Your patients don’t have to just “live with” heartburn, nausea, or gallbladder pain. The body uses these symptoms to indicate that something is wrong. But it’s still crucial to figure out why there is this pain.

Unfortunately, many people haven’t figured out the “why” behind their gut symptoms. So they continue to deal with the problems.

Acid reflux and heartburn affect up to 28% of people in North America and Europe. Nausea and gallbladder problems are also common. (1, 2)

Fortunately, your patients can beat recurring digestive symptoms. This starts by knowing the underlying risk factors — such as diet, toxins, stress, and chronic infections like parasites and Lyme disease.

In this article, learn natural ways to address these conditions and restore your gut patient’s gut health.

Acid Reflux 

Acid reflux, or heartburn, happens when stomach contents spill back up into the esophagus. Since the stomach contents are very acidic, that can cause a burning sensation in the middle of the chest while a bitter or sour fluid can come up into the throat. (3)

A lower esophageal sphincter valve between the esophagus and stomach should prevent this, but sometimes it becomes weak or relaxes at the wrong time.

The stomach can handle the strong acid because it’s protected by a thick layer of mucus, but it’s not the same for the esophagus. Instead, reflux can lead to inflammation in the lining of the esophagus.

When reflux becomes a recurring and severe problem, it results in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This condition is linked to several other issues.

Problems linked with acid reflux

Acid reflux is more than experiencing heartburn after eating. It can also lead to other pesky symptoms and erode your patient’s quality of life.

Some of the problems associated with acid reflux and GERD include:

  • Asthma — Reflux may increase the risk of asthma symptoms and worsen its severity. At the same time, asthma and some drugs used to treat it could encourage reflux. (4)
  • Barrett’s esophagus — Chronic GERD causes changes in the tissue lining the esophagus and becomes similar to the lining of the intestines. This is called Barrett’s esophagus, and it’s linked to a rare form of esophageal cancer. (5)
  • Chronic coughing — When stomach acid irritates the esophagus, it can trigger coughing. Ironically, the process of coughing encourages more acid reflux. (6)
  • Difficulty swallowing — Scar tissue can form in the esophagus when it’s repeatedly exposed to stomach acid. These scars make the esophagus narrower and can make swallowing painful. (7)
  • Laryngitis — GERD can damage the vocal cords in the larynx. This can lead to hoarseness where an individual can temporarily lose their voice. (8)
  • Poor sleep — In a nationwide survey, 75% of Americans dealing with nighttime heartburn said it interfered with their sleep. (9)
  • Tooth erosion — Acid washing up into the mouth can eat away at dental enamel. That can lead to sensitive teeth where your patient may experience nerve pain from hot or cold food. (10)

Make sure your patients don’t ignore acid reflux because it could have long-term health consequences. Knowing the risk factors for GERD can help them restore their gut health.

Risk factors for GERD

There are several risk factors for acid reflux and GERD. Some of these factors are under the individual’s control, but others aren’t. Also, some risk factors aren’t necessarily the root cause of reflux but could increase their risk of the condition.

Some of the factors associated with an increased risk of reflux and GERD include:

