I’ve had quite a few people lately want help getting off their Proton Pump inhibitors (PPI’s). And they have! But not because of anything I really did… they did it all themselves!  They changed their diet!

GERD Relief Starts With Diet

If you struggle with acid reflux or GERD, you’ve likely been told it’s a “too much acid” problem.

But in practice, what I see most often is this:

People get the most relief when they change their diet.

Not from some herb I gave them (although they can help) but just by removing the foods that are irritating their system!

GERD happens when stomach contents move upward into the esophagus.

That can be triggered by:

• Irritating foods
• Poor digestion
• Gas and pressure in the stomach
• Eating habits

Certain foods either:

• Relax the valve that keeps acid down
• Increase pressure in the stomach
• Irritate the lining of the digestive tract

When those foods are removed, the system often settles down quickly.

The Most Common GERD Trigger Foods

These are the foods I see cause the most issues: (in order of most likely to cause, from what I’ve seen)

• Tomatoes, or plants in the nightshade family such as peppers so…
• Spicy foods
• Citrus (like oranges, lemons) *that means your Orange Juice!
• Fatty or fried foods
• Coffee (there are low acid kinds that can be helpful-Life Boost is my favorite brand)
• Tea
• Carbonated beverages
• Garlic and onions
• Chocolate
• Dairy
• Gluten
• Sugar

You don’t have to remove all of these forever, try one of the following options.

Option 1: Remove Everything At Once

This gives the fastest relief.

• Remove all common triggers for 1–2 weeks
• Let symptoms calm down
• Reintroduce foods one at a time for a week to see if reflux comes back.

Option 2: Remove Step-by-Step

This takes longer, but it works too.

• Start with the biggest offenders 1^st.
• Keep removing foods until symptoms improve

Foods That Can Help Calm Reflux

While removing triggers, add in foods that help stop reflux:

• Baked potatoes
• Carrot juice
• Cabbage juice
• A handful of almonds

Supplements like DGL (deglycyrrhizinated Licorice) can be very helpful in this transition,

You can see my recommended brands in my Fullscript store here.

Herbs to help

Slippery Elm, Marshmallow and Chamomile tea

Habits That Make a Big Difference

• Eat smaller meals
• Avoid lying down for at least 2 hours after eating
• Elevate your head at night if needed (6” can be a game changer)
• Slow down and chew your food well, be mindful. Don’t eat watching TV or on the go.

GERD isn’t always something that needs long-term supplements or medication.

For many people, it’s a signal.

👉 Something in the diet isn’t working for your body

When you remove those triggers:

• The irritation decreases
• The pressure decreases
• The reflux decreases

That’s YOU and your body doing the work, which is empowering to you!