About

Dr. Jonathan Aviv, MD, FACS

The Acid Watcher movement, developed by Dr. Jonathan Aviv, MD, FACS, is the culmination of over 25 years of both clinical experience as an ear, nose & throat doctor, and surgical experience as a head and neck surgeon.

While at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, now called the Columbia University Medical Center, as the Director of Head and Neck Surgery there, Dr. Aviv invented a medical device called FEESST (Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing with Sensory Testing). FEESST is a non-X-ray alternative to the traditional X-ray based tests of swallowing. FEESST measures sensation in the throat as one swallows.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Aviv pioneered a way to examine the esophagus with the patient wide awake in a doctor’s office without using any anesthesia except for a little topical anesthesia misted into the nose. This procedure is called TNE (TransNasal Esophagoscopy) where an ultrathin camera, the size of a piece of spaghetti, is placed through the nose. The powerful gag reflex, which is located in the mouth is the reason the traditional methods of examining the esophagus required that the patient either have a complete, deep anesthesia called general anesthesia, or a less deep but still powerful anesthesia called “twilight” anesthesia or conscious sedation.

Both general anesthesia and conscious sedation are riskier for patients as there is a small risk of heart attack, stroke and respiratory arrest (stopping breathing) associated with those types of anesthesia. Dr. Aviv has dedicated his professional life to helping understand and treat people with swallowing problems that can arise from a variety of underlying conditions such as acid reflux disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic neurological diseases (for example, Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Dr. Aviv brings both his experience and passion for a healthy body not only through his active medical practice, but in his scientific papers and text books. Recently, in his health and wellness book, The Acid Watcher Diet, Dr. Aviv introduces the Acid Watcher ® Diet , a low acid, high fiber, nutritionally balanced diet designed to use “food as medicine” to help heal the body from years of acid damage. Now, The Acid Watcher Cookbook widens the possibilities of what acid watchers can eat without repercussions. For many people struggling with acid damage, acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, vinegar, and reflux-inducing foods like raw onion and garlic, and chocolate are off-limits. After hearing patient after patient bemoaning the loss of vinaigrette, tomato sauce, ketchup, guacamole, and other staples, Dr. Aviv and coauthor Samara Kaufmann Aviv developed an innovative method of cooking that combines acidic foods with alkaline foods so that acidity is neutralized. By following a few simple guidelines, anyone will be able to enjoy dishes that had previously exacerbated their acid reflux symptoms. The 100 new Acid Watcher-approved recipes included in this comprehensive cookbook are delicious, safe, and anti-inflammatory, allowing readers to reclaim the foods they love without risking their health. With recipes such as Cauliflower Pizza, Plant-Based Chili, Butternut Squash “Mac ‘n’ Cheese” and creative basics including Tahini Dressing, Beet Ketchup, and Garlic Aioli, along with meal plans and food lists, The Acid Watcher Cookbook is a must-have for anyone with acid damage.

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