@mollypelletier.rd: If a few bites into your meal you are already clearing your throat, coughing, or feeling like something is stuck back there, this one is for you. That cough and throat clearing after eating is often reflux. Not the burning kind. This is silent reflux, also called LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux), where refluxate travels up and reaches your larynx. Pepsin, the enzyme that rides along with it, keeps irritating that delicate throat tissue even in low-acid conditions. Here are the first things I reach for. 1. A temporary low-acid break. This is a short reset, not a forever rule. For a couple of weeks we lower the most acidic, tissue-irritating foods so your larynx gets a break from constant exposure. Pair it with slowing down. Mealtime Mindfulness means chewing to an applesauce consistency, single-tasking, and setting the fork down between bites, since chewing drives a large share of your digestive juice production. 2. An alginate raft after meals. An alginate like Reflux Raft (a raft I recommend) floats on top of your stomach contents and forms a physical barrier, so less travels back up toward your throat, especially after meals and overnight. In a meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials (Leiman et al., 2017, Diseases of the Esophagus, N=2,095), alginates increased the odds of symptom resolution versus placebo or antacids (OR 4.42). It is the raft I use, so check the link in my bio. 3. Nervous system support. Your vagus nerve helps coordinate digestion and the muscles that protect your airway, so a dysregulated nervous system can leave your throat more reactive. My go-to is the LES Lock: 1 to 5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing with 360 ribcage expansion immediately after meals, up to 5x daily. It supports your lower esophageal sphincter and shifts you into rest and digest. Higher perceived stress tracks with a heavier reflux symptom burden in LPR patients (Barillari et al., 2025, Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol, PMID 40258993). 4. Something soothing for the tissue. Slippery elm and DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) are mucilaginous and help coat and soothe irritated tissue. It is why Sequoia Soothe includes slippery elm (1000mg) and DGL, to soothe throat irritation and support esophageal comfort while you work on the root contributors. Head to the link in my bio to learn more. Follow for more, and share this with someone who keeps clearing their throat and blaming allergies. #LPR #SilentReflux #AcidReflux #GERD #GutHealth

Molly | The Reflux Dietitian

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Friday 07 August 2026 20:25:50 GMT