HI Magali – GERD is typically caused from a malfunctioning LES that connects the stomach to the esophagus. Diet plays a major role in this chain of events and therefore going on SCD will help. Eating whatever you’d like a after a specific amount of time on the SCD diet could very well lead you back to a place of having GERD so we’d recommend sticking to your customized version of the diet to maintain health.

Hi Megan, I jut replied to someone but related to a few years back so Im not sure if you’d see it. Have a look at https://digestivehealthinstitute.org/author/normjr1/ he is Norman Robillard. It is very similar to SCD diet but a few more foods are allowed and some discouraged due to how they are broken down in your body. Each food is given a fermentation potential as a guide to how it may encourage/reduce SIBO. I’ve been following it for a few days and already symptoms have reduced. If you’ve followed SCD this will be easy for you and I’ve re-introduced dairy for now. Hope that may help…

Hi Sharon, this is quite a few years since your post so hopefully you’re feeling much better by now but just in case you’re not I just thought I’d mention Norman Robillard who has a book about IBS & Heartburn (I know your issue is much more serious than IBS but it also covers how his diet can help other conditions). I have IBS & reflux/heartburn and, while every diet has helped in someways, I end up back at square one. The Fast Tract diet is based on the fermentation potential (FP) of foods and after just 3 days my digestion feels much better, heartburn has massively reduced so I can wait to see how it continues. It seems to fill in the gaps that other diets I’ve tried (like GAPS/SCD/lowcarb) where they’ve helped but then my issues don’t resolve or even get worse with no rhyme nor reason (but the Fast Tract diet has given me a few answers as to why some foods recommended on other diets caused problems). Anyway, not sure of you’ll even read this but wanted to say in case it helps you or someone else.

HI Megan – I’m really sorry to hear that as I know it must be very hard. You may want to take a look at pecanbread.com which is a site for kids and the SCD diet. I’d also try removing any sugar or processed food they may be consuming. You could also utilize digestive enzymes by removing the contents from the capsule and mixing it with food to help w digestion. Also, don’t eat too close to bed time, as this can make it worse. IF you’re finding that nothing is helping, you may need to have some stool testing done to check for things like SIBO to see if it is part of the cause.

Hi Rob, thanks for reaching out to us. Chances are you have low stomach acid. Here is how you can test it: ttp://scdlifestyle.com/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/
GERD often is the end result of a malfunctioned LES, which is due to pressure in the stomach. If we are eating intolerant foods or have a gut infection (to name a few) these types of things can cause pressure and hence, GERD. We’d stick with the dietary changes and talk with your doctor about tapering off the medication. It’s going to take a while for your body to normalize and produce the rihgt amount of acid. To support this process, we’d suggest talking to your doctor about taking HCL supplements: https://healthygut.com/how-to-supplement-with-betaine-hcl-for-low-stomach-acid/

Try taking Hydrochloric Acid with Pepsin! It is the only thing that has helped me.

Hi Eva – you’ll want to checkout our special program for GERD here: http://heartburnhelp.scdlifestyle.com

Thanks!
Eva

Hi Sibi – there is no way for us to know what will or won’t work for you, but we’ve seen SCD help so many people – including those with GERD, gas, and bloating. You can get started for free here: https://healthygut.com/scd-quick-start-guide/

Thank you! I spent some more time Googling and found this series of articles — it appears to be in the same vein as the ones referenced in the original post. The author sites many studies. (As for my husband, he frequently dismisses anecdotes with “But that’s only an N of 1” — he wants controlled, randomized data 🙂 Mostly though, he doesn’t want to give up refined carbs, since they comprise 80% of his diet.)

Here is the link:
http://digestivehealthinstitute.org/08/what-really-causes-acid-reflux-gerd/

Hi Dani -you might be interested in this article: https://healthygut.com/the-specific-carbohydrate-diet-is-backed-by-124-years-of-research-testing/

We encourage your husband to approach the diet as a N=1 experiment – the SCD Diet is safe and healthy and based on real foods, so there is no harm in trying the diet and seeing if it works for him. At worst, he learns some new recipes and tries something new – at best, his GERD is relieved.

Hope this helps!

Hi Danielle, thanks for posting here…this is obviously a really bad thing for so many people; I wonder, can you tell me if you are still succeeding in your battle please? It would be great to hear that it is working

Hi Ashley – I’m so sorry you’re not feeling great yet!

If HCL causes burning, you likely have some irritation in your gut lining (gastritis or an ulcer) that will need to be addressed before HCL will be able to help you.

