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| Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)/Heartburn |
Gastrointestinal reflux disease, better known as
"GERD," is a growing health care concern in the United States, as
well as Europe, Asia and South America.
Acid-reducing medicines like Aciphex and Nexium (a.k.a.
PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors) are among the most heavily prescribed drugs in
the US.
These drugs may be useful to help quench the gastric fires
that we stoke with our fast-food diets, but used chronically, they can be
troublesome. We need stomach acid to absorb many of our nutrients, so
chronic suppression of stomach acid can lead to depletion of a number of
important minerals and vitamins, including calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc,
sodium, beta-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin C and possibly
vitamin D. Acid in the stomach also helps protect us from bacterial infections.
While short-term use is likely safe, taking these drugs
routinely for more than a year raises the risk of osteoporosis, hip fracture, cardiac
rhythm disturbances, pneumonia, kidney disease, bacterial
overgrowth of the stomach and small intestine, and infectious colitis of the
large intestine.
But here's the good news:
There are a number of alternative
remedies that can help with stomach acid in the first place and also help you
to get off these meds if you are having a hard time stopping them:
• Many other herbs can help to soothe the gut, including
peppermint, chamomile, caraway, milk thistle, and lemon balm. They can be used
as teas or as herbal supplements. A product from Germany called Iberogast
contains a mixture of these herbs and has been found to be very effective for
both GERD and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory medicine that
also may help reduce GERD symptoms; the active ingredients in turmeric are
known as curcumins. One study using 162 mg of curcumin twice daily for four
weeks showed that patients experienced significant relief from dyspepsia and
irritable bowel symptoms. Improvement was noted after patients had been on the
curcumin for one week.
• Ginger can also reduce GERD symptoms by helping move food
out of the stomach and into the intestines; try drinking ginger tea three times
daily, or take dried ginger in capsule form, approximately 500 mg twice daily.
• A recent study in China showed that acupuncture was
effective at reducing reflux and alleviating symptoms in patients with GERD.
The benefit was similar to a group of patients who received Prilosec 20 mg
twice daily.
• Chewing gum for one hour after a meal has been
shown to reduce acid reflux.
• Stress makes acid reflux worse by reducing the movement of
food out of the stomach; deep breathing exercises, hypnosis, and
meditation can all help to reduce symptoms from GERD.
Of course, don't forget about lifestyle changes to help
prevent a fiery gut in the first place. Being overweight and obese increase
your risk of reflux. Spicy or fatty foods, heavy meals, and alcohol also can
increase symptoms, while a high-fiber diet tends to prevent symptoms.
Finally, if you are being treated with PPIs and you would
like to try and wean off them, don't stop any prescription medications without
first speaking with your physician.
Source: sacbee.com
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