Papaya Good for GERD? The Jury's Still Out

There's tons of articles, blogs, and websites out there that talk about the benefits of Papaya fruit and GERD:

Papaya is a powerhouse fruit that is not used nearly enough in our society. Papaya is an excellent natural remedy for acid reflux disease.  It is not only a low acidic food, but contains an enzyme called papain that is designed specifically to help with digestion.  It also consists of potassium which is helpful in providing  an healthy bacterial setting for your intestines.  This eases the digestive process and helps your stomach not work as hard.  This is the underlying source of health to fix the disease process. 

Papaya also has more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.  vitamin C also helps with digestion.  You don't necessarily have to eat papaya to get it's benefits.  You can also buy a papaya enzyme supplement.  My family uses this to get our papain and it comes with a mint taste. 

and

Papaya : If you have access to fresh papaya, eat half of one for breakfast every morning with half a cup of yogurt and you will see a huge improvement in the amount of acid your body is producing. Papayas contains papain which will aide in the digestive process along with the live cultures in the yogurt. Squirt a slice of lemon over the flesh of the papaya for added flavor and Vitamins before eating, or sprinkle with a Tablespoon of wheat germ for a nutty flavor. If papaya is not available in your area, pick up some papaya tablets at the health food store. Read the label to be sure they do not contain any salt, sugar or sorbitol (sugar substitute).

However, after more digging, it seems there's still no real evidence, or consensus on Papaya: 

Papaya Enzyme 
One of the alternative treatments for GERD that you may have heard about is papain, or papaya enzyme.Papaya enzymes occur naturally in the fruit of the papaya plant, and they have well established proteolytic properties, meaning that they help digest proteins. For this reason, one of the historical uses of papaya has been as a meat tenderizer -- marinading tough cuts of meat in papaya for several hours can soften the muscle fibers, making the meat easier to chew.

Enzyme FunctionThere simply isn't any scientific evidence that papaya enzyme can help reduce symptoms of GERD. In part, this is because enzymes are very reaction-specific, as explained by Drs. Mary Campbell and Shawn Farrell in their book "Biochemistry." Enzymes with roles in metabolism don't play a part in digestion. Enzymes that digest fats can't affect carbohydrates. In the specific case of papaya enzyme, because it digests protein, it has by definition no effect whatsoever upon acid production or reflux.

Other Considerations

A further reason that papaya enzyme can't affect or reduce your GERD is that enzymes operate within a very narrow range of temperatures and acidity levels. Very few enzymes can survive the highly acidic interior of the stomach, and papaya enzymes aren't among them. As such, when you consume papaya enzyme, your stomach acid renders it inactive. You simply digest the enzyme, which is itself a protein, as you would any other dietary protein.

For now, I've added papaya to my list of items to buy at the super market.  We'll see how it goes.

GERD Remedy: Apple Cider Vinegar

I think if you do a search of the internet you'll find that Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is considered almost a universal cure.  I tried it myself and it did provide some relief, but just not enough.  Nevertheless, there's plenty of people that swear by ACV and how it both helps and removes their symptoms.  Just note, that, currently, there's no studies to support if ACV does or doesn't help with acid reflux.  

Some people say that ACV helps to tighten the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES).  The LES is the valve separating the stomach and the esophagus that when weak is said to be the reason why stomach acids flow back up towards your throat.  Some people say ACV encourages the production of acid in your stomach, and so helps if you have low stomach acid.  Others still say that ACV helps in the digestion of fats.

What Kind of ACV

People recommend Bragg's raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar because it retains the natural enzymes that are lost during pasteurization. You can try finding other brands, but Bragg's seems to be the most popular.  Just make sure it's organic and raw unpasteurized.

How to Drink It

1. Try two tablespoons with a glass of water.  If you hate the taste then mix in a tiny bit of honey.

2. Another GERD remedy I found:
Heaping teaspoon of bee pollen granules. (Let them soak in 8 to 10oz of Purified or Alkaline Water for 15minutes
1/4 teaspoon pure cinnamon (I use Saigon)
1 tablespoon Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother
Mix them together after the bee pollen granules have soaked, and drink it down. Don't sip, gulp.  

Possible Side Effects

1. Teeth Enamel Damage - Make sure to dilute the vinegar.
2.  Apple cider vinegar is suspected to negatively interact with:

• Diuretics
• Laxatives
• Heart disease medication
• Diabetes drugs

3. DO NOT TAKE IF YOU SUSPECT AN ULCER.  ACV can seriously aggravate your ulcer.  Check with your doctor before taking ACV to make sure you're not making your condition worse.

Real GERD Cause

High Stomach Acid GERD

HSA

This is what is treated with the proton pump inhibitors.  This also explains why PPIs may not work with everyone, because


Low Stomach Acid GERD

LSA

HCL supplements



I recommend asking your doctor to test your stomach acid levels before accepting any type of medical treatment.

GERD Remedy: Raw Potato Juice - My Current Treatment

So after my HCL supplementation did not work, I was at a loss.  I needed something that would work.  Since I reacted so badly to the HCL supplements, I decided that it cannot be low stomach acid but perhaps the opposite.