  • Alcohol — These beverages may lead to heartburn by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter. Alcohol may also directly damage the esophagus. (11)
  • Anxiety and depression — Mental health challenges and emotional symptoms don’t seem to cause GERD directly, but they may increase the severity of reflux and heartburn. (12)
  • Coffee — Studies have shown mixed results. For some people, drinking coffee (with or without caffeine) triggers acid reflux because it can relax the lower esophageal sphincter. However, other people drink coffee without a problem. (13, 14)
  • Constipation — Being backed up may increase the risk of reflux. On top of that, constipation is a major roadblock to detoxification. (15, 16)
  • Diet — Certain foods can trigger the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, letting acid escape the stomach. These include chocolate, high-fat foods, and mint. Other items can directly irritate the esophagus. These include acidic foods and beverages, as well as spicy foods. (17)
  • Drugs — Some medications for allergies, anxiety, asthma, depression, and high blood pressure can increase the risk of reflux. (18)
  • Hiatal hernia — This is when the upper part of the stomach pushes through the opening in the diaphragm. A hiatal hernia may weaken the lower esophageal sphincter or trigger reflux in other ways. (19)
  • Large meals — Eating too much food at one time could increase the risk of reflux. (20)
  • Late-night meals — If the stomach is full when lying down, the body is at greater risk of reflux. To reduce this risk, encourage your patients to finish eating three hours before bedtime. (21)
  • Microbiome shifts — The abundance of certain bacteria in the esophagus is altered with GERD. This may contribute to an increased risk of reflux. Many factors can disrupt the makeup of the microbiome, including parasites. (22, 23, 24, 25)
  • Obesity — Carrying extra weight, particularly in the belly, puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. So, it may relax when it shouldn’t, letting stomach acid invade the esophagus. (26)
  • Pregnancy — When progesterone increases during pregnancy, the risk of reflux increases. An elevated level of progesterone can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter. (27, 28)
  • Smoking — Tobacco can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, letting stomach acid spill back into the esophagus. Smoking also reduces the saliva’s level of bicarbonate, which functions to neutralize the acid in the esophagus. (29)
  • Sodas — Drinking carbonated beverages like soda can cause stomach bloating. That puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. The valve may relax, leading to acid reflux. (30, 31)

Strategies to combat reflux

A common remedy for acid reflux is taking over-the-counter antacids to help neutralize stomach acid. And some people take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) that reduce stomach acid production. 

But drugs don’t address the root cause of reflux. On top of that, PPIs could have serious side effects. They can increase your patient’s risk of developing infections, nutrient deficiencies, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and osteoporosis. (32, 33, 34)

Stomach acid facilitates digestion and helps tackle pathogens — such as Clostridium bacteria — that find their way into food. So, it’s risky to block  stomach acid production. (35, 36)

Here are six alternative ways to address acid reflux:

1. Avoid dietary triggers

As mentioned above, there are several common dietary triggers of acid reflux, such as alcohol and high-fat foods.

Other food triggers may be more unique and aren’t included in typical food avoidance lists for GERD. For example, some people report flare-ups of reflux when they eat asparagus, eggs, lettuce, or rice. (37)

So, remind your patients to listen to their body to determine what foods most likely trigger reflux for them, and avoid what’s setting off their symptoms. (38)

But realize that they may not need to avoid dietary triggers forever. Once they address the root causes of acid reflux, they may find they can tolerate foods that once triggered heartburn.

2. Keep gut contents moving

Avoiding constipation reduces risk of reflux. Your patient can take intestinal-moving herbs, such as aloe vera leaf and fennel seed, to promote good elimination. 

Mention to your patient that the colon is at the bottom of the drainage funnel. If it’s backed up, everything above it will be too. Therefore, they should be pooping two or three times a day during detox.

3. Modify lifestyle

Whether it’s excess weight, overeating, or smoking, addressing such lifestyle factors could help reduce your patient’s risk of acid reflux.

If they feel they’ve tried everything to lose weight but still struggle, consider the role of toxicity in excess weight. That could include mold toxicity, as well as toxicity from heavy metals and infections.

