Reflux: Short-Term Relief and Long-Term Solutions

Reflux is one of those things everyone has an opinion on: cut the coffee, avoid tomatoes, don't eat past 7pm. Most of that advice manages the symptom without touching what's actually driving it, which is usually low stomach acid rather than too much. Below are two sets of tools: what settles things down right now, and what actually resolves reflux over time. You don't need to do all of it at once, and it's worth working through it roughly in that order.

Short-term solutions (for relief right now)

These are gentle enough to use as often as you need. Importantly, none of them suppress your stomach acid the way over-the-counter antacids do, so they won't work against the long-term picture while you're using them.

Bicarb soda and lemon in water. A half teaspoon of bicarb with the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water, up to twice a day and again whenever reflux flares, settles acute burning fairly quickly. It works by gently addressing pathogenic overgrowth in the stomach, without dampening your own acid production the way medication does.

Milk kefir whey. The whey strained from milk kefir is soothing to an irritated stomach lining. Start with just a teaspoon and build up gradually as you feel comfortable.

Mastic gum. This resin, harvested from a tree grown in Greece, has been used for centuries to calm gastrointestinal irritation. It's one of the more useful short-term tools because it also plays a role in addressing some of the deeper causes, not just the symptom.

Soothing teas. Chamomile and peppermint both have a calming effect on the digestive tract and are an easy, gentle option to reach for through the day.

Fermented vegetables. A small serve with meals, sauerkraut is the easiest starting point, brings natural acids and enzymes to the table that help food break down properly, taking pressure off a stomach that isn't producing enough acid on its own.

Meat stock or soup. Warm, mineral-rich and easy to digest, meat stock is one of the most soothing things you can put into an inflamed stomach, and it's doing longer-term healing work at the same time.

A note of caution: if your stomach is quite inflamed (gastritis or oesophagitis), hold off on anything acidic, including lemon and apple cider vinegar, until things have settled. The other options above are gentler places to start.

Long-term solutions (resolving it properly)

Short-term relief is genuinely useful, but reflux that keeps returning usually needs a few different systems addressed together, not just one.

Rebuild your stomach acid. Lemon or apple cider vinegar in water before meals, fermented foods with meals, and stomach acid supplements where the issue is long-standing, all help bring acid levels back into a healthy range. This is what ultimately helps the valve at the top of your stomach do its job properly again.

Settle bacterial overgrowth. Low stomach acid lets bacteria overgrow where they shouldn't. Milk kefir, kefir whey, other fermented foods, and a targeted probiotic where needed, all help bring that back into balance.

Address gut health more broadly. An imbalanced gut microbiome doesn't just follow on from reflux, it can be feeding into it. A whole-food diet built around meat stocks and fermented foods is the foundation here, with a more structured approach like the GAPS protocol worth considering if symptoms are significant.

Heal the stomach lining. If gastritis is part of the picture, meat stocks and soups are genuinely healing, and it's worth pulling back on starchy and sugary foods while that repair happens. A short GAPS introduction phase is a more intensive option if things are quite inflamed.

Support your liver and fat digestion. This is the piece people rarely connect to reflux. If bile isn't flowing well, digestion backs up higher in the system. Bitter foods, beetroot, a good intake of healthy fats and, where appropriate, liver-supportive herbs and practices like castor oil packs can all help clear this congestion.

Check your dental health. Amalgam fillings and root canals can have a direct impact on stomach function. If you're dealing with chronic reflux, it's worth having these assessed.

Filter your drinking water. Tap water carries chlorine, metals and other contaminants your digestive system has to deal with on top of everything else. A decent filtration system is a small, one-time change that keeps paying off.

Reset your nervous system. Digestion works best when your body feels safe and unhurried. A few slow breaths before meals and genuine rest through your day change how well your stomach acid, enzymes and motility all function, more than most people expect.

Review any long-term medication with your practitioner. If you've been on acid-suppressing medication for a while, it's worth an honest conversation about whether it's still needed and what a supported transition off it could look like, rather than staying on it indefinitely by default.

The 30 Day Kickstart Digestion & Gut Health builds the foundations so you can resolve reflux for good. We have had participants able to stop their medication just by following the steps we provide.