LPR Diet – The Important First Steps

lpr diet

LPR Diet is simply a diet for people with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux. This is a diet that opts for natural food choices and avoiding more acidic foods and drinks. Foods that should be avoided are fatty foods, processed foods, chocolate, spicy food, soft drinks and more.

As I am sure most of you already know LPR (Laryngopharyngeal Reflux) is caused by acid and something called pepsin refluxing the whole way up and into the esophagus and then entering the throat where most of the symptoms arise. It is also sometimes called silent reflux because you don’t have the typical reflux symptoms like heartburn. 

One of the best ways to effectively treat LPR (silent reflux) is through a solid diet plan. Below I will cover some of the most important diet steps for someone with LPR (silent reflux) and the exact reasoning behind why these steps are important and necessary to follow.

Silent Reflux Diet / LPR Diet – Understanding How LPR Works and The Diet Plan to Tackle It

While LPR may be a problem that seems very comparable to GERD when it comes to treating it you really need to follow a different set of guidelines and this also means a different variation of diet. Of course, there is definitely some overlap when comparing GERD and LPR though there are very important differences that should be considered more thoroughly that often are not. If you want to know some more of the differences between the two check out my article GERD vs LPR.

As you know if you have LPR the acid refluxes up. The notable thing worth mentioning is that along with this acid comes up a thing called Pepsin. Pepsin is a digestive enzyme which is produced in the stomach to help break down proteins.

For someone with LPR this pepsin will cause the inflammation in the throat and most of the other symptoms. The thing with pepsin is that even after the acid reflux has happened it can lay dormant in the throat. The problem with it lying dormant is that pepsin is reactivated by foods/drinks that are more acidic coming in contact with it – even foods that don’t in fact cause reflux in the first place can directly reactivate this pepsin that is dormant in the throat which will reactivate the throat problems etc. This is the important difference between LPR and GERD.

The person with LPR needs to avoid these foods which reactivates this pepsin more. Ideally you want to only be consuming foods and drinks with a pH of more than 5. This is because foods above pH of 5 reactivate the pepsin much less if not at all. You can see below in the diagram how much the certain acidity level will reactivate the pepsin. Generally speaking the lower the pH the more acidic it is and the higher the more alkaline.

pepsin pH levels diagram

While there is not a lot of research on pepsin currently early research shows that it can lay dormant for 24-48 hours. So, if you avoid the foods/drinks of this higher acidity the pepsin should disperse and go away.

As you may have imagined knowing all the relevant foods and drinks with their individual pH levels is a big challenge, so I have put together a complete diet guide with all the suitable foods and drinks in detail for people with LPR and Acid Reflux which you can check here – Wipeout Diet.

What Not to Eat with LPR

Of course, if you are still refluxing the pepsin will still be coming up and we need to stop this. The best thing you can do to start it to avoid the most problematic LPR trigger foods and drinks. Below are the foods which you should be avoiding as soon as possible.

  • Fatty Foods
  • Processed Foods
  • Chocolate
  • Peppers, Raw Onions, Tomatoes
  • Citrus Fruits
  • Alcohol, Soft Drinks, Fruit Juice, Drinks with Caffeine
  • Most Condiments

For more information on why these foods should be avoided check out my article – Laryngopharyngeal Reflux – Foods to Avoid.

An Often-Overlooked Cause of LPR – Overeating

Of course, while following these suggested diet steps is essential to recover from LPR there are other elements which should also be followed. One of the most important things to consider is the size of the portions you are eating. When I say this, if you are eating large portions where you feel like you ate too much, or you feel bloated after then this is something for you to think about.

The reason why you don’t want to eat large portions is because of the pressure it puts on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If you didn’t know the LES is the valve above the stomach which is designed to close once foods enter the stomach and then the digestion process starts.

