Hello,
I see from the posts that there is a lot of confusion about carbs and their role in acid reflux. I cannot rewrite my book on this subject here for obvious reasons including posting copywrited material, but let me make a few points. I believe there is a concerted effort on the part of certian parties that sell the PPI meds to keep people "Jacked up" on carbs knowing full well that carbs keep reflux going and therefore keep people needing these meds. The Nexium web site recommending a "heartburn freiendly diet" that contains over 300 grams of carbs per day is a good example.
Carbs are not good for heartburn, and acid reflux and appear to be bad for many other intestinal ailments as well (Eades new book - The Protein Power Life Plan - Excellent reading) gets into some of the other conditions that can be exacerbed by carbs.
To answer a few questions. Natural meats have zero carbs unless they are not natural and have additives (some hot dogs are loaded with carbs). Cheeses have very little carbs. Many veggies are fine. Leafy greens, asparagus, brocolli fine. Many other veggies (peppers, green beans, etc.) fall in the middle and can be consumed in reasonable amounts. Stay away from sugar, starches (potatoes, pasta, corn etc.) and grains like cereal and bread (unless low carb). People on this site like yogurt - only eat unsweetened yogurt or low carb yogurt and keep an eye on carb counts. Nuts are great but watch the levels. Ensure enough protiens and healthy fats like fish, eggs, cheese and meats.
This should give you some idea.
Tip of the day: Replace mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower and butter - It's fantastic.
Norm
Ideas generated by challenging the current dogma, diligent research, creating and testing my new theories and my experniences with controlled carb dieting.
Remember, there is a multibillion dollar industry based in ensuring that you continue to get heartburn.
Thanks Dr. Norm. Could someone please answer this question of mine Is Onion & Carrot a low Carb veggy ?
A half cup of onions is 5 grams carb, half cup of carrots is 6 grams. Not too bad just don't over do it. Onions do have something in them that can irritate the esophagus and some people claim they can be a problem. A good rule of thumb for these is to use for taste. Onions for cooking or a few slices on a salad. Grate the carrots for taste as well.
Norm
Norm
Why are carbs bad for GERD? Don't fats stay in the stomach longer? And don't they require much more stomach acid to be secreted to brake them down?
Hi Steve, it's nice to meet you! :)
I'm not sure anyone knows at this juncture what or what does not cause heartburn in each individual. I think what Dr. Norm presents to us is a very interesting topic that is always worth taking into consideration, if you have GERD or uncontrolled heartburn. This forum exists to try and share ideas, so what is presented doesn't always mean it will help everyone.
I've found a very interesting link that I think, you and Dr. Norm, both will find interesting! I hope it sheds a little more light on both sides of this issue of Carbs vs No Carbs. :)
Hugs always, Teri 
"Food For Thought"
http://www.heartburnalliance.org/section4/6009.jsp
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
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Thanks for that linkTeri--very interesting
Following low- carb on and off now for a few weeks,my conclusions are as follows:
If you have a hiatus hernia you still need to follow the guidelines regarding the consumption of tea, coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks,spicy foods, chocolate etc---or it doesn't work.(for me)
If you can eat your food as close to nature as possible including good fats like olive oil and a few nuts and seeds,some fruit(within the carb allowance)meat, fish, and cheese,the fats seem to be digested without causing pain.(no noise at all in my abdomen).I also eat some pure sugar-free plain yogurt.When I used to eat carbs without fat that seemed to stop reflux too--but I never felt good on it,or satisfied.It was also more unpredictable in that sometimes i would get hb and not know why.If I get hb on low carb I know why--the mystery has gone.
Foods whose origins you cannot source often contain hidden sugar(Carb) and additives---like for instance crisps(chips) so if you want to try this with your doctor's consent,be a purist while you are testing it out.I also drink 2 litres of pure water a day.
Even though I waver in sticking to low carb and I waver because I seem to be testing it out all the time, for instance when I feel good, and I'm heartburn free I have a glass of wine and ruin everything---this is still the best way I have found for controlling my HB. I'm never bloated, I have no IBS symptoms,and I believe I am eating very healthily,lots of salads and geen veg.
I'm now keeping a food diary to keep myself in check!I'm writing this because although I'm aware that we are all different some people may be very similar to me and eating low carb might help them.I hope it does.
