>Reflux
Singers take action
Joe Gillespie
Design Sites
Books
Surfin' Singers
Recording reviews
Whats New?
The Rhine Sagas:
[1] [2]
[3]
The Euro
Tips for european jobs
CDs
Opera | Operetta
Help for traveling singers
Banner Ads
|
This could have the information to help you! Just remember, Rachel isn't a doctor and is only relating her very informed experience. She is not responsible, Operastars is not responsible - only you are responsible if you try any of the recommendations.
The Truth About Acid Reflux
by Soprano, Rachel Cobb
I was diagnosed with acid reflux (also called GERD for Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease) five years ago. My doctors put me on medication, and then stronger medication, then the strongest medication, then increased my dosage to twice a day. Still it got progressively worse over the course of four years. Finally my doctor told me the only option was surgery or I would ruin my voice, and ultimately, my career as an opera singer. Also, I was afraid of Esophageal Cancer, which can happen with the constant acid wash in the esophagus. My reflux was so bad; I could get it from just drinking water! Believe me, my case was not mild. So, I talked to a few singers who had had the surgery, and did some research. Turns out, the surgery is quite severe. Essentially, the doctor twists the upper stomach around the esophagus and stitches it into place. This keeps your stomach sphincter from opening and washing acid into your esophagus. The effect is like having your stomach stapled. Side effects include diarrhea for a year or more, and surgery failure occurs in 85% of patients within 15 years. You should know that when your stomach is made smaller by surgical means, your body could easily suffer from malnutrition. (Unless you eat a diet of primarily raw foods. But, if you were, then you wouldn't have acid-reflux, or obesity, and therefore wouldn't be considering stomach surgery. That is a whole other article!) So, I set out to read everything I could and to find out how I could cure myself naturally. And, the results were really surprising! I found the cause, and I cured myself, and now I have no problems! Iíll tell you what I found through reading and my own experience.
What causes Acid Reflux?
I found that there are several things that can contribute to acid reflux. Please realize that I will give you the straight truth, which may be hard to bear, but if you keep reading, I will give you practical solutions to living healthy in this day and age.
Smoking
If you smoke, you have acid reflux. Until you quit, you will continue to have it. So, there is no reason to go further than this until you quit. If you are a singer, there are more reasons than this to quit. Try seeing an acupuncturist if you have troubles quitting on your own.
Food Combining and Undigested Food
Proteins and starches eaten at the same meal cause a lot of indigestion and undigested food in your system. The enzymes in your saliva break down starches, while proteins are digested by hydrochloric acid produced by your stomach. The hydrochloric acid inactivates the starch digestion. Then what happens? Food sits in your stomach and rots. The when it is finally moved to your intestines and colon, it gets held up there, indefinitely. Then undigested food clogs up the sides of your colon much like a sink pipe can get clogged. It plasters along the sides, making the opening smaller and smaller. This causes constipation. Most people are constipated and don't even know it. You may be surprised to hear that normal elimination is once for every meal you eat about one to three hours after you eat. (For more reading on Food Combining principles, read Kathryn Marsden's book Food Combining, A Step-By-Step Guide.)
What else causes food to be undigested? Food that is lacking in enzymes. Our body needs enzymes to break down food. When food is altered from its natural state, enzymes are lost. Cooking food above 118 degrees kills all enzymes. Microwaving kills enzymes. When we eat these foods, our body cannot break them down easily. And the same thing happens: the food rots, and clogs your colon. We are born with a lot of extra enzymes (In case you were wondering why as you get older, you have more digestion problems, and gain weight more easily), but we use them up eating too much cooked food. Humans were born for a diet that includes raw foods and vegetables. When we eat all the other foods we have included into our diet over the past hundred years (meat, pasteurized dairy, soy products, refined sugars and flours), our body does the best it can to break it down, but there are complications. Of course, the best solution is to eat a raw food diet. I realize that this can seem overwhelming, and not everyone feels this is something they can do. Do the best you can. Eat as many raw foods as you can with your meals. If you eat cooked foods, don't mix proteins (meat, dairy, soy) with starches (anything involving flour, corn, potatoes, rice). If you do eat these foods, I would recommend you take an enzyme supplement to help them digest (I have tried them all and like the enzymes at http://primaldefenseandbeyond.com/ and I believe they have the best prices on the net.). And, most importantly, clean out what is stuck in your colon now. This step is what cured me 90% of my acid reflux. Please do yourself a favor and do a high quality colon cleanse. I only recommend Dr. Schultze's products (1.800.Herb Doc). His colon cleanse is a two part series (Intestinal Formula #1 and #2). This insures that when your body releases its toxins, it doesn't get held up in a constipated colon and cause nausea and very little success. His products are amazing, and inexpensive. You can call for a free brochure and tape. For a wonderful explanation of why you should switch to a raw food diet, go to http://www.roxraw.com/rox/index.html and read the few paragraphs under the philosophy link.
