whether or not to re-incorporate that food into your diet on a regular basis.

• DO eat fish.  Watch out for fish with high content of mercury and try to avoid farm raised fish.
• DO eat lots of fiber, fresh whole foods, and unprocessed meals you make yourself.
• DO eat lots of healthy fats found in olive oil, ghee, coconut oil, sunflower oil, flax oil, walnut oil, and avocados.

Adding clean foods back into your diet such as brown rice, brown rice, buckwheat, or whole grain pasta, quinoa, almond milk or coconut milk, organic ice cream, and sprouted bread. Adding in more fruits and vegetables, and alkaline foods.

On a personal note: I began eating kale and I had never heard or tried kale and had not eaten many other leafy greens (cruciferous vegetables ) until I enrolled at IIN. I added kale in to my smoothies as well as superfoods. I also added quality nutritional supplements, probiotics, digestive enzymes, omega-3, Vitamin D, resveratrol, and grape seed extract.

I temporarily went vegan but I consider myself a Flexitarian. I eat raw, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and organic when I can. I also eat eggs, chicken, fish, and ground turkey. I add turmeric, ginger, and lemon for my foods/soups/water.

You will lose weight, feel less bloated, have more energy, and sleep better!

Remember this: No one diet works for everyone.  Eating healthy, losing weight, and weight management is a lifestyle not a diet!

Check out my eBook, Clean Eating: Guide to Clean Food Detoxing and Gut Rebuilding on Amazon.