Post by @mollypelletier.rd

If you've got a lump in your throat or a cough that won't quit, but no heartburn, you could be dealing with silent reflux (LPR). Most people are told to avoid acidic foods and leave it there. That helps, but it's one piece, and it's why so many people stay stuck. With LPR, reflux travels past your LES (the valve at the top of your stomach) all the way to your throat, and it brings pepsin with it. Pepsin is a digestive enzyme that can settle into your throat tissue. It goes quiet between episodes, then switches back on when it meets acid again, from the next reflux episode or an acidic food or drink. So throat clearing, hoarseness, and that lump feeling can hang on even after you've changed what you eat. Here's where I start with my clients: The LES Lock: 1 to 5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing right after meals. Your LES sits inside your diaphragm, so breathe in through your nose and let your rib cage expand 360 degrees (front, sides, and back). In a Mayo Clinic trial, pressure at the valve nearly doubled on the inhale, with about 85% fewer reflux episodes after the meal. An alginate after trigger meals or before bed: it forms a seaweed-based layer on top of your stomach contents. Across 14 trials, people had about 4 times the odds of their symptoms resolving compared with placebo or antacids. The 3-Hour Buffer: finish eating at least 3 hours before you lie down. People who went to bed less than 3 hours after dinner had about 7 times the odds of GERD compared with people who waited 4 hours or more. The 5+1 Method: before your first bite, take 5 slow breaths and name 1 thing you're grateful for. Eating stressed can slow digestion, and this shifts you toward rest and digest. My free 14-Day Reflux Reset Guide is in my bio. 📚 Halland et al., 2021, Am J Gastroenterol, RCT, n=33, PMID: 33009052. Johnston et al., 2007, Laryngoscope, lab study, PMID: 17417109. Leiman et al., 2017, Dis Esophagus, meta-analysis, 14 RCTs, n=2,095, PMID: 28375448. Fujiwara et al., 2005, Am J Gastroenterol, matched case-control, n=441, PMID: 16393212. #LPR #silentreflux #refluxtok #acidreflux #refluxdietitian