How Prescription Medications Make GERD Worse
Here is something very interesting that I learned. Remember how I told you my story and how it got worse each year, so I had to take stronger and stronger medications? Well, it turns out that the prescriptions were making it worse. The prescription works by stopping the hydrochloric acid from being released in your stomach. Maybe this sounds like a good idea if you are trying to stop the acid from splashing in your esophagus, but itís not. The hydrochloric acid is being released in your stomach for a reason. Your body needs it to break down proteins in your stomach. Without it, you will have even more undigested food rotting in your stomach, and eventually your colon. So, it starts all over again. After I did Dr. Schultze's colon cleanse, I was able to get off my prescription for the first time in four years. Believe me, I was scared. But I was able to gradually get off, and I improved more and more as time went on.
Solutions For The Interim
Of course, I did do a few other things to help me, especially at first. Dr. Schultze also has a great product called Digestive Formula. It will stop acid reflux IMMMEDIATELY! It is amazing and completely natural. I took this at first. There is also a product on the primaldefenseandbeyond website that is specifically for stopping acid. I haven't tried it, because I just discovered it (I don't need it now) but all of their other products are amazing so I say, give it a try.
Coffee
Yes, I gave up coffee. OK, don't scream or freak out. It is possible to live without coffee. Initially, I was just going to give it up at first, but the more I read about it, the more I realized just how bad coffee is for you (even decaf!), and I don't drink it anymore. Of course, coffee is highly acidic. Let me just give you this tidbit. Did you know the reason that coffee speeds up your metabolism? Because the coffee bean contains such a terrible poison that your body is hastily trying to get it out of your body. Your body's metabolism raises to keep you from suffering the effects of the poison. If you need a pick-me-up in the morning, there are better alternatives. I suggest Virgin Coconut Oil. It can give you that energy kick you need in the morning. Contrary to what the soy monopolies would have you believe, virgin (NOT hydrogenated or even refined) coconut oil can actually help you lose weight, improve energy, cure thyroid problems, and lower T-cells in HIV positive patients. (Please go to http://www.coconut-info.com/ for more information. Or read Dr. Bruce Fife's books Eat Fat, Look Thin, and The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil. You will be shocked at the amazing information in these books!) People report that using coconut oil has improved their acid reflux as well. I suspect it helps because it will help keep you more regular. I have been using it to cure my thyroid problem, and it has worked. People report that it stops their cravings for coffee, as well.
For a replacement morning drink, I recommend drinking the water from a young coconut. These are the white coconuts with a peak on the top. You can find them at Asian Grocery stores. They cost about 70 cents to $1.25. (Coconut water is the juice inside the coconut, and coconut milk is that water blended with the coconut meat.) It is very refreshing, is so good for you, will give you energy, and make you feel great. If you really need something warm, you can try Roobios Tea. This is a tannin and caffeine free tea from Africa that is a natural antioxidant, and very tasty. You can find it in health food stores. It is sometimes called Red Bush Tea.
Alcohol and Sodas
Yes. I'm sure you know this. Alcohol is acidic. And the bubbles in any kind of soda can contribute to acid reflux. Of course, it also contains the evils of refined sugar, caffeine, and artificial ingredients. If you are consuming aspartame, please quit. It has been shown to kill brain cells, cause tumors, and Multiple Sclerosis. Also, aspartame makes you fat. It is so deadly in the bloodstream that your body tries to protect you by isolating it in fat molecules and storing it away from your organs and bloodstream. It is not better for you than sugar. Itís deadly. If you want something sweet, eat organic unfiltered and uncooked honey (to substitute, use half the amount of sugar called for), or buy some unrefined sugar http://store.efoodpantry.com/ (Special Rachel note: Please buy organic honey, otherwise they gas all the bees before stealing their honey and I think that is pretty mean, considering bees are a very important part of our ecosystem. Poor bees.)
I did find an amazing drink called Synergy drinks. It is a raw product: unpasteurized juice mixed with a fermented type of mushroom that tastes like champagne. The result is a fizzy yummy juice drink that is a natural probiotic and is so good for you (it is raw, therefore alkaline). www.naturezone.net.)
