One of the perks of getting older is painful stomach acid!  Yes I am being sarcastic but non the less it’s there and I am fighting back, naturally.

Yes I do love my coffee in the morning and spicy food so getting acid reflex is expected however I refuse to cut them out of my life completely.  So what can I do to keep the acid in check??  When these episodes first began, I wasn’t sure what to do so I went to my Dr. and she was ready to prescribe medication and suggested taking Pepto-Bismol.  The prescriptions either wouldn’t work or just made me feel worse so back to the drawing board- there has to be something I can do besides cutting out my favorite foods completely!

This summer I was living in NYC and found this great neighborhood cafe where they sold coffee, pastries, and fresh pressed veggie juices.  One acid reflexy day I was in need of some energy (caffeine) so I went in and somehow sparked a conversation regarding my problem to the wise gentleman behind the counter, he immediately said that I have to drink more raw veggie juices (which he made me with carrot, ginger, and beets), then went on to mention some veggies that will help cut the acid, specifically carrots.

The next time I had a really bad acid reflex episode I rummaged through my fridge, grabbed a carrot and ate it like no ones business.  Holy crap-it helped and I was able to comfortably go to bed.  Other ingredients that have been recommended to eat are Aloe and garlic.  Now I always have a bag of mini carrots in my fridge and have been incorporating raw veggies into my everyday diet.

I did more research on what I can eat to restore my pH which will balance the acid in my body and came across information stating that foods with alkaline are best to consume to help with the pH in the body.  NatuaralHealthSchool.com was super helpful, check out the pH Balance Chart at the bottom of the page to see what Alkaline foods you can eat.  I also came across balance -ph-diet.com which has a great article called Alkalize your Body pH to Restore Good Health.  This was able to cover the ‘why’ we have higher acid in our bodies and what we can do to increase balance in our bodies.

This worked for me, maybe it can work for you?!

“repair the stomach” blended beverage recipe that was given to me by my mother.  I don’t think it will literally “repair your stomach” but it’s a great natural, refreshing drink that is easy on the stomach.

1 tablespoon fresh Aloe
1 cup ginger juice (boil ginger in 1 cup of water)
a couple pieces of fresh pineapple
1 teaspoon of honey (if you want a bit of sweetness)

- Scoop out the aloe that’s in the aloe leaf, it’s the gelatin looking stuff in the center of the leaf and place in the blender (I bought an aloe plant a few months back, they are easy to maintain and a great way to have aloe on hand… aloe is great for burns too!!)
- Peel the skin off the ginger, cut them up, place them in a saucepan with water and let boil for a few minutes.  Let the water cool down, strain and add to the blender
- I love using fresh pineapple but if they are out of season then use a seasonal fruit that you enjoy
- Add about a teaspoon of honey
- If you want more of a smoothie thickness, add some ice
- Blend and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not a Dr. and this is based on my personal experience. If you have not seen a Dr. for your stomach problem, I strongly suggest you do so you can make sure it’s nothing serious.. sometimes painful acid reflex feelings can be an ulcer which is no bueno.