Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

I see this pattern so often — eating until we feel stuffed puts real physical pressure on the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter.
When the stomach is overly distended, it becomes much harder for the LES to stay closed. The valve is under more pressure than it can hold, and stomach contents move upward.
We build around our body's capacity, not against it. Aiming for a gentle, comfortable fullness — rather than that "I need to unbutton my pants" feeling — is one of the most straightforward mechanical strategies we have. 🌿

1 day ago | [YT] | 30

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

One of the most common things I hear from my clients is, "I can't figure out what's triggering my reflux."

That is exactly why we built the Reflux Clarity Log in the new FLORA app.

You log your meals, symptoms, medications, supplements, and daily habits like diaphragmatic breathing. Over time, the app starts identifying your personal patterns and generates reflux insights specific to you. Your root contributors are unique, and the Clarity Log helps you see them clearly.

The built-in Insights tab organizes everything so you can share it directly with your healthcare provider. Your appointments become more productive because you're walking in with real data, not guesses.

If you're a FLORA member, the Clarity Log is already in the new app. Download it and log in with your current username and password.

Download for Apple: apps.apple.com/us/app/flora-acid-reflux/id67620103…
Download for Android: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=vyten.flora

Watch the full walkthrough here: https://youtu.be/YROvdR2KZLw

1 day ago | [YT] | 9

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

🎬 NEW VIDEO: I Quit PPIs After a Year — Here's What Actually Worked

Quick poll: Have you tried to stop PPIs?

A) Yes, and succeeded ✅
B) Yes, but symptoms came back 😣
C) Currently trying to wean 🤞
D) Still on them daily 💊

Watch my journey + protocol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8g1W...

2 days ago | [YT] | 14

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

I'm curious — what's your biggest distraction during meals?

Is it scrolling on your phone? The TV? Working through lunch at your desk?

No judgment here — I've done all of these. But picking just one meal today where you single-task — no screens, no multitasking — can make a real difference in how your gut feels afterward.

When we eat distracted, we swallow more air, we chew less thoroughly, and we override our fullness signals. All of these are root contributors to that post-meal heaviness.

What's one small shift you could try today? 🌿

6 days ago | [YT] | 24

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

The brand new FLORA app is officially live, and I am so excited about this one.

We rebuilt the entire app from the ground up with features I've wanted to create for years. The recipe library is now fully searchable by meal type, dietary needs, allergies, and healing phase. We added FLORA AI Chat, which is built on the same clinical frameworks we use in our practice. And the Reflux Clarity Log lets you track your meals, symptoms, medications, supplements, and daily habits, then generates personalized reflux insights based on your patterns over time.

If you're already a FLORA member, download the new app and log in with your current username and password. Everything carries over.

If you've been thinking about joining, we offer a free 7-day trial so you can explore everything yourself.

Download for Apple: apps.apple.com/us/app/flora-acid-reflux/id67620103…

Download for Android: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=vyten.flora

Watch the full walkthrough here: https://youtu.be/YROvdR2KZLw

Xo, Molly

6 days ago | [YT] | 6

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

I just shared something really personal. My experience getting off PPIs after 1 yr+ of daily use.

If you have ever tried to stop PPIs and felt like your reflux came roaring back, you are not imagining it. There is a real physiological reason for that.

It is called rebound acid hypersecretion. When you suppress acid production for an extended period, your body compensates by upregulating the cells that produce it. So when the PPI is removed, your stomach temporarily produces more acid than it did before you started. Lødrup et al. found that 44% of people experienced acid-related symptoms for up to 4 weeks after stopping PPIs (Scand J Gastroenterol, 2013, systematic review, PMID: 23311977).

In this video, I am sharing the approach I used to wean off PPIs successfully, including the strategic additions that supported my system during the transition and how I finally addressed the root contributors to my reflux.

Important: PPIs are not the enemy. They can be an appropriate part of a short-term clinical plan. The goal is informed agency, not fear.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8g1W...

Have you tried to stop PPIs? Drop your experience in the comments. I would love to hear from you. 💚

1 week ago | [YT] | 12

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

Going live TODAY on Instagram at 4 p.m. Eastern with Dr. Mukta, an incredible pelvic floor physical therapist who understands the connection between our physiology & our digestion.

We're diving into a topic that doesn't come up enough in reflux care: how your diaphragm and your pelvic floor are directly connected to your reflux symptoms.

Your diaphragm wraps around your LES (lower esophageal sphincter), and it plays a huge role in keeping that valve working properly. Breathing patterns, core pressure, and pelvic floor tension all feed into this system.

If you've ever wondered why your reflux gets worse with stress, certain postures, or exercise, this conversation is going to connect some dots for you.

See you at 4 p.m. ET. Drop your questions in the comments and we'll try to get to all of them live!

Live takes place on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/mollypelletier.rd/
www.instagram.com/mollypelletier.rd/
www.instagram.com/mollypelletier.rd/

1 week ago | [YT] | 18

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

If you struggle with bloating alongside your reflux, your first tool is actually your teeth.

By the time food moves from your mouth into the esophagus, it should be a smooth consistency. When it isn't — when we're swallowing chunks because we're eating fast or distracted — the stomach has to compensate by churning more aggressively. That increased churning creates more upward pressure, and that pressure pushes against the LES.

Chewing to an applesauce consistency before you swallow reduces the mechanical workload on your entire upper GI tract. It's a strategic tool, not just table manners. 🌿

1 week ago | [YT] | 83

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

Here's an experiment for this week: try putting your fork down between bites and chewing until your food reaches a smooth, almost pureed consistency.

It sounds simple, but it's one of those small hinges that swings a big door for motility. When food arrives in the stomach already well broken down, the stomach doesn't have to churn as aggressively — which means less upward pressure on the LES.

Does your mealtime usually feel rushed, or do you have a ritual to slow down? I'd love to hear what works for you — and if you try this experiment, come back and tell us how it went. 🌿

1 week ago | [YT] | 141

Molly Pelletier, MS, RD | The Reflux Dietitian

We focus so much on what we eat that we often forget how we eat — and that matters more than most people realize.

Digestion actually begins in the mouth. Salivary enzymes start breaking down carbohydrates before food even reaches the stomach. When we rush through meals or eat while multitasking, we skip that entire first phase and leave the stomach to do all the heavy lifting.

The root contributor to a lot of post-meal discomfort is simply a lack of mechanical breakdown. Your stomach doesn't have teeth — your mouth does the work that sets the whole system up for success. 🌿

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 81