4. Nurture mental health

Have patients find ways to manage stress. Consider deep-breathing exercises or new hobbies that bring joy. The Ayurvedic tradition includes many stress-relieving practices, including massage and meditation. (39)

5. Combat nighttime reflux

Encourage patients to avoid eating too late at night. They can also try elevating the head of their bed 6–8 inches (15–20 cm). (40)

In addition, they can try sleeping on their left side instead of the right side. Lying on the left side reduces the risk of nighttime reflux. It’s unclear why, but it might be because the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes when sleeping on the right side, enabling acid reflux. (41, 42)

6. Support melatonin at night

Melatonin is often associated with sleep, but this hormone also supports digestion. Melatonin promotes the normal functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter, which could help reduce the risk of reflux. (43, 44, 45)

One natural way to support melatonin levels is to eat protein foods that are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to make melatonin. Good sources of tryptophan include eggs, nuts, poultry, and seeds. (46)

And in the hours before bedtime, patients can wear special blue-light-blocking glasses. Blue light, such as from digital devices, suppresses the body’s production of melatonin at night. (47)

Using simple strategies like these may help reduce your patient’s risk of acid reflux and its long-term complications.

Nausea

Nausea isn’t necessarily serious. But it’s a queasy feeling that can override quality of life. 

To resolve nausea, it’s helpful to know the cause, as it can be due to many factors. Here are some of the many possible triggers:

  • Acid reflux — Nausea sometimes accompanies acid reflux or GERD. Address them as needed. (48)
  • Anxiety — The “butterflies in the stomach” feeling accompanies worry and anxiety, which can trigger nausea. (49)
  • Cancer treatments — Radiation therapy and chemotherapy commonly trigger nausea. (50)
  • Food sensitivities — Nausea is a potential symptom of food sensitivities. But if you address the root cause of food sensitivities, such as parasites, your patients may regain their tolerance of foods. (51, 52, 53)
  • General anesthesia — Medical procedures that require anesthesia to make the individual unconscious can put the person at risk of nausea afterward. (54, 55)
  • High blood sugar — If your patient’s blood sugar is too high, such as in uncontrolled diabetes, that could lead to nausea. (56, 57)
  • Lyme disease — Infection with borrelia bacteria, the cause of Lyme disease, can lead to nystagmus — or excessive eye movement — which can trigger nausea. (58)
  • Migraines — Nausea is a common symptom of migraines. These headaches may activate certain areas of the brain that trigger nausea. (59)
  • Mold toxicity — Some of the toxins produced by mold — such as Stachybotrys chartarum or “black mold” — can make people feel nauseous. Your patient may have toxic mold in their home or workplace and not even know it. (60)
  • Motion — About 1 in 3 people are prone to motion sickness. It happens when the brain gets signals about motion, such as from the eyes and inner ears, that don’t match. For example, it could be triggered by a boat ride, or just watching it on television. (61, 62)
  • Parasites — Several parasites may trigger nausea. A few examples include giardia, tapeworms, and babesia, a common Lyme coinfection. (63, 64, 65, 66)
  • Pregnancy — Nausea affects 70–80% of all pregnant women, especially during the first trimester. Many factors are likely involved, including hormonal changes. (67)
  • Smells — Strong odors can trigger queasiness, such as during pregnancy. Odors can also trigger nausea in people with multiple chemical sensitivity. This condition may include and air pollutants like exhaust fumes or hypersensitivity to chemicals and fragrances. (68, 69)
  • Viruses — Your patients may be experiencing the dreaded “stomach bug,” such as norovirus or rotavirus. Though miserable at the time, nausea should subside once the viral infection runs its course. (70)

Strategies to combat nausea

No one is immune to feeling nauseated every once in a while. But if your patients are experiencing it regularly, there are natural ways to address it.

Consider these 8 approaches:

1. Avoid triggers

Many potential nausea triggers were mentioned above. Have your patients do their best to identify and manage whatever sets off their nausea.

For example, if they have multiple chemical sensitivity, have them avoid artificial scents. Instead, they can use fragrance-free personal care products and non-toxic cleaning products like baking soda and vinegar. 

Carbon Technology — could help reduce your patient’s toxin load. Over the long-term, that may improve their tolerance of toxins that trigger nausea. Even so, it’s still wise to minimize their exposure to toxic chemicals like man-made fragrance. (69)

A good beginner Carbon Technology binder is BioToxin Binder. This particular binder, binds, chelates, and repairs variety of toxins, including mycotoxins, contains amino acids and promotes cellular energy production/cellular respiration

If patients need to further their detoxification efforts, Carboxy can be used for a deeper systemic approach. This is a very potent binder, so it’s important that your patient is in the intermediate stages of promoting detoxification before using this binder as part of their health routine.

