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Ways to Combat Acid Reflux While on Chemotherapy
Acid reflux can be a real problem – especially when you’re going through chemotherapy. It is often one of the side effects of the chemotherapy drugs. Here’s what you can do about it.
Be Proactive with your Diet
Eat a balanced diet that is rich in alkaline forming foods and low in acidic foods. Foods can be either acid forming, balancing or alkaline forming. Since our body’s normal PH is between 6.0 and 6.8 (we are mildly acidic), values above 6.8 are considered to be on the alkaline side and values below 6.3 are on the acidic side. For a list of specific acid/alkaline foods, click here.
Too much acidity is definitely something you want to avoid right now – in fact too much acidity in the body can be one of the factors that lead to cancer and should always be avoided. But especially right now, when you’re going through chemotherapy, the foods you want to focus on are the alkaline forming foods.
Alkaline Foods
Avocados, dates, fresh coconut, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, herbs, herb teas, honey, molasses, raisins, sea vegetables, seeds, whole organic soy products, whey, yogurt. Low-level alkaline foods to be included in your diet are almonds, buckwheat, lima beans, quinoa and organic dairy products.
Neutral Foods
All vegetable oils, sprouts, most dried beans and sunflower seeds.
Acid Foods
This is the list to be avoided: alcohol, artichokes, asparagus tips, aspirin, beans, beef, beer, cakes, canned fruits, cheese, chicken, cocoa, coffee, doughnuts, eggs, fish, flour, flour products, ketchup, jams/jellies, legumes, macaroni, mayonnaise, meat, mustard, noodles, oatmeal, olives, pasta, pastries, peanuts, pepper, plums, poultry, prunes, sauerkraut, shellfish, soft drinks, spaghetti, sugar, tea, tobacco, vinegar, white rice. Sounds like not much is left, doesn’t it?
Tips & Tricks
Here’s what you do – eat a diet that is about 70% alkaline forming foods and 30% acid forming foods. You can have small quantities of the things you love then – maybe just have them around lunch time so that your body isn’t trying to digest them at night when you’re lying down (part of what causes acid reflux).
I know this is hard, but if you want to get well and start feeling better, the quality of the food you put into your body is ULTRA important.
One more thing – here’s something that helped me immensely. Put a single drop of a therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil into a glass of water. Sip on the water all day. Peppermint essential oil is so calming and soothing to the digestive tract. Just make sure you get a good quality oil, something without other chemicals added.
Juicing is another way to help you feel better quickly. See some of my posts on Juicing. I truly hope this helps you on your road to wellness.
See also my article on Ultimate Diet & Nutrition While Undergoing Chemotherapy and Radiation.
I send my love to everyone taking this journey right now. If you would like my help with getting through breast cancer in an inspiring and ultra-healthy way, please sign up for my free e-newsletters on the right, or “like” me on Facebook (Marnie Clark, Breast Health Coach) and I’ll do my utmost to keep you informed and empowered on your healing journey… and beyond.
My husband is taking oral chemotherapy is has acit reflux. The information on you site has been very helpful. Thank you so much!!☺
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Thank you going to try this.
I have chemo rash.
Nothing is soothing it at all.
Anyone find something that helps stop or control itching
Valerie,
Sorry to hear that! It sounds like your body is responding fairly badly to the chemo drugs. You have every right to ask your oncologist to back off the administration of the drugs for a bit to let your body detox and recover. Be sure to chat with your doctor about this problem. In the meantime, some have found hemp seed balm to be helpful in cases of rash. There are also homeopathic remedies which can be extremely healing for rashes. Get yourself to a homeopath and see what they would recommend. Hope this helps.
Warmest regards,
Marnie
tea tree oil helped the itching and rash was gone in 2 days
Very informative and you have a kind heart. My first chemo yesterday and the reflux today is enormous but I operate a variety of food and am paying for it. Trader Joes has a chewable pineapple papaya enzyme tablet that I usually ate 4 or 5 of and it goes away like magic but my doctor was unfamiliar with it so she gave me Sofran and Reglan. I took Reglan…does nothing…and its bedtime…oh well…I’m on the journey. Thank you for great insight.
Hi Michelle,
I’m glad to find out that this information helped you. Yes our doctors know little of natural medicine, it’s really too bad. Papaya enzymes can be very helpful.
Have you signed up for my free newsletters and e-books? They are full of my best information on healing from breast cancer and avoiding recurrences and I have just updated them with the latest info and research. You can sign up from any page on my site, if you haven’t already done so. Here is my page explaining more: https://marnieclark.com/8-reasons-to-subscribe-to-my-newsletters/
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest regards,
Marnie Clark
Dr. only knows how to Perscribe yet more toxic pills, not interested in treating the cause only the symptoms.
The pineapple is a natural.
May you fight this cancer. Xxx
Having chemo at clinic (4hr) coming home with 48 hr.chemo ball attached to my port.After 24 hrs get horrible acid reflux. Have to clamp off chemo.Is this normal???or too much chemo??Is there anything can be done I have stage 4 colon cancer ,tumor on liver.
Nancy,
The suggestions on this page should help but if they do not, make sure you tell your oncologist. He/she needs to know you are encountering this problem. Wishing you well in your healing journey.
Warmest regards,
Marnie
I drink a spoon of bicarbonate of soda morning and night as was told this would line my body to help prevent cancer spreading I started chemo treatment day and half ago and with all my potions forgot it. Have woken up with reflux and taken the bicarbonate. Within half hr feeling better ! Thank you for your page on what not to eat as I didn’t realise how much of it I had !!! Even though I was trying to be healthy like chicken fish plums !!! Only have three cups of tea a day very little milk which I enjoy so will that be a crime ????? Thank you for help.
Hi Linda,
Yes, simple bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) can work wonders! Re your question about tea and milk, no – not a crime, but just make sure the milk is organic. Here’s why: https://marnieclark.com/the-link-between-dairy-products-and-cancer-and-obesity/
Warmest regards,
Marnie Clark
Here you say eat yogurt and another site you say no. Which is it. You say no dairy but yogurt is dairy
Roberta,
Well spotted. Normally I advise people to stay away from dairy products because they are so often tainted with pesticides and other nasties, but when you’re on chemotherapy and searching around for easy things to eat that won’t upset your digestion, sometimes a little organic yogurt can be very soothing. Organic coconut yogurt would be just fine, too.
Warmest regards,
Marnie