I recommend this article regarding the possibility of an ulcer: https://healthygut.com/the-h-pylori-controversy/

We only want to see you feeling better and are here to support you in any way that we can. Please reach out to us at support@scdlifestyle.com if you have any more questions.

Hi Danielle, thanks so much for your comment 🙂 We’re really glad to hear you’re feeling better already following the diet.

We agree… the trade-off of changing your diet for feeling SO much better is definitely worth it.

Please keep in touch as you continue on your journey

Hi Elizabeth, I’m so sorry you’re having trouble with the quick start guide.

If you follow this link, you can enter your name and email address: https://healthygut.com/scd-quick-start-guide/

We’ll email you the Quick Start Guide right away. If you’re still having problems, reach out to us at support@scdlifestyle.com and we’ll make sure you get it!

I wonder if anyone who developed GERD following gallbladder surgery has had success with this program? I would be very interested to hear of any results.

Hi Ben, thank you for reaching out! Please start with our free quick start guide here: https://healthygut.com/scd-quick-start-guide/ From here, you can purchase the ebook, which will take you through the rest of the diet: http://scdlifestylebook.com/?_ga=1.12867508.2019544921.1414510857

After prolonged use, coming off PPI’s is tricky, because you have blocked all this gastrin, the hormone that induces acid production in your stomach. It’s all floating in your bloodstream, and when you discontinue the meds, your stomach starts producing EXCESS amounts of acid which it can’t handle. This is what happened to me – I got even worse heartburn that what I originally had. You gotta wean off the meds slowly and decrease your dosage. And of course, there are side effects to PPI’s which is why I try to stay away from them.

Yeah I reacted to the butternut squash too, after I introduced it in the beginning of the diet. I wonder why it’s there so early in the protocol then, being rather starchy?

Brian if you want to eat whatever you want, make sure you exercise your diaphragm. No diet will ever cure GERD because Gerd is the result of a weakened less. And how did it get weak? Probably a bit more chocolate, sleeping after eating etc.. Once it relaxes and opens it doesn’t close again. So exercise your diaphragm and every time you take a deep breath you force your LES to close.See the documents “Electrical and mechanical activity of the lower esophageal sphincter” and “Respiratory physiotherapy can increase LES pressure”. There is another research paper released in 2013 I don’t remember its title. So stop listening to the charlatan who promise miracles with their diers yet they never promise a complete cure.

I have a question around starches & grains. The site talks a lot about taking Betaine HCL with protein containing meals as protein takes a while to digest, but here starches & grains are mentioned as hard to digest as well (I know they are illegal on SCD). I’ve basically been following a vegan diet with lots of starches due to IBS and constipation. This way of eating does make me feel a lot better mentally but frankly the burping & farting are starting to get rather annoying! On the whole I don’t eat a lot of protein at mealtimes but was wondering whether Betaine would help the starches & grains to digest and move through my system easier as well? I will do the low stomach acid test as soon as I can but from the sound of it taking Betaine without a fair amount of protein might give me stomach ache? I think I suffer from GERD though my doctors are never quite clear on this…I have a lot of pain in my chest from heartburn rather than burning in the throat and it is particularly bad at the moment. The issue seems to be that green veg makes me particularly windy – I really just don’t know what to eat and what to leave anymore!

Just skip the squashes for now. Some people react to them as you are. I’d switch over to cucumbers, zucchini and avocado.

I get that this is probably the fermenting of the carbs and the gas is increasing IAP/opening LES hence reflux, but what can one do. some fibre is needed to prevent constipation, but it feels like winter squashes are fodmaps (butterneut squashes are) as they just keep feeding the bacteria. Thus the burping cycle continues.

Any thoughts appreciated, so far portion control of squashes is about all i can do to keep a lid on burping. a quarter of an acorn squash is about my limit right now.

Thanks

Congrats! Keep us updated!

@Aria – I can’t wait to here what changes you start noticing make sure you come back and let us know.

Great to hear from you Kate, you support is wonderful. I know you’ve been through a lot with your health and I’m excited for your future health. 30-days on a diet like SCD or Paleo would probably help, and I look forward to hearing from you.

In good health,

Jordan

Sharon, you’re amazing!

Your story sounds exactly the same as mine (https://healthygut.com/jordan ) and I can totally relate to feeling like SCD is the last hope. You’re doing the right things!

I’d highly recommend you get digestive enzymes ASAP here: http://www.giprohealth.com/prozymes.aspx

Also, based on your acid, consider testing for low stomach acid here: https://healthygut.com/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/

Hang in there, you’re amazing and I believe in you!

Jordan