2. Try ginger

One of the best-known traditional uses of ginger is for controlling nausea. And several human studies suggest it could help with motion sickness. Ginger may interact with the vestibular (balance) system to help combat nausea. (71)

Human studies also suggest that ginger could help with nausea related to pregnancy and cancer treatment. (71, 72, 73)

Ginger capsules are the form most commonly tested in anti-nausea research. But ginger could also be used in baking, herbal tea, or other beverages. (74)

3. Use aromatherapy

A soothing scent from essential oils may be just what your patient needs to calm nausea. Ginger, lavender, and peppermint essential oils may help with that queasy feeling. (75, 76)

In one study, adults were given an inhaler with peppermint oil and/or ginger oil after outpatient surgery. They needed 71% fewer doses of anti-nausea medication after surgery compared to people who didn’t receive aromatherapy. (76)

4. Eat something to calm the stomach

You’ve likely heard of abnormal heart rhythms, but there are also abnormal stomach rhythms or contractions. These are linked to nausea, such as motion sickness and pregnancy. (77, 78)

Eating tends to calm abnormal stomach rhythms. This may be why eating bland, carbohydrate-rich foods like crackers and pretzels sometimes helps settle the stomach. (78, 79)

A few human studies suggest protein-rich foods may also help prevent nausea. Scientists think this might be because protein stimulates the stomach to release gastrin — a hormone that promotes natural stomach rhythms — more-so than carbs and fat. (78) 

Interestingly, ginger also helps to calm abnormal stomach rhythms. If your patient is prone to nausea, they could keep some gingersnaps or ginger tea on hand. (80, 81)

5. Detox chemicals and radioactive elements

Even if someone doesn’t undergo conventional cancer treatment, they are still exposed to radioactive elements and chemicals found in drinking water and in the environment. Plus, medical tests like CT scans expose the body to radioactive elements. (82, 83)

As mentioned previously, Carbon Technology is a powerful detoxifier in the body. These specialized carbon compounds bind to chemicals and radioactive elements. They also donate building blocks like carbon and minerals to help restore tissues. Look to ViRadChem Binder for this purpose. (84)

6. Tackle infections

Parasites can take over the digestive system and trigger nausea. Encourage your patients to do a parasite cleanse that includes antiparasitic herbs, such as vidanga and sage. These herbs are both in the Para 2 and Para 3 products respectively. (85, 86)

Mimosa pudica seed can also be very helpful in a parasite cleanse. It’s a “gut scrubber” that can bind parasites in the intestinal tract, so they make a swift exit in the stool. Plus, the seed may trigger the paralysis of certain parasitic worms, including strongyloides. And if your patient’s nausea is linked to Lyme disease, use herbs that help combat it. However, we recommend individuals to follow the Roadmap to Health and go through the entire Comprehensive Protocol to really address these underlying toxins. (88, 89) 

7. Manage stress

Anxiety can amplify digestive issues of all kinds, including nausea. So find what works for your patients to reduce the friction in their life and balance their gut health. 

Meditative breathing — whether used alongside aromatherapy or by itself — could help reduce nausea. Yoga may also help decrease stress and nausea. (90, 91) 

8. Consider acupuncture

Acupuncture treatments may help reduce nausea. The therapeutic effects of an acupuncturist inserting very thin needles at precise points on the body send signals to the brain that could help relieve nausea. 

As testimony to its effectiveness, acupuncture is sometimes used to control nausea after surgery (due to anesthesia). (92)

Gallbladder Pain

The gallbladder is a pouch-like organ located on the upper right side of the abdomen, close to the liver, collecting the bile the liver produces. During digestion, the gallbladder contracts to release bile into the small intestine.