For a lot of people, a LES that is not functioning correctly can be the root cause of their LPR in the first place. When someone eats a bigger meal it puts more pressure on the LES, this higher pressure means more likelihood that the LES will relax and open and thus the acid will reflux up causing you your symptoms in the first place. Not only do you have this effect but because of this overeating it can cause the LES to slowly degrade and degenerate over time. This could be over a period of months/years for most people and for a lot of them could even be how they got LPR initially. You can read more about the importance of the LES and its role in LPR here.

The simple solution in this situation is to eat smaller portion sizes. You shouldn’t eat more than what your stomach can hold at one time. For reference this is about the size of your fist. Keep in mind this doesn’t mean to eat less throughout the day, but it means to spread it out more evenly between more meals and snacks instead of fewer larger meals.

Luckily if you do this it will not only mean less pressure on the LES and less reflux symptoms but any previous damage that has been done over the past months/years of overeating can be gradually healed over time and will return to normal function!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Foods are Good to Eat if You Have LPR?

There is a wide selection of foods that are great for helping to calm and settle LPR. A few of the best options I recommend are watermelon, cucumber, celery, oats and bananas.

How Long Does it Take for LPR to Heal?

Assuming you are following a strict low acid diet you will usually see improvements within 1-2 weeks’ time. From that point will depend on a host of factors like how well you are following your diet and other lifestyle things like not eating soon before laying down for example.

Assuming you are doing things correctly you could be completely healed in a matter of a few weeks, but it doesn’t work like that for everyone. For some people they will need to remain consistent with the diet for many months until they return to normal or at least much improved.

Is LPR Curable?

Everyone is different and therefore there is no one answer fits all to this question. For some people after they have healed, they can return to a normal diet etc. and they will be cured whereas for others they may not see as good of an improvement.

Let’s say for example someone is 70% better but to maintain this they must keep the controlled diet. Point being that everyone is different though luckily the vast majority of people can be cured or at least feel significantly better when following a LPR diet.

How Do You Treat LPR Naturally?

As you might have guessed already LPR is best treated naturally through a low acid diet and avoiding the common triggers. Of course, there are other things you can do to further help this like not eating within 3 hours before sleeping and losing weight particularly around the stomach can also be helpful for certain people.

Are Bananas Good for LPR?

Sometimes I get asked are bananas good for LPR and the simple answer is that it depends. But generally speaking, bananas are great for people with acid reflux and LPR, they are soothing and also very nutritious with is an added benefit.

The reason I said it depends is because for a small percentage of people bananas can trigger their acid reflux, that percentage is said to be about 5%. So, for most people with LPR it’s good to eat bananas but if you feel your symptoms are worse when you eat bananas you could be in that small percentage of people that should avoid them.

Does LPR ever go away?

For some people yes LPR can completely go away whereas for others it may not. Luckily though for the vast majority diet should greatly improve symptoms, even if it doesn’t go away completely you will feel much better.

Added Extras –

LPR Diet Book

I personally created the Wipeout Diet Plan which is specifically tailored for people with LPR. The diet plan is made to help people with LPR (silent reflux), and it was created based on medical studies. So, it’s all backed up medically and scientifically to help people heal effectively. I personally follow it everyday and many others have success following it as well. Check it out here – Wipeout Diet Plan.

Snacks for LPR Diet

There is a selection of things you can snack on if you have LPR. Here are a few of my suggestions – raw nuts (cashews, pistachios, almonds etc.), boiled eggs, cucumber, celery, dates (plain), melon & banana.

LPR Diet Recipes

I have created countless recipes for people with LPR. If you want all these recipe ideas check out my Wipeout Diet Plan here.

Low Acid Diet for LPR – Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Whether you have been suffering from LPR for 10 days or 10 years following this LPR diet advice will set you on the right track to preventing the acid from refluxing and getting you on the path to healing. Just keep in mind that if you have had LPR and its symptoms for a longer period of time it will may some more time to heal and fully recover. To give you an idea from my own personal experience, I suffered badly with LPR for about 2 years’ time, then I took these steps as I have suggested, and I got back to normal in six months. Though I noticed the difference as soon as a few days after starting with gradual progress from that point until about 6 months after as I mentioned.

