RefluxRaft Co-Founder Dr. Spencer Payne Joins the NANP Nourishing You Podcast to Talk Reflux, GERD, and Your Real Options
Reflux is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in medicine — and one of the most overtreated. This month, RefluxRaft co-founder Dr. Spencer C. Payne joined the NANP Nourishing You Podcast to unpack why — and what people with acid reflux, GERD, and LPR can actually do about it.
Who Is Dr. Spencer Payne?
Dr. Spencer Payne, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist and rhinologist at UVA Health, where he has practiced for nearly two decades. With 26 years of experience in medicine, he specializes in the connection between the upper airway, sinuses, and digestive tract — placing him at the intersection of ENT medicine and reflux care. He Co-Founded RefluxRaft alongside laryngologist Dr. James Daniero after years of watching patients cycle through medications that addressed symptoms without addressing root causes.
What This Episode Covers
Why is acid reflux so often misunderstood?
Reflux isn't one condition — it presents differently across patients and is frequently confused with other diagnoses. Dr. Payne explains how GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux, or "silent reflux") differ, what symptoms practitioners and patients should actually be looking for, and why the standard workup often misses the full picture.
Why isn't a PPI always the right answer?
Proton pump inhibitors reduce stomach acid — but acid isn't always the core problem. Dr. Payne discusses the limitations of acid suppression as a standalone approach and explains why physical barrier methods, like the alginate-based raft mechanism behind RefluxRaft, address the mechanical aspect of reflux that PPIs don't.
What do holistic nutrition professionals need to know?
This episode was produced for the NANP — the National Association of Nutrition Professionals — and is specifically valuable for holistic practitioners working with clients managing reflux. Dr. Payne walks through the role of nutrition, lifestyle modification, and functional approaches alongside (or instead of) conventional medication.
Listen Now
🎙️ Struggling with Reflux? Understanding GERD and Your Options with Dr. Spencer Payne
The NANP Nourishing You Podcast — May 2026 | 51 minutes
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The content in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease. RefluxRaft is a dietary supplement.