I heard from a family friend a while ago that the juice from raw potato can help.  I had tried it a while ago but we messed up the recipe and I got worse so I put that away.  However, he recently reminded me of this remedy so I went researching on the internet again.  I found several articles about potato juice being used as a natural home remedy for GERD and ulcers.  The starchy part of the potato is no good, but the juice itself - fresh juice - is very good for GERD because it acts like an alkaline.

I was already supplementing with DGL Licorice - to help rebuild the mucous lining of my stomach.  I'm also taking Similase to help replenish the enzymes in my stomach.  But this was not enough, so I thought I'd try the potato juice:

Raw potato juice

This is another natural remedy that can help on you acid reflux.
Get two medium sized potatoes, wash clean and leave the skin intact. Remove the buds and cut into pieces. Make sure that you remove all those sprouting and greenish parts, as these are poisonous if consumed. Then use a juicer to extract about 200cc of juices. Set it one side and allow to stand for three minutes, filter the residue and only take the liquid on top.
If you do not like the taste of raw potato juice, add in an apple will make it taste better. 

Do not consume the white sediments at the bottom as the starch will only worsen your condition. You can consume this for twice a day and remember that it must be consume with an empty stomach, for example, you can take it in between your meals. 

Since the sedimentation of starch is still edible, you can keep it and use it to thicken food.

I generally just drink the juice, making sure to keep away from the starch part.  I've consumed the starch part and I almost ended up in the hospital.

Progress:

I'm at the end of day 3 and so far my GERD symptoms have almost disappeared completely.  I'm still not at 100% but I'm definitely better.  I've stopped losing weight and overall feel like maybe this will be it.  I'm hoping.

I'll keep you updated on my potato juice progress.

Almonds Keep the GERD Away

So I realized today that I can eat almonds without ever getting any GERD.  I was surprised today that I was able to just eat a handful of almonds (never too much, because we know over eating is no good). I thought "I'm cured," because I didn't feel any GERD.  So, of course, I went looking for the reason.

Eat Raw Almonds: There is a lot of powerful good things packed into these little tear-shaped nuts that are very beneficial to people that suffer from acid reflux. They are packed full of protein and amino acids. Grind them up into almond milk for another healthy food to replace junk food in the acid reflux diet. Almonds will help your heartburn and acid reflux.

However, some say that almonds is actually a trigger for GERD.  It's definitely not the case for me, but you try it and see:

PropertiesThe USDA reports that almonds have more than 200 calories and nearly 18 g fat per 1/4 cup. Nutritionally, almonds can still serve as part of a healthy diet because most of their fat content is unsaturated and they contain none of the cholesterol that meat- and dairy-based fats have. However, in terms of GERD, the source of fat does not matter; almonds still run the risk of causing the LES muscle to relax or weaken. Prevention and AlternativesIf you have GERD, you may already know that almonds are a trigger food for you, or you may never have experienced symptoms related to almonds. Just because almonds have properties that can encourage reflux does not mean they're a trigger for everyone, so it's not necessary to eliminate them from your diet entirely until you judge your own reaction to them. However, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center does suggest avoiding all nuts if you have chronic GERD and instead, choosing fats such as vegetable-based oils and plain cream cheese. You may also find that traditional GERD remedies, such as wearing loose clothing and maintaining a healthy weight, can offer relief.

Because it seems this topic is still up in the air, I suggest you try eating a bit of almonds and see how you feel.  Like anything, don't eat too much and try to have a varied diet.

Prevent Night Time GERD

There's tons of suggestions out there on how to prevent night time GERD.  Just know, I find that by preventing night time GERD, you can wake up to a GERD free morning too.

So here are some of the suggestions I've found out there:

1. Eat your big meal at lunch instead of at dinnertime.

This is very important to make sure you digest your food before sleep.  Going to bed with a full belly is a guaranteed way of not getting a good night sleep.

2. Eat at least two to three hours before lying down.

This will give you time to digest and go to bed with an empty stomach.

3. Avoid foods that are known to lead to heartburn.  Some foods to avoid: chocolate, mint, citrus, tomatoes, pepper, vinegar, catsup, and mustard.

Consider a high protein and low carbohydrate diet.  I'm now on a paleo diet.

4. Eliminate late-night snacking.

This has been extremely hard for me.  I use to do most of my eating as night time snacking.  Just take a look at how I got here. The thing is, that every little bit of food and liquid (including water) needs to be digested and in order to have a good night sleep most of your digestion has to be done before hand.

5. Sleep with your head and shoulder on an incline.

I raised the head of my bed by 4 inches.  I have read in many places that this helps by relieving pressure from your esophagus.  Gravity is a great thing for us GERD sufferers.

6. Sleep on your left side.

I prefer to sleep on my back, but I have found that sleeping on my right side doesn't feel as comfortable.

7. Make sure your bed clothes are loose-fitting.

This really applies to everything.  Forget the tight clothes, they restrict everything in your body. Loose clothing helps your body's circulation.

