What I treat › Gut health › Reflux and heartburn
GUT HEALTH · REFLUX
Nutritionist for reflux and heartburn in Lisbon and online
Acid blockers ease the burning, but they don't explain why it started. If reflux comes back every time you stop the medication, or never fully goes away, there's usually a cause worth finding.
Rita Soares · Functional nutritionist · 12 years, 2,000+ patients
Ordem dos Nutricionistas 2604N · IFM member · Online worldwide and in person in Lisbon
Does this sound like you?
If several of these are familiar, you're in the right place.
Heartburn or burning in the chest
Acid or food coming back up
Belching
Fullness after small meals
A cough or hoarse voice in the morning
Worse lying down or at night
Years on omeprazole or similar
Why reflux keeps coming back
Reflux isn't always about too much acid. Often the acid is in the wrong place, or the stomach isn't emptying the way it should.
Slow digestion
When the stomach empties slowly, pressure builds and pushes upwards.
H. pylori
A common stomach infection that changes acid production.
Pressure from below
Bloating, SIBO and constipation all push up on the stomach.
Meal size and timing
Large or late meals strain the valve between stomach and oesophagus.
Stress
The nervous system controls that valve and the speed of digestion.
How I find the cause
Every assessment is personal. I start with your story and the results you already have, and only add what will change the plan.
Your full story
Symptoms, history, medication and everything you've already tried.
Your existing results
I go through any recent results you bring, in detail.
Testing only when it changes the plan
No standard package. If more information is needed, I'll explain why.
Alongside your doctor
Medical causes are ruled out first, with your doctor when needed.
How we treat it
Over four months, with a consultation roughly every month and the plan adjusted as you improve.
1
Ease the symptoms
Meal size, timing and posture that take pressure off.
2
Treat the cause
H. pylori, SIBO, constipation or slow digestion.
3
Support digestion
Nutrition and targeted supplements for the stomach and its lining.
4
Calm the nervous system
So the gut can digest properly again.
5
Reduce medication with your doctor
Gradually, when the cause has been addressed.
Two ways to start
Most people start with a first consultation. If you already know you want the full programme, you can book it directly.
RECOMMENDED FOR REFLUX
Gut Health Reset programme
€320 4 months
4 one-to-one consultations over 4 months
Functional tests and blood work prescribed and interpreted
Personalised nutrition and supplementation plan
Plan adjusted every month as symptoms change
Who you'll work with
I'm Rita Soares, a functional nutritionist with 12 years of clinical practice and more than 2,000 patients. I work with people who have tried the usual advice and are still not well.
Ordem dos Nutricionistas 2604N · IFM member · MSc in Clinical Communication
What patients say
Frequently asked questions
When to see your doctor first
Chest pain, especially with breathlessness or on exertion: seek urgent care, because it can be the heart
Difficulty or pain when swallowing
Vomiting blood, or black stools
Unexplained weight loss or anaemia
New reflux symptoms after age 55
Many years of reflux: talk to your doctor about further checks
Ruling out medical causes always comes first. I work alongside your doctor, not instead of them.