Acid Reflux Isn’t Too Much Acid: Heartburn Root Causes Most People Miss | Dr. Daryl Gioffre

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If you’ve been told your acid reflux means you have “too much stomach acid,” this conversation may completely reframe what you’ve been dealing with. In my clinic, I see it all the time: people struggling with reflux, throat irritation, sinus issues, chronic bloating, and even brain fog - and they’re doing “all the right things,” yet they can’t get traction. Dr. Daryl Gioffre joins me to explain why reflux is often a low stomach acid issue, and how fermentation and pressure in the gut can push acid into places it was never meant to be.

We also get into why symptom-chasing keeps people stuck. When digestion is impaired and the microbiome is inflamed, you can end up with a cascade - dysbiosis, food sensitivities, fatigue, and a system that’s constantly on edge. Dr. Gioffre walks through why “tests, don’t guess” matters, and how gut infections and imbalances can quietly drive the reflux cycle forward.

Dr. Gioffre also shares his personal journey through severe mold exposure - including how it impacted his gut and even his cognition - and why accurate mold testing matters. We talk about the genetics piece, too: why some people can live in the same environment and be fine, while others spiral, and why resilience is a major part of long-term healing.

Finally, we talk practical tools - how to calm and soothe inflamed tissue first, and the role minerals can play in supporting the lower esophageal sphincter. This is a grounded, clinical conversation - but also a hopeful one - because when you address root causes, the body can change.

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

• Why “acid reflux” is often a low stomach acid problem, not a “too much acid” problem
• The “soda can” analogy: low stomach acid → fermentation + gas pressure → acid pushed into the wrong place
• Surprising reflux symptoms beyond heartburn: throat burn, sinus issues, mouth ulcers, tongue swelling, brain fog, anxiety
• Why PPIs aren’t meant for long-term use and the downstream risks discussed (including a 2023 Journal of Neurology finding on dementia risk with chronic use)
• The importance of proper mold testing (dust-based ERMI/IRMI vs. air sampling)
• Bio-individuality + genetics: why some people react intensely to mold/water-damaged buildings while others don’t
• “Tests, don’t guess”: stool testing, pathogen overgrowth, and why people chase symptoms when the root is in the gut
• Practical reflux support: soothing first, then rebuilding digestion (low-and-slow approaches like ACV, and demulcents like slippery elm/DGL discussed)

Products & Resources Mentioned:  

• Get Off Your Acid - use code BEINGWELL15 for 15% off your order
• Dr. Gerry Curatola episode

Episode Sponsors:

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• Go to fromourplace.com and enter my code WILLCOLE at check out to receive 10% off site wide. Our Place offers a 100 day trial with free shipping and returns.
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Happy listening, and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

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In Health,

Dr. Will Cole