Reflux, GERD, and LPR
- Dr. Sal Cavaliere
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
For many years, we’ve been told that reflux, stomach contents ascending into the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach) causes the symptom commonly known as heartburn. The standard explanation has been “too much acid.”
However, the real causes are far more complex.
Underlying Causes of Reflux
Weak LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter): The sphincter at the base of the esophagus fails to close properly.
Hypochlorhydria (Low Stomach Acid): A decline in acid production, often worsened with age.
Poor Gut Motility: Slow stomach emptying allows food to linger.
Reduced Bile Secretion: Common after gallbladder removal.
Decreased Enzyme Production: Particularly from the pancreas under metabolic stress.
Irritated Stomach or Gut Lining: Inflammation makes symptoms worse.
Dysbiosis (Unhealthy Gut Microbiome): An imbalance favoring harmful bacteria.
The Acid Myth
In Why Stomach Acid Is Good for You (Wright & Lenard, 2001), the authors show that stomach acid actually declines with age. Reverend Clifford Oden, in Thank God I Had Cancer (1976), had already described society’s widespread “acid deficiency,” which he attributed to excessive carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates form alkaline byproducts during digestion, raising stomach pH. This prevents the LES from sealing properly.
Low stomach acid slows protein digestion and gastric motility. Food ferments in the stomach, producing gas and vapors that irritate the throat and airways. The result is laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)—marked by difficulty swallowing, a lump-in-the-throat sensation, chronic throat clearing, and postnasal drip.
By contrast, acid reflux (GERD) typically presents as heartburn or indigestion. In both cases, the problem is not “too much acid” but improper closure of the LES combined with poor digestion. Obesity compounds the problem: reflux is three to four times more common in overweight individuals.
Other Contributors
H. pylori infection: This bacterium thrives when acid is low, damaging the stomach lining. Even small amounts of acid then irritate the tissue, contributing to ulcers.
Gallbladder removal or poor bile secretion: Leads to malabsorption and gut upset, including steatorrhea (fatty stools) and reflux.
Pancreatic stress: High carbohydrate and trans-fat intake leads to lipotoxicity (fat infiltration of the pancreas), reducing enzyme production and eventually causing pancreatic failure.
Gut dysbiosis: The Standard American Diet (SAD), low in fiber, promotes harmful bacteria. Paleolithic humans consumed 100–130 g of fiber daily; modern intake averages less than 5 g. Fiber is crucial for nourishing beneficial microbes that produce short-chain fatty acids, hormones, and neurotransmitters supporting gut lining health and motility.
Why Medications Fall Short
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) suppress acid but often worsen reflux over time. They are linked to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), nutrient deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer risk.
Natural Strategies for Gut Health
Instead of suppressing acid, the goal should be to restore balance and digestive function:
Dietary Approaches
Adopt a Paleolithic-style diet: more protein and fiber, less processed food.
Digestive Support
Apple cider vinegar before meals
Digestive enzyme supplements
Bile acid support: TUDCA, ox bile
Microbiome Restoration
Probiotics
Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir)
Bitter Foods (stimulate digestion and bile flow)
Arugula
Radicchio
Artichoke leaf
Dandelion
Ginger
Fennel
Gut-Healing Nutrients
Manuka honey
Zinc carnosine
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL)
Slippery elm
Mastic gum
Aloe vera
Cabbage juice
Alginate (forms a protective barrier against reflux)
At The Health Quest, we believe true healing starts in the gut because the gut is the foundation of your body’s health.
If you’re ready to go deeper in your healing journey, I encourage you to explore the mind-gut connection. Your thoughts impact your digestion. Your mindset shapes your physical health. Healing the body means healing the mind, and vice versa.
To learn how to reset your thoughts, break free from negative cycles, and create the conditions your body needs to heal, get a copy of my new book, Remake Your Mind, Remake Your Life.
In this book, I guide you through the mindset shifts that unlock physical healing, mental clarity, and emotional freedom.
You can get your copy today from any of these retailers:
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Healing starts in your gut. But it transforms when you change your mind.
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