Dr.Norm,
Haven't had any communication with you lately...did you have a chance to read the link I offered above? If you read down towards the bottom, I thought you'd find it very interesting...seems there are others now thinking low carbs are a possibility?
Hugs, Teri :)
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
Haven't had any communication with you lately...did you have a chance to read the link I offered above? If you read down towards the bottom, I thought you'd find it very interesting...seems there are others now thinking low carbs are a possibility?
Hugs, Teri :)
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
Please allow HealingWell to continue helping others by donating:
Jocaste,
Sorry, was cut off. Chocolate, soda, coffee - I assume without sugar. If with sugar I can understand. Alcohol and spicy foods should not be a problem unless, again, you add sweet mixes, or sauces. I know you are familiar with hidden carbs, but as you try these foods please be careful not to have eaten high carbs within a day or even two before to gauge the true effect. My two cents...
Norm
Sorry, was cut off. Chocolate, soda, coffee - I assume without sugar. If with sugar I can understand. Alcohol and spicy foods should not be a problem unless, again, you add sweet mixes, or sauces. I know you are familiar with hidden carbs, but as you try these foods please be careful not to have eaten high carbs within a day or even two before to gauge the true effect. My two cents...
Norm
Hi Norm
I think you've misunderstood.People with HH are advised not to eat the foods I listed at the beginning of my post.I was wondering ...you said you were going to talk to your Doc friends about whether or not low carb works just as well for people with HH...I'd be really interested to know what they say.
thanks
Sorry Norm
I misunderstod what you said.OK, I'll try what you suggest but I'm very sceptical---however, it would be great to be able to drink tea, coffee and alcohol without pain.--I'm going to give it a go especially that I'm now documenting every morsel that goes into my mouth and meticulously counting carb grams.25gs a day
take care
Teri,
Yes, I had read the National Heatburn Allinace article on "Does low carb help heartburn. The reference the first and only clinical study by Yancy several years ago with 5 people that improved on low carb dispite smoking, coffee, etc. They have this poll for people to reply to on if low carb helped their heartburn. I contacted an MD board member on the site to see when they were going to release the results. He said they are using the info to write an abract or journal article on the results. I was surprised they would not just share the results on the site with the people that provided the data. I have a slight mistrust of that site since the Alliance is heavily supported with money from the makers of PPIs. I don't think they have a real interest in anything but drugs. They still hand out the same misleading old school advice on smoking, alcohol and fats being the problem (when they are not). This article and poll was posted in January (after I approached them with the merrits of this approach and requesting to write an article on my book on the subject). If they were really concerned with people facing GERD, I would expect them to be more proactive in following up on this highly successful approach for the treatement of GERD.
Norm
opinions based on my experience and research on the root cause of GERD
Yes, I had read the National Heatburn Allinace article on "Does low carb help heartburn. The reference the first and only clinical study by Yancy several years ago with 5 people that improved on low carb dispite smoking, coffee, etc. They have this poll for people to reply to on if low carb helped their heartburn. I contacted an MD board member on the site to see when they were going to release the results. He said they are using the info to write an abract or journal article on the results. I was surprised they would not just share the results on the site with the people that provided the data. I have a slight mistrust of that site since the Alliance is heavily supported with money from the makers of PPIs. I don't think they have a real interest in anything but drugs. They still hand out the same misleading old school advice on smoking, alcohol and fats being the problem (when they are not). This article and poll was posted in January (after I approached them with the merrits of this approach and requesting to write an article on my book on the subject). If they were really concerned with people facing GERD, I would expect them to be more proactive in following up on this highly successful approach for the treatement of GERD.
Norm
opinions based on my experience and research on the root cause of GERD
Jocaste,
I thought you were saying if you did not follow those guidelines low carb did not work. But since some of those foods are potentially high carb, I would think they would be in conflict.
As for approaching my MD friends in this field, I have not done this yet, but I will. Thanks for the reminder.
I did a search for hiatus heria and low carb. Here is a link from someone who had luck.
http://wilstar.com/lowcarb/personal.htm
Norm
I thought you were saying if you did not follow those guidelines low carb did not work. But since some of those foods are potentially high carb, I would think they would be in conflict.
As for approaching my MD friends in this field, I have not done this yet, but I will. Thanks for the reminder.