8. Stop smoking.

Considering all the other problems that smoking causes, this is just not a surprise.

9. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks.

This is quite painful.  It means no going out to bars, unless it's to drink water, and no morning coffee.

10. Eat your food slowly.

I find this is very helpful.  I use a small teaspoon, cut my food into tiny pieces, and make sure I pay attention to what I'm eating and how I'm eating.  For this, you may need to turn the TV off while eating.  Just pay attention, slow it down, and chew a lot.

11. Eat smaller portions.  

I think I've cut my food portions by more than half.  Sometimes it's because I really can't eat any more.  Smaller portions will help you not over eat, which very important in controlling your GERD.

12. Avoid fatty/greasy foods. Try lean meats.

I mostly only eat poultry and fish now.  I'm not looking forward to this summer though, because I've always enjoyed a big burger. I've just found that everything to control grease.  I find that eating greasy food will give me what I call my "GERD attack," which is sudden shortness of breath and painful bloating and burping.

Mornings without GERD

I love mornings.

It is only in the mornings when I feel 100% normal, almost every day since my GERD struggle begun. I generally feel light, like perhaps I'm ok.  Better yet, perhaps today will be a symptom free day.  I feel so good!

So why are my mornings better?

I've looked online and can only guess that it's because of my behavior at night.

1. I stop eating 3-4 hours (preferably 4+ hours) before I go to sleep.  I don't get into bed unless I feel my stomach is already empty.

2.  No more snacking after dinner.  At most, I drink water. I know this is hard but every time I put something in my mouth, I wonder how it will affect my GERD.

3. I have changed my diet, I'm now on a paleo diet.

4. I stop drinking glass fulls of water before going to sleep.

5. I try to sleep on my back, this helps to eliminate pressure on your esophagus.

6. I raised the head of my bed 5 inches from the ground.  This makes my bed look quite funny but it does help; it's also better than buying tons of pillows.

Take a look at other recommendations people have for minimizing night GERD.

How to Control GERD

I found this wonderful list on some of the things to do to avoid GERD.  These may not solve your GERD, but they will help to minimize symptoms.

12 Food and Drink Tips for Nighttime Heartburn Relief

1. Prevent heartburn by limiting acidic foods, such as grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, or vinegar.
2. Spicy foods giving you heartburn? Cut back on pepper or chilies.
3. Don't lie down for two to three hours after you eat. When you are sitting up, gravity helps drain food and stomach acid into your stomach.
4. Enjoy lean meats and nonfatty foods. Greasy foods (like French fries and cheeseburgers) can trigger heartburn.
5. Want to avoid GERD symptom triggers? You may want to cut back on chocolate, mint, citrus, tomatoes, pepper, vinegar, catsup, and mustard.
6. Avoid drinks that can trigger reflux, such as alcohol, drinks with caffeine, and carbonated drinks.
7. Size matters: Eat smaller meals and you may avoid triggering GERD symptoms.
8. Enjoy an after-work drink? You may want to turn to teetotaling: Alcohol can relax the esophageal sphincter, worsening GERD.
9. Crazy about colas? It may be time to cut back. Colas can be related to reflux and to GERD symptoms.
10. Keep heartburn at bay: Don't eat too quickly! Try putting your fork down between bites.
11. Avoid snacking at bedtime. Eating close to bedtime can trigger heartburn symptoms.
12. Reduce your nighttime heartburn risk: Eat meals two to three hours before sleep.

16 Lifestyle Tips for Nighttime Heartburn Relief

1. Steer clear of tight clothes. Tight belts, waistbands, and pantyhose can press on your stomach, triggering heartburn.
2. Strive for a less stressful life. Stress may increase stomach acids, boosting heartburn symptoms.
3. Heavy? Try losing weight. The pressure of excess weight increases the chance stomach acid will backup into the esophagus.
4. Popping antacids more than once a week? You may have GERD, not heartburn, and need more aggressive treatment.
5. Try chewing gum at night. This can boost the production of saliva, which neutralizes stomach acid.
6. Not all "trigger" foods cause GERD symptoms in everyone. Keep track of your symptoms to find your personal triggers.
7. Pregnant? You may experience heartburn or GERD. Talk to your doctor about finding relief.
8. Heartburn worse after exercise? Drink plenty of water. It helps with hydration and digestion.
9. Untreated GERD can radically increase your risk of esophageal cancer. But reflux can be managed. Talk with your doctor.
10. Try keeping a diary or heartburn log to keep track of activities that might trigger incidents.
11. A full tummy can mean a night full of heartburn pain. Wait at least 2-3 hours after you eat before going to bed.
12. Wait for your workout. Don't want to trigger heartburn? Wait at least two hours after a meal before exercising.
13. Nicotine can cause your esophageal sphincter to relax. If you smoke, kick the habit.
14. Some medicines can worsen reflux. Talk with your doctor about alternatives.
15. Use blocks or bricks under the bedpost to raise the head of your bed 6 inches so you can sleep with head and chest elevated. You can also try a wedge pillow.
16. Bend with your knees. Bending over at the waist tends to increase reflux symptoms.