A Functional Approach to GERD (aka Acid Reflux)
Do you have occasional or chronic GERD (aka Acid Reflux)? If so, I hope you’ll keep reading. Acid Reflux is one of my favorite topics for several reasons. One is because it’s such a powerful influencer of our health overall. Two is because it presents so early in the digestive process that it’s easier to understand it apart from complex other influences. Both these factors make the topic of GERD a great way to highlight the uniqueness, simplicity, and power of functional medicine, particularly when combined with coaching.
What IS GERD?
Stomach acid is Hydrochloric Acid (HCL), ideally supported with Pepsin, a protein chomping enzyme. Together, they are a potent chemical blend designed to break down our (ideally well-chewed) food into its constituent nutrient compounds. It’s so strong it would burn a hole through your hand if you touched it. Acid Reflux is the sensation of stomach acid that has found its way out of the protected, encapsulated stomach cavity and into the esophagus, creating a burning sensation (as you can imagine). The esophagus does not have the protective mucosal layer that the stomach does, so we feel it. That's all Acid Reflux is – stomach acid in a place it's not supposed to be. Rarely is the discomfort from too much stomach acid as people commonly think.
A functional approach to GERD focuses on healing the digestive dysfunction instead of masking the symptoms.
Conventional Perspectives and Remedies
There’s a common belief that because we feel discomfort when we feel stomach acid in the wrong place, that stomach acid is bad. In reality, stomach acid is a critical feature of our digestive and immune systems. The conventional approach in medicine is to take an antiacid buffer that neutralizes the acid. The problem is that it doesn’t neutralize only the acid that’s spilled into the esophagus; it neutralizes all the stomach acid, crippling a baseline digestive function and hampering a first-line immune defense. Antacid counteracts the esophageal discomfort, and we think the problem is gone because we don’t feel a burn, but it isn't gone at all. We are seeding a more significant problem because we need stomach acid - and plenty of it. Neutralizing stomach acid hampers every subsequent stage of digestion and nutrient absorption from that meal, inviting dysbiosis in the microbiome and consequential wear and tear on the GI tract. Long-term or consistent usage is an excellent setup for many digestive issues.
We don’t function without digestion. Period. Digestion is the only method we have to absorb our many life-sustaining nutrients.
How is a Functional Medicine approach different?
A functional approach looks behind the symptom to ask, "What is causing this?” “What needs to be re-balanced to heal this?” We keep asking why until we identify the "root cause" of the issue for each unique person. Resolving the root cause also heads off subsequent, compounding issues caused by the original problem.
A sphincter valve called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (or LES) separates the stomach from the esophagus. In acid reflux, acid escapes the stomach and enters the esophagus when the LES doesn't close properly. There are many reasons this could happen. Often, it comes down to one or some combination of the following causes: low stomach acid, Magnesium insufficiency, poor eating hygiene, unmanaged stress through mealtimes, poor posture, and food sensitivities. These are common culprits in both episodic cases of GERD and even some extreme, chronic cases. Once we identify the primary drivers, we must ask what drives those dynamics. Why the low magnesium? Is there a bacterial problem inhibiting acid production? What’s causing such unremitting stress, and what practices can counteract those effects?
The Takeaways
The question to ask is, what are the reasons behind your GERD? Two people with GERD may be identical twins yet have very different root causes driving their condition. We are quick to blame such conditions on some genetic fallibility and disregard the power of simple, targeted lifestyle changes. The exploration is to figure out which reasons apply to you. There may be other factors to uncover as well before the situation resolves, or perhaps there aren’t. Either way, a functional, lifestyle-based approach focuses on resolving these symptoms in ways that nurture and preserve long-term health and vitality instead of hampering it. Better yet, all the side effects are positive. Addressing a Magnesium insufficiency brings many benefits, including more balanced moods and enhanced rest. Addressing posture comes with greater oxygenation of the blood, more healing capacity, and elevated confidence. A functional health coach or other functional medicine practitioner can help you sort out the possibilities and find a solution that resolves your discomfort while supporting your long-term health.