I did a search for hiatus heria and low carb. Here is a link from someone who had luck.
http://wilstar.com/lowcarb/personal.htm
Norm
Post Edited By Moderator (~Jennifer~) : 9/30/2005 6:15:19 AM (GMT-6)
Hi Norm
yes I was saying that.Tea, coffee and wine are low carb so are spices and peppermint tea but inspite of this HH sufferers definitely still have problems with them--they can't be part of my low carb regime as they cause me hb.
thanks for the links
Dr Norm,
u r a genius. i tried this y'day. i only had chicken without my prilosec and offcourse without any rice and i just wanted to test whether all protein diet works or not . i was scared that i might have severe chest pain, but to my surprise i didn't. As i thought it was difficult to digest chicken then a plateful of rice.
so i'm surely sticking to low carb. i find it very difficult or may be i'm jumping to the conclusion too early as its just been a week on an all protein diet. but i will surely work hard to get rid of my heart burn/chest pain and lessen my carb.
i hope (i'm keeping my fingers crossed) nothing crops up a decade from now showing long term side effects of being on a low carb diet.
u r a genius. i tried this y'day. i only had chicken without my prilosec and offcourse without any rice and i just wanted to test whether all protein diet works or not . i was scared that i might have severe chest pain, but to my surprise i didn't. As i thought it was difficult to digest chicken then a plateful of rice.
so i'm surely sticking to low carb. i find it very difficult or may be i'm jumping to the conclusion too early as its just been a week on an all protein diet. but i will surely work hard to get rid of my heart burn/chest pain and lessen my carb.
i hope (i'm keeping my fingers crossed) nothing crops up a decade from now showing long term side effects of being on a low carb diet.
Jay,
Thanks for the compliment. I am happy that you are having luck with this approach. It's really not hard at all once you get the hang of it. I have found that this is a very satisfying way to eat and the health benefits are tremendous beyond ending your symptoms. I found that controlled carb dieting can be tailored to heartburn offering may options and opportunities to loosen the reins periotically without suffering symptoms. Keep us on the board posted on your progress.
Thanks,
Norm
Thanks for the compliment. I am happy that you are having luck with this approach. It's really not hard at all once you get the hang of it. I have found that this is a very satisfying way to eat and the health benefits are tremendous beyond ending your symptoms. I found that controlled carb dieting can be tailored to heartburn offering may options and opportunities to loosen the reins periotically without suffering symptoms. Keep us on the board posted on your progress.
Thanks,
Norm
Jay,
A quick note. My diet is not all protein. In fact, its approx. 50 % fat. Remember meats, cheeese, fish contain much fat as well as protein. Oils are all fat.
Take Care,
Nom
A quick note. My diet is not all protein. In fact, its approx. 50 % fat. Remember meats, cheeese, fish contain much fat as well as protein. Oils are all fat.
Take Care,
Nom
i just had a sub today and i started getting slight Heart burn. Could somebody on this forum please shed some light why does carbohydrates trigger a acid reflux reaction.
Thanks
Jay
Thanks
Jay
Jay,
Read my other posts. Short version is an equation:
Excess dietary carbs + + Intestinal Microbes = Gas Pressure
Gas Pressure + weak LES = reflux
Take away anything in the equations and you don't get reflux.
Microbes don't metabolize fats and proteins the same way.
NOrm
Read my other posts. Short version is an equation:
Excess dietary carbs + + Intestinal Microbes = Gas Pressure
Gas Pressure + weak LES = reflux
Take away anything in the equations and you don't get reflux.
Microbes don't metabolize fats and proteins the same way.
NOrm
Beautiful explanation, extremely concise and to the point. Thanks Dr . Nrom
Also Dr. Norm could u pls tell me. Can execess carbohydrates cause asthma/allergies too in the long term. i was big time rice eater when i was child. And i developed asthma at the age of 12. i don't have it now though. As i started practicing yoga ( specifically for my breathing). But i continued my rice eating habit albeit in a lesser way.
Thx
Jay
Also Dr. Norm could u pls tell me. Can execess carbohydrates cause asthma/allergies too in the long term. i was big time rice eater when i was child. And i developed asthma at the age of 12. i don't have it now though. As i started practicing yoga ( specifically for my breathing). But i continued my rice eating habit albeit in a lesser way.
Thx
Jay
Jay,
Sorry, Not an area of expertise for me. Sounds like you're better now. How do you know it was the rice?
Norm
Sorry, Not an area of expertise for me. Sounds like you're better now. How do you know it was the rice?
Norm