If you want a more detailed diet plan that matches all the criteria I have laid out above check out my Wipeout Diet Plan here. It is a diet plan which has been created for people with LPR and has been designed to match all the elements I have laid out above and other important diet information. Also if you have more questions or need advice on how to treat your LPR consider a private consultation here.

On a final note I want you to know that LPR can be cured and brought back to normal just remain consistent with the diet. If you have any questions, please leave me a comment below or send me a message here. Also check out my complete guide on LPR which covers causes, symptoms and treatment in detail.


53 thoughts on “LPR Diet – The Important First Steps”

  1. Hi Linda,

    I am glad I can help Linda. As for what you mentioned gaviscon is a good choice and the best one in terms of medication for LPR. I also recommend you do a strict diet like my wipeout diet to get the best healing possible. If you do them both in unison then you will start to feel better over time. Just be patient and persistent and you will get the healing rewards. Believe me I was in a bad situation before and now I am much better because of these 2 things primarily. Stay positive it really helps 🙂

    Take care,

    David.

  2. Hi Allie,
    Personally for me I maintain a quite strict diet plan. I do go out and have the occasional fast food burger with little to no downside for example. I think it is possible to enjoy some alcohol with little to no ill effects. Perhaps it’s best to test certain foods/drinks in moderation and see how you feel. For example if you want a drink I know potato based vodka is a better choice for someone with acid reflux.

    1. Hi David, its great to see a fellow lpr sufferer and thank you for your informative website. I eat low acidic foods most of the time and take acv mixed with bicarb soda during the day and gaviscon advance at night. Which really helps. My problem is that i allow friday as a cheat day and eat a grilld hamburger with fried sweet potato chips. The reflux always starts 1.5 days after eating takeaway and lasts for 24 hrs. I loosened my les valve drinking too much coffee everyday. I dont have bloating or stomach pain so its not delayed gastric emptying. Acid reaches my sinus and sometimes causes sudden sharp ringing in the ears. Also if i try to sleep on right side the acid will strike my head and wake me up like a thunderbolt. I used to take zantac ranitidine which worked well. Famotifine never worked and now i will try melatonine. I am puzzled why i get lpr 36 hrs after eating takeaway? Any suggestions please. Thank you
      Rob
      Australia

      1. Hi Rob,
        Thank you. Sometimes you can get a delayed reactivation and that happens exactly similar with myself too. It’s like the acid and pepsin in the throat etc. takes time to start to irritate the throat. I sort of see it like if you had an injury in sports or something. You are often more sore the day after the accident and it seems the case to be true as well with LPR. I understand you want a cheat meal just try and adjust it so it is more suited to you. Like a beef burger is fine, try and find compliant bread with little preservatives and consider making your own sweet fries with a suitable coating such as plain flour, cumin and cinnamon and instead of deep frying try shallow frying with less (olive) oil.

  3. 1. I don’t think a damaged vagus nerve can cause LPR though LPR can damage the nerve of course if that’s what you mean.
    2. I don’t think its permanent no. For most people they can be healed or at very least have their symptoms reduced with the right diet and lifestyle changes etc.
    3. That’s quite hard to answer. Perhaps there is a chance you could be too low on acid and increasing your acid from the alcohol improves digestion but that really is a guess.
    4. Yes I have looked into traditional chinese medicine. There are many different options some of which can help certain people.

    1. A damaged vagus nerve stops the lower value in your stomach from opening efficiently and thus releasing food for digestion. The food therefore sits in the stomach much longer and as it is being churned around, gets pushed against the LES. So for people with gastroparisis for example (brought on by a damaged vagus nerve) LPR is quite often the end result; I can speak from personal experience.

    2. Hi
      I have been diagnosed with silent reflux.
      The first ENT Dr put me on Gaviscon 3 x daily after meals and 1 x before bed…the next Dr said Oh no use Gaviscon Advanced BEFORE meals???
      I have a good diet but just want to know which advice I should follow.

      Many thanks
      KP

      1. Hi KP,
        Take gaviscon after meals not before. The gaviscon helps to create a barrier after eating, so taking it before would basically be a waste of time!