Acid Foods
I gave up cooked tomato products for a while. Believe me, not easy especially with my Italian background. Now, I can eat them once in a while. Please know that tomatoes, oranges, and other acid fruits are actually alkaline (non acid forming) while they are raw. Once cooked, or pasteurized, they are acidic. But, if your stomach is in severe condition, I would suggest laying off these foods (even raw) for a month or two, until your stomach is healed, then you can resume them. But contrary to what my doctors told me, natural raw foods are always alkaline. Cooked foods are acid forming. Remember that. So, fresh squeezed orange juice will be alkaline. Pasteurized orange juice (pasteurization is a heating process, WAY over 118 degrees) is acid forming. Pasteurized dairy products are too.
(See www.realmilk.com for more info.)
Alternative Healing
You can also visit a qualified Acupuncturist or Energy Worker. This will help ease the symptoms of acid reflux.
Acid Reflux and TMJ
Have you ever wondered why so many opera singers suffer from Acid Reflux Disease? Well, I believe it is because most singers also have TMJ. There is a link between them. There is an acupressure point in between the jaw joint (way in there), which causes stomach problems, and specifically acid reflux. So please see an alternative healer, massage therapist, or even massage the joint yourself if you have TMJ. When your TMJ acts up, then your stomach will correspond, so please have your TMJ treated. See a Rolfer, an Acupuncturist, a Chiropractor, an Energy Worker, or Massage Therapist to help you with your TMJ problems.
Eating Late
Please don't eat late. Please. Your body has natural body cycles. According to Harvey and Marilyn Diamond's famous book Fit For Life
These cycles are based on rather obvious functions of the body. To put it in its simplest terms, on a daily basis we take in food (appropriation), we absorb and use some of that food (assimilation), and we get rid of what we don't use (elimination). Although each of these three functions is always going on to some extent, each is more intense during certain hours of the day.
Noon to 8 P.M. - Appropriation (eating and digestion)
8 P.M. to 4 A.M. - Assimilation (absorption and use)
4 A.M. to noon - Elimination (of body wastes and food debris)
So, accordingly, don't eat past 8 p.m. Before noon, I also don't eat anything but fruit and fresh fruit juice (buy a juicer!), and I drink plenty of purified water. Which brings me to...
Water
Drinking water is a tricky thing sometimes. You shouldn't drink any water with meals, as well as 15 minutes before or 1 hour after meals. It does interfere with digestion. But you must drink plenty of water in between meals. For this, I recommend you carry a water jug and keep track of how much water it holds, so that you can keep track of how much water you need to drink.
Please drink 2 liters of water a day. Or, if you wish, you can drink one liter of water, and one liter of fresh pressed vegetable juice a day (again, with your juicer). Dehydration can be a huge factor with acid reflux (and many many other health issues). This is very necessary for optimum health. If you drink any other beverage than water, then I recommend that you replace each drink with an equal amount of water (on top of your 2 liters a day). If you drink any alcoholic beverages, you must replace each drink with 8 times as much water. (Yikes!).
Also, be sure that the water you are drinking is pure. Unfortunately, water supply on this planet is extremely polluted. Therefore, I recommend highly filtered water such as reverse osmosis or distilled water. I found a water store nearby and bought some polycarbonate containers (non plastic or dioxin leaking), which I refill for 25 cents a gallon, not bad.
Fasting
If you have had Acid Reflux for a while, your stomach may need a little healing on its own. I recommend fasting. A short or sometimes long fast can be so beneficial. Fasting is a topic all on its own. I recommend reading The Complete Idiotís Guide to Fasting. I found this book to be such a comprehensive book on the subject. Check it out, even if you are skeptical about fasting. Humans have been fasting since the dawn of time to cure themselves of all types of diseases. Please give it some thought, keep an open mind about the subject, and do some of your own research.
Exercise
This goes without saying. Try to exercise 30 minutes a day. This helps your body keep strong, so that it can heal itself and fight off infections of all kinds. You can do a simple walk around the block, or in cold weather conditions, I recommend buying a rebounder (a small jogging trampoline) for excellent results.
Maintenance
Curing yourself of anything is an amazing thing. But remember that if you go back to your old habits, it could come back. I recommend that you keep on the lookout for classic symptoms. The most classic symptoms are:
*A gag reflex in the back of your throat (this is the biggest one. You will find it disappears when your reflux is truly gone).
* Finding yourself clearing your throat often. Acid reflux can make you feel like there is phlegm on your vocal chords that you just canít clear off. Believe me, Iíve had allergies in the past. If you canít clear it off, itís acid reflux. If you find yourself doing it constantly, itís acid reflux.
*Any burping is related to acid. Any.
*Heartburn
*Taste of vomit in the back of the throat
*Hoarseness not related to any virus or illness.
