It appears that we’re not the only country whose population is seeing an increase in problems with heartburn—or GERD, as it’s now being called. By looking at study surveys, researchers at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, compared 3,153 individuals who reported problems with severe heartburn or regurgitation to 40,210 people without GERD symptoms. They uncovered several risk factors that have been largely ignored thus far in this country.
The general advice in the US is to avoid spicy foods, don’t eat late meals, and don’t drink alcohol in the evening. In Norway, they discovered that individuals who routinely added salt to their meals had almost twice the risk of experiencing acid reflux.
Reducing your salt intake is a simple GERD remedy. If the food seems too bland, then try substituting other herbs, spices, and flavored vinegars. I like the all-purpose, all-natural seasoning powder called Spike that is sold in most health food stores.
Researchers also discovered that those who consumed coffee and high-fiber foods, and who exercised frequently, had a significantly lower incidence of acid reflux. High-fiber diets had one of the greatest influences by cutting the incidence by almost half. (
Gut 04;3(12):1730–1735)
Based on these findings, the best dietary GERD remedies include:
- Avoid spicy foods;
- Don’t eat late meals;
- Don’t drink alcohol in the evening;
- Reduce salt intake; and
- Consume high-fiber foods.
Researchers with Kaiser Permanente “discovered” that a healthy diet reduces your risk of developing a precancerous condition known as Barrett’s esophagus—in which the lining of the esophagus is being eaten away by constant exposure to acidic gastric juices.
The study matched three groups of patients:
- 296 who had GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) plus Barrett’s esophagus;
- 308 who had GERD only; and
- 309 who had neither condition.
The investigators then used a questionnaire to assess the eating habits of all the subjects.
The results weren’t at all surprising. Those who ate a predominantly “health-conscious” diet consisting of high amounts of fruits, vegetables, and non-fried fish reduced their risk of developing Barrett’s by 65 percent compared to those who ate a mostly “Western” diet that included high amounts of meat and fast food. (
Am J Epidemiol 08;Jan 23)
Nearly all of us have had occasional heartburn after eating a meal that didn’t agree with us, or just eating too much of something we couldn’t resist. Some people develop more persistent heartburn (“GERD” or “acid reflux”). These individuals make up the group that is most susceptible to advertisements for antacids, acid blockers, and other “anti-ulcer” drugs.
Rather than relying on these conventional GERD remedies, I recommend trying a change in diet first. This one simple thing is the best GERD remedy of all…and more permanent than popping a pill.
Surgery is sometimes recommended as a GERD remedy for patients who have "failed" traditional medical therapy. I have to ask, "Why?" The procedure is known as "fundoplication," in which a surgeon wraps the upper part of the stomach around the esophagus and stitches that flap back to the stomach's outer wall. Hard to believe, but true. A recent analysis of several studies showed that fundoplication provides better results than "medical management" of GERD symptoms.
Again, "Why?" There are so many natural remedies for GERD that I hardly know where to begin. Maybe the simplest one is watch your foods to avoid GERD. If you know that eating certain foods causes you that familiar burning pain, avoid them. And stay away from those drugs--and from that surgeon.
A common GERD remedy drug can cause bowel changes and accompanying bowel problems, according to a recent study. The use of PPIs (proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium and Prilosec) can allow bacteria to migrate from the large intestine up into the small intestine, where they can cause bloating and gas and diarrhea symptoms.
Bacterial balance in your lower digestive tract is widely addressed, but hardly anyone is talking about the bacteria in your small intestine. While probiotic digestive supplements primarily focus on lower tract, they do provide benefits in the upper section as well.
Take a high-quality probiotic digestive supplement daily, and use natural GERD remedies instead of drugs.
Today's announcement that McNeil Healthcare (a unit of Johnson & Johnson) is recalling certain lots of Rolaids antacid comes as welcome news. As I've written here before, antacids are not the right kind of
GERD remedy. In fact, for many people the problem is that they have
too little stomach acid.
Heartburn, or GERD, as it's now called (for gastroesophageal reflux disease), occurs when acidic digestive juices push up through the top of the stomach into the esophagus. This area doesn't have the same protective coat of mucus that you find in the stomach, so the acids cause discomfort.
Bloating and gas can cause GERD, by increasing the pressure on the valve at the top of the stomach. And stomach gas is often cause by incomplete digestion. A more effective GERD remedy is often to increase the stomach's acidity with digestive supplements such as
betaine hydrochloride. One or two tablets after each meal can give you enough extra acid to digest your meal properly, so the acid can stay in your stomach--where it belongs.
Finding GERD remedies seems like a never-ending challenge for many people. The typical progression goes from over-the-counter antacids to OTC drugs like Zantac or Pepcid to heavy-duty medications such as Prilosec or Nexium.
Some peple even resort to surgery to correct the problem. A
recent report compared surgery to Prilosec as a long-term GERD remedy. The research, backed by AstraZeneca, the company that markets Prilosec, found that the drug provided results almost as good as sugery.
There's a big "but" here, though.
After 12 years of followup, fewer than half of the patients in either group had maintained adequate control over their heartburn.
Finding the right GERD remedy doesn't have to be a constant trial, however, as I've
written before. You do not have to resort to drugs--or even sugery--to get rid of even the worst cases.
Being in a hospital is no fun. It's even more of a trial when you come down with an infection while you're there.
A study published recently in
JAMA showed that taking a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) increased your risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia by 30 percent. Most people who take PPI drugs do so as a GERD remedy (gastroesophageal reflux disease, AKA heartburn). In this particular study, which looked at the records of more than 60,000 patients, over half of the patients were given a PPI during their stay.
That's just ridiculous. People who have digestive issues often need more stomach acid, not less, to properly digest their food. I won't even get into why all those people were given the drug. (My guess is that it's the hospital food.) Supposing that they really did need a GERD remedy, they would have been much better off with a supplement such as digestive enzymes. These enzymes are exactly what your body uses to break down the various components of food:
- amylases for carbohydrates
- proteases for protein
- lipases for fats
Improper digestion can cause symptoms ranging from constipation and diarrhea (yes, both) to bloating and gas--in addition to heartburn. If you or a loved one are ever hospitalized, don't let them push one of the PPI drugs on you. (Of course, you should always ask about any drug you're prescribed, whether in the hospital or out.)
Instead, look for a good digestive enzyme formulation that contains all of the necessary components. Super Digestive Enzymes from GNC and Jarro-Zymes Plus are good products, and both are available in many health food stores. Take one to three capsules with meals.
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