I’m getting tired of popping pills for my GERD- I’m up to 40mg of Pepcid a day and I still have frequent sour stomach- usually when I’m at work and not within reach of my box of baking soda. For those who didn’t know, a teaspoon of baking soda mixed into a few ounces of water does instant wonders for neutralizing excess stomach acid, even if it does taste like Satan’s urine (and believe me, a gallon of Satan’s urine would be preferrable to the symptoms of GERD).
But that’s all behind the point. What I wondered was, since there are so many acid-rich drinks within easy reach (sodas, juices, even milk), there must be at leat a few alkaline based drinks that I could keep handy at work for the occasional flare up (assuming Satan is not available). The only alkaline based liquids I can think of are all medicines. Why is this- do alkaline based liquids taste bad by default?
And FTR, I know there is more to aggrivating GERD than just drinking excass acids. Caffeine & fatty foods are major villains, too. I was hoping that there might be a tasty and good-for-you drink out there that would help my stomach throw the pH meter back to center.
p.s.: I know, I know- go see a doctor. Well smartypants I am going to do just that in a couple of weeks, so there.
I have reflux, too. Cimetidine (Tagamet) works much better than Pepcid AC. The generic cimetidine is MUCH cheaper than the other ones. I hope you get a response to this question. I get tired of the medication approach too.
You sound like you know more about this than me… but I thought milk was more alkaline than acid? I was going to suggest full fat chocolate milk till I read that part of your OP.
One other WAG: maybe mineral water with a high level of calcium salts? You’d have to hunt around for a brand though, since “salty” is not a popular way for Americans to take their bottled water… maybe something imported from europe. (the foulest, most chock-full o’calcium water I ever drank was from Visegrad in Hungary. And yes, it did taste like Satan’s urine.)
Milk, as far as I am aware, contains lactic acid & some amount of fat. I drink 2% but there is still some fat there. Chocolate milk, you say? That’s three strikes right there in one glass! Foods that are known to trigger symptoms include chocolate, caffeine, carbonated beverages, hard candy, fried foods, fatty foods, tomato based products, alcohol, peppermint, citrus fruits, and raw vegetables. Coffee seems to aggrivate the condition whether or not it’s caffeinated.
I just found out that saliva is the most readily available liquid that can neutralize digestive acids, so chewing a stick or two of juicy fruit (not spearmint or peppermint!) an hour or two after a meal might be a good idea. I’ll try some & report back with my findings…