To keep maintenance, you should do a colon cleanse twice a year. You will need to do it more often if you eat meat, pasteurized dairy, tofu, refined sugars, and refined flours. If you have the symptoms above, then itís time to do it again. I became a vegetarian (except fish) just because Iíd rather not have to do extra cleanses. Also, it makes food combining so much easier! A quick note on soy: tofu is a highly processed food, and soy in general is not a natural food source for humans. For more information, I beg you to visit any of the following: http://thedoctorwithin.com/index_fr.html?content=/articles/index.html
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm
http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/soy_alert.html
http://www.coconut-info.com/shadow_of_soy.htm, http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soysdownsides/
Conclusion
I have written this based on my own experience and research. I am not a doctor. Although I found my doctors to be misinformed on the subject of GERD, I am not claiming to have any medical background. I have written this because I hope to help anyone avoid what I went through. There was a time when I was afraid that my career would be over if I did not get my acid reflux under control. I am glad to report that I have no problems at all now, and my doctor has told me there is no evidence at all of reflux when he looks at my vocal chords.
References
The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil by Bruce Fife
Eat Fat look Thin by Bruce Fife
In a Nutshell Food Combining A Step-By-Step Guide by Kathryn Marsden
Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond
The Complete Idiotís Guide to Fasting by Eve Adamson and Linda Horning, R.D.
12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko
Dr. Richard Schultze (1.800.HerbDoc)
Soprano Rachel Cobb is one of opera's most promising young lyric sopranos. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ms. Cobb has been honored by the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Loren Zachary Society, the Chicago Musician's Club for Women, the Chicago Italian Cultural Center, Opera Pacific, and the Baton Rouge Opera Guild. She is most well known for her roles of Donna Anna and Mimi.
Reader Responses
Hello!
I am currently in the second of year of my MM (vocalperformance). I came across your web site and thought I might share my experience with GERD. For the first 2 1/2 years of my undergraduate degree, I was in pain and agony from my reflux. At first I did not know why it hurt to speak and even practice. After research I finally realized that it wasn't a thyroid disorder, cancer, misuse during singing etc. After a summer of tests I qualified for a NISSEN operation at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where Dr. John Hunter performed the surgery that has saved my not only my singing career but also, my confidence. Reflux dictated my entire life...what and when I ate, how I slept (usually sitting upright in a chair), when I could and couldn't sing or practice...it was miserable even with the strongest doses of medicine out there. My recommendation to any singer who has ruled out all other options only has one choice and this is surgery. I feel incredible now. I feel like the red sea parted. Not only is your singing at stake, but so is your health. There is nothing like being able to sing and speak an entire day without fatigue. When a singer is in pain, he or she will over compensate by using incorrect technique...detrimental consequences!!
God bless anyone going through this painful experience. There is hope!
Update from Austin Guinn Summer 2002
Good afternoon,
I am just writing to say thank you for featuring my reader response for the past year. As you know, I had an operation to repair a hiatus hernia and since then I have suffered no reflux at all. I will be writing an in depth article about reflux, henias and my experiences as a sufferer in the near future which will be featured on my website.
Yours sincerely
Austin Gunn
Hi,
You have an article on your site in regards to reflux. I have had a problem with that for a few years, and a few months ago I started a treatment that you can find in your kitchen without any harsh chemicals. After every meal, fill a glass half full of luke warm water and mix in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I haven't had any problems since. In fact it's also helped me lose some weight. I hope this info is useful.
***
Hi,
I am a young singer who has suffered from reflux for many years. The symptoms of reflux can, as your site suggests, be surpressed and the acid neutralized.
My singing teacher, Dr Neil Mackie CBE, suggested that I see Steffan Willen, honorary phonietrician at the Royal College of Music London, and he suggested that I should be referred to hospital for an endoscopy. The endoscopy proved that controlling the acid was the least of problems and that I have a complacated double hiatius hernia (stomach protruding through the diaphgram).
I am currently waiting for an operation to put this right.
Please could you include this on your site? It is very important that other singers are not hindered in the same way that I am.
After the operation, after a few weeks rest, I should be able to return to singing completely and , in some cases, never suffer from reflux again.
Sincerely,
Austin Gunn
|
Reflux Info Links
Reflux
and Voice Disorders
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville:
Gastroesophageal
Reflux
MEDLINEplus:
Gastroesophageal Reflux/Hiatal Hernia
Managing
Acid-Reflux Disorders
REFLUX
- Healthy Lives
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Your Health - Health Topics -
Gastroesophageal
Reflux
Medscape
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Clinician's Guide
Join our mailing list
Back to the top |