The purpose of bile

Bile is predominantly water. But it also contains a mix of bile salts, bilirubin (a brown-yellow pigment), cholesterol, electrolytes, and several other components. (93)

The key roles of bile include the following: (94)  

  • Acts as a signaling molecule. Newer research shows that components of bile can be signaling molecules. This may play a role in fighting viruses, regulating blood sugar, supporting healthy brain function, and more. (95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
  • Carries out toxins. The liver uses bile as a way to dispose of toxic substances that it processes. In the gut, around 5% of bile is bound in stools and eliminated. (100)
  • Facilitates vitamin absorption. Bile helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. These include vitamins A, D, E, and K. (101)
  • May help prevent SIBO. When bacteria migrate in large numbers from the large intestine to the small intestine, it’s called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Bile helps prevent this overgrowth and the gut issues that accompany it. (102)
  • Supports fat digestion. Bile separates fat into tiny globules in the small intestine, giving digestive enzymes better access to digest fat and promotes its absorption in the gut. 

If your patient’s gallbladder isn’t working well, all these functions could suffer. The most common gallbladder problem is gallstones, which can cause pain and nausea.

Gallstones and risk factors

Gallstone problems affect as many as 10–15% of adults in the United States and Europe. The stones can form when the composition of the bile is out of balance and can also arise if the gallbladder is slow to empty after meals or doesn’t empty enough. (103, 104, 105, 106)

As the stones get bigger, individuals are at increased risk of them blocking the bile ducts. When that happens, pressure builds up inside the gallbladder, which can cause intense pain in the upper right part of the abdomen. This is sometimes called a “gallbladder attack.” (105)

Some of the factors that increase the risk of developing gallstones are: (107, 108, 109, 110)

  • Being of the female sex
  • Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)
  • Estrogen therapy and some cholesterol-lowering drugs
  • Getting older
  • Low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets
  • Low-fiber diet
  • Obesity 
  • Parasitic infection, such as certain liver flukes and malaria parasites
  • Pregnancy (due to hormone changes)
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Vitamin B12 and/or folate deficiency

Due to the intense pain of gallbladder attacks, many people get their gallbladder removed. The theory is that you won’t have pain if you take out the organ. But this isn’t always the case. 

Abdominal pain can persist in up to 41% of people who have their gallbladder surgically removed. On top of that, one study found that about 1 in 5 people had complications with their gallbladder surgery. That could result in bile duct and liver injury. (111) 

The good news is that there are other ways to support your patient’s gallbladder and restore their gut health.

Strategies to combat gallbladder issues

There are several ways to reduce the odds of gallstones and overcome gallbladder issues. Consider the following strategies:

1. Maintain a healthy body weight

Being overweight is a significant risk factor for gallstones. When the body carries excess weight, the liver secretes more cholesterol into the bile, which disrupts the composition of bile and increases risk of gallstones. (112)

The connection between creeping weight gain and gallstones is even greater as one ages. So, it’s important for patients to do what they can to keep their weight in check as the years go by. (113)

If your patient is overweight, losing weight can reduce this risk, but warn them about rapid weight loss programs. Losing more than 3 pounds (1.5 kg) a week is linked with an increased risk of gallstones in 10–25% of people. (110, 114)

2. Keep blood sugar in check

High blood sugar and diabetes increase the risk of gallstones. But even if your patient doesn’t have diabetes, they may be on the path to it. One sign of this is insulin resistance. 