  4. Hi DF, yes I have heard this from some people with LPR. It makes sense seeing as LPR is caused by gaseous reflux so that could be in part related or causing the bad breath.

  5. Hey Noah, thank you for the kind comments. It’s good to hear you are seeing improvement in the diet changes already. As for me no I didn’t have the lump in the throat for the whole 6 months. I think it took about 4-6 weeks for me to be completely gone. Though of course keep in mind it can take longer for certain people. Yes I have heard about the Reflux Gourmet product, I am likely going to give it a try in the near future, I may even do an article about it and my thoughts once I do.

  6. Hey Rita,
    Thank you for the compliments, I am happy to have helped. Based on what you said it does sound like LPR to me. Top 2 things I suggest is a low acid diet like the one I created on my blog and the other is taking gavicon advance (uk version) after meals and before sleep. I would suggest that to you as well.

  7. Hey Joanna,
    Sounds like you are making some good changes but sometimes it can be one small thing as it was for me which initially halted my own progress. I followed the Koufman diet before myself but there are a couple of problematic foods/etc which can stop or halt healing. That’s why I created my own diet plan so these same foods are explained why they should be avoided etc. You can send me an email and I can maybe help suggest what mistakes you may be making in regard to diet. I also recommend getting him gaviscon advance and taking it after meals and before sleeping.

  8. Hey Louise,
    I think if you are doing things like I have suggested on the site, I would say within 1-3 months depending on the person. Of course it can take a bit longer for some but I think this is a solid estimation generally speaking.

  9. Hey Traci,
    Thank you for the kind comments. When you are testing foods if you feel a burning immediately after eating that would likely mean it’s a trigger food for you. Though that isn’t always a reliable ‘test’. Sometimes it can take a while to affect you, so something you ate for breakfast and lunch maybe wouldn’t bother you too much or you wouldn’t start to feel the effects until later in the day or even the day after. That’s why it’s best to just introduce new foods 1 at a time and allow for a couple of days before making new changes ideally.

  10. Hey Marco, Well the main thing is my diet is primarily tailored for people with LPR. So I have created it with that in mind, from plenty of research and my knowledge of LPR along with my own experience and plenty of my supporters who have followed the diet themselves.

  11. hello friend thanks for sharing good information about lpr I have 4 years suffering from lpr an unbearable burning in my throat that does not let me live my normal life I have a hernia of size 2 cm I do not know if for this hernia I will be suffering from lpr I want to see if I do the diet that you mention in your blog to see if it helps I am taking ppi of 60mg and it does nothing to me it does not help my lpr so in this diet that you mention I will be able to get the products to follow the diet I am from Ecuador and in my country the doctors do not they know nothing about lpr they just send to take ppi and there is no relief in the symptoms i hope you read my message and i will be waiting for your kind response greetings.

  12. Hello David, thank you for your excellent website. Very useful information and you explain it all so well. Sorry to bother you. Wonder if this sounds like LPR. Glands on both sides of throat sore for 4 days. Then viral symptoms , bit of fever but not high. Really tired and just when you thought the sore throat gone it came back after going for a walk, gardening etc. . So back to square one. After 2 weeks got some anti biotics and have been taking ( after your advice) gaviscon advance for last 3 days. Feel bit better but throbbing glands in throat still. Chest sore and short of breath particularly at night when it was bad ie I couldn’t sleep in bed and slept in the chair. Have you heard similar for LPR? Many thanks.

    1. Hi Kevin,
      Thank you 🙂 It could be yes and I have heard the gland problem for other people with LPR and the shortness of breath. Though just on them 2 symptoms alone it’s hard to say for certain if it is LPR.

  13. Hey Jen, thank you! I think probiotics can be somewhat helpful though I also find them for certain people to irritate more than do good. Of course there are many different ways they are made up which makes for a lot of differing effects for different people. That’s typically why I don’t recommend them while they can somewhat help certain people.

