Millions of Americans Suffer From Acid Reflux (GERD)

The topic of Healthy Talk Radio with Debra Ray on LIME was Acid Reflux (GERD). An estimated 100 million Americans suffer from Acid Reflux every month. An estimated 15 million Americans suffer from Acid Reflux every day. It occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. 13 billion dollars a year is spent on proton pump inhibitor drugs. The British Medical Journal says proton pump inhibitors and acid suppressing drugs increase the risk of respiratory infections by 85%. Stomach acid keeps out bacteria, such as h pylori that can cause ulcers. Decreased stomach acid allows larger food particles to be absorbed back into the blood stream, which causes food allergies. More than 50% of Americans now have food allergies. As stated in a special section of the Wall Street Journal, What they're finding is that the long term consequences of reducing acid in the stomach, through the use of medication, alters the environment in the digestive tract in a way that allows cancer to take hold in certain patients. We're selling 13 billion dollars worth of the protonics, Nexium and Prevacid, but we have increased the rate of esophageal adenocarinoma 500% in the last 30 years in this country and we may be doing it to ourselves.

These drugs don't cure the problem. Some changes you can make to get at the root of the problem:

*Fiber in the diet has decreased from 100 grams many years ago, to 10 to 12 grams today. You need 40 to 60 grams of fiber a day for optimum health. Not fiber from supplements, either. Check out the website below and change your diet.
Tips on Adding Fiber to Your Diet from HCF Nutrition Foundation

*Avoid soft drinks, caffeine, spicy foods, and fatty & fried food.
*Avoid eating meals that are too large, late at night.
*Studies have shown, that 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera juice before each meal & at bedtime, heal the mucosal membranes.
*DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated licorice) & Clown's Mustard - see my June 10, 2005, posting - Acid Reflux (GERD) & Acid Indigestion Help
*Orange peel extract
Heartburn Free by Enzymatic Therapy from The Vitamin Shoppe

*Cabbage juice can heal the mucosal membranes.
*Deep breathing exercises to strengthen the diaphragmatic muscle. You take a deep breath & force the air out like your bearing down on your bowels.
*Osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation to strengthen the diaphragmatic muscle. This strengthened muscle helps keep the stomach acid where it's supposed to be.
*Blood pressure, sleeping, & antianxiety medications can be a cause.
*Avoid the new anti-reflux surgery with its side effects of bloating & diarrhea.

See my November 27, 2005, posting - How to Listen to Healthy Talk Radio with Debra Ray on LIME - "Healthy Living with a Twist". Debra Ray's radio and streaming audio health show has been bringing researched health information to listeners since 1982.

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