Since the cells aren’t very responsive to insulin — the hormone that helps cells absorb glucose from blood — blood sugar can climb too high. (115)

Some of the risk factors for insulin resistance are excess weight, lack of physical activity, and sleep apnea. Addressing these factors supports healthy blood sugar, in addition to reducing the risk of gallstones. (115, 116)

3. Follow a healthy diet

An unhealthy diet is associated with an increased risk of gallstones, and food choices linked with gallbladder problems include fast food and sweets. (117)

On the flip side, whole vegetables and fruits are linked with a lower risk of gallstones. One advantage of these whole, plant-based foods is that they’re good sources of fiber. A higher intake of fiber is also linked with a lower risk of gallstones. (118)

It’s also wise for individuals to eat healthy fats and proteins, as these nutrients help stimulate the gallbladder to release bile, so it doesn’t become stagnant. The longer the bile stays in the gallbladder, the more concentrated it becomes, also increasing the risk of gallstones. (119)

4. Consider coffee enemas

Coffee enemas are a great tool for liver detoxification. The liquid is absorbed via veins in the rectum and travels to the liver. 

In the liver, the coffee enema solution could trigger the bile ducts to dilate or widen, encouraging the release of bile from the gallbladder. This is important for reducing the risk of gallstones. (120)

Keep in mind, bile helps carry toxins out, but most bile is reabsorbed in the gut and carried back to the liver to be recycled, so it’s necessary for the body to stop recirculating toxin-laden bile. (95)

Carbon Technology can also help with this. It can bind bile in the gut to help eliminate it in stools rather than recirculating it. 

If patients decide to do a coffee enema, they can take CT-Minerals — which supplies Carbon Technology plus naturally-occurring plant-derived minerals and amino acids to support routine detoxification — before and after coffee enemas. (121, 122, 123) 

5. Keep the bowels moving

Because the slow movement of  gut contents is linked with gallstones, the gallbladder may empty slowly if the body is constipated. (124, 125)

On top of that, when constipated, the gallbladder may not contract as forcefully. So, less bile is released into the gut, and as a result, bile may stagnate in the gallbladder, increasing the risk of gallstones. (126)

As mentioned earlier, take intestinal-moving herbs to promote regular elimination. That may ultimately help prevent gallstone formation.

6. Get regular physical activity

Regular physical activity helps the body maintain healthy blood sugar levels and weight, which helps lower the chances of developing gallstones.

Preliminary human research suggests physical activity may increase the flow of bile and support gallbladder emptying to help reduce the risk of gallstones as well. (127)

Even low-intensity physical activity counts for supporting gallbladder health. So, have patients do what they’re able to and what they enjoy because that will help them do it more consistently. (128)

7. Take TUDCA

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid — better known as TUDCA — is a water-soluble bile acid that the body makes. The body only makes a small amount, but it can be taken as a supplement. (129)

TUDCA could help stimulate bile flow and enhance the quality of bile. In Italy and Turkey, TUDCA is approved for treating gallstones. It may also help in gallstone prevention. (132, 133, 134, 135)

Even if your patient lacks a gallbladder, TUDCA is supportive because it contributes bile acids. Have them take it with a meal to support digestion.

8. Do a parasite cleanse

These nasty little critters keep coming up as a root cause of digestive tract problems. 

Animal and human studies have linked parasites — including liver flukes — to gallstones. Liver flukes may lead to an increase in harmful bacteria in the gut microbiota. And these may encourage gallstone formation, such as by impacting the makeup of bile. (104, 109, 110)

To support liver and gallbladder health, have patients complete a parasite cleanse. Certain herbs, including clove and tansy, help guard against these unwelcome guests, and Mimosa pudica seed could help sweep parasites out of the gut. (136, 137)

Restoring Gut Health

Digestive tract challenges — including heartburn, nausea, and gallbladder pain — are common. And many people struggle with them for years.

To conquer these nagging digestive issues, know the possible triggers and risk factors. That includes problems like environmental toxins, Lyme disease, mold toxicity, parasites, and more. 

Carbon Technology, coffee enemas, intestinal-moving herbs, Mimosa pudica seed, and TUDCA are just a few of the natural solutions that could support your patient’s digestive health.

What small changes can you help your patients to start making today to restore their gut health?