  14. David Hi,
    Since last October I have been in pain every time I eat…like a spasm in a line across my chest…I imagine like a heart attack …I also have burning at times…feeling so full after eating normal amount that would not of cause any symptoms 6months ago…bloated or feeling like air trapped in my throat….awful constriction and trouble swallowing…and now truly awful high pitched white noise in my ears…constantly. Could I please ask you could pepsin release be causing all of this…my private gastroenterologist doesn’t believe in LPR or low stomach acid …at our first consultation without any tests he put me on 60mg of Omeprazole per day and as much Gavison as allowed….it made everything sooooo much worse …after 7weeks he ordered tests and after 2MRIs 2CT scans an endoscopy a barium swallow (which showed a small sliding hernia) an ultra sound…a manometry test …a gastric emptying test and endless endless blood test and now a PETscan as he thought to look for cancer as I have lost so much weight…18lbs since January I am now 44kilos…I simply don’t know where to turn…life is truly miserable ….could your diet help me? I feel low stomach acid may be a problem as I don’t seem to be able to digest anything like barley, spelt which I could eat without any problems 6months ago.
    I’d be so grateful to hear your thoughts,
    Regards,
    Jo Robson

    1. Hi Jo,
      Yeah it’s most likely pepsin and acid related I would assume all of the symptoms you have mentioned. It could be low stomach acid perhaps though typically it’s usually something else like a malfunctioning LES for example. I think my diet would be the best form of action to start with alongside the gaviscon. If you are still taking the PPIs it may be worth to consider tapering off them.

  15. Hello! Thank you for this information about LPR. I saw an ENT in March when I was having a sensation of a lump in my throat, heaviness,& feeling I couldn’t take in a deep breath. A couple of years ago I saw an ear doctor because I kept having the sensation that my ears were filling with fluid. It would happen more when I was physically active (running, playing tennis) and would limit my hearing for a period of time. I’m wondering if this was the beginning of LPR and I didn’t recognize it. I’ve modified my diet giving up many foods I love. Also I’ve been taking a lily of the desert aloe Vera gel for a few weeks. Do you recommend this product for LPR? I haven’t seen much improvement. My dr has me on a PPI which I don’t like and want to come off but I’m not sure how that transition will work out. I will try your plan. Hoping it helps. Thanks for this site

    1. Hi Andrea,
      Happy to help. Yeah from what you mentioned it does sound like some early signs of LPR. I’m glad you have adjusted your diet, eliminating the trigger foods for acid reflux is always a good first step. IF you can share me a link to the desert you mentioned perhaps I can offer some advice on that. Yeah ideally it may be useful to taper off the PPIs, I explain more about that here – getting off PPIs and acid rebound.

  16. Francine Hancock

    Hi David,
    My LPR started March 6 right in a middle of a pandemic that has the same symptoms. Burning trachea, dry cough, burning throat, chest tightness , shortness of breath, congestion you name it! Got tested for covid19 twice and 2 antibodies test and was all negative. I read a book named dropping acid and started following diet and it has improved but it’s no gone. Ordered gaviscon hopefully it will relive my throat burn. Going to buy your book , it’s so scary I am freaking out that this never gonna go away! Thanks for info God bless you!

  17. God bless you thank you for the good info and for making me feel a million times better knowing I can get thru this

  18. I am good about eating a strict diet. I do struggle with black tea and find myself wanting one cup a day. Should I give that up? I have been struggling with LPR for 3 years. I feel like dairy makes my mucus worse. Could this just be while I am healing but can have it again once I’ve healed?

    Thank you,
    Candie Schaal

    1. I would suggest stopping the tea yes. Not to say that down the line you can’t have it. I just think it gives the best chance for healing if you stop it when starting out at least.

  19. Hi David, I came across your blog after years of googling my symptoms and similar to you having been to see Doctors, ENT specialists and so on. Can I give you my list of symptoms and see whether you think that I have LPR?

    Best wishes,

    Cargie Dailey

  20. Hi!

    I was diagnosed with gastritis and tiny hiatal hernia in 2017. Never had any issues until I went through a very stressful/anxiety ridden period then all the symptoms started. Heartburn, my throat feels swollen/tight, post nasal drip, throat feels raw & burns, burping, feel like something in back of throat. My GI doctor told me he thought esophagitis but I’ve been taking omeprazole 20MG twice a day and haven’t seen much improvement. I also eliminated coffee.. it’s just so strange because before this period of high anxiety I never had any issues like this?!

    Can LPR come on suddenly? It’s been only a month or two now.

    Thank you

    1. Hi Taylor,

      Yes it can and often does come on suddenly for certain people. I think stress and anxiety are often a very common reason for it coming on or worsening in the first place. I definitely recommend eliminating the trigger foods and then later if necessary to follow a more natural low acid diet like my wipeout diet.

  21. David. Many thanks for this. I had thought of quite a lot of things (including the possible effects of a deviated septum/nasal drip), but clearly not enough about diet – mainly because I do think mine is pretty damn good! But that does not mean that it cannot be improved, so I will be making changes..

    1. Hi Steve, thank you. Yeah I like your attitude. Sometimes a small adjustment or 2 in diet can be a big difference for us.

  22. Hi David,

    I was diagnosed with LPR a couple of months ago. I had a question about the diet: vitamin C is acidic, yet necessary. How can I include that in my diet?

    Best wishes:
    Pete

    1. Hi Pete,
      I would avoid vitamin C supplements mainly due to usually being made up of absorbic acid which is highly acidic. I would instead suggest to eat some foods that are allowed and high in vitamin C. A few examples are cauliflower, broccoli and watermelon.

  23. I am not sure if I have already downloaded your diet plan once before on my phone . Is there anyway I can get a snapshot of what the cover looks like so I can search for it ?

  24. Thank you for all this information. Its very detailed.

    Questions:

    1. I have heard that gargling with baking soda to eliminate pepsin and drinking 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of PH water is helpful, along with baking soda and high PH sprays. Do you find that it helps?

    2. I feel like i have had LPR for a while, if left untreated how long does it take to cause serious issues in the esophocas or throght. It this process years or months?

    3. How do we know if the problem is too low acid or too much acid that is causing the acid to flow up? I’ve hear too low acid can relax the valve and allows acid to flow up?

    4. If its reaching the throght does it mean its a problem with esophicas valve as well?

    3.

    1. You are welcome.

      1. I do find rinsing with the baking soda mixed with water to be helpful. Drinking it may also help though I don’t recommend it because it usually causes more gas which is turn could induce the reflux. Ph sprays can also help as long as they are more plain or homemade with just baking soda.
      2. There is no set time frame but it typically is rare for bigger issues to develop, I believe the percentage is very low (<10%) even for people with long term LPR (10 years plus).
      3. They are a couple of the potential reasons though there are many others such as pylorus malfunction, low mobility and SIBO to name a few more. Without doing any testing if you take a low dose of betaine HCL if you have high acid your throat will make likely burn and reflux in general, if you notice no difference or an improvement in symptoms you may more likely have low acid. Though this is not a guaranteed way to know. Really you need multiple medical tests such as endoscopy, 24 hr ph test, barium swallow to name a few.
      4. No necessarily, often it's because of too much pressure in the stomach which makes it harder for the valve to close properly due to this increased pressure.

    1. Yeah it can Edward, a lot of breads are often filled with preservatives or additives that make bread more acidic and harder to digest. Even breads made with different grains can be problematic for some people. The best option is often plain white bread with nothing added to it. Homemade yourself or from a local bakery would be ideal.

  25. Any advice on how one deals with taking medications and using alginate products like Gaviscon? I have some medications I take right before bed (some pills, some liquid), and I am confused if I have to take them before the Gaviscon or if I can take them after, such as if I took Gaviscon after my last meal and then am taking the pills an hour or two later.

    1. Ideally take the gaviscon last. You don’t want to take pills or drink/eat ideally after taking the gavsicon as it would negate it’s positive effect.

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