News: Acid Reflux Pills Related to Increased Fracture Risk

(NewsInferno.com - 12 Aug 2008) - We have been reporting on drugs such as Prilosec and Nexium—part of a class of drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors, or PPIs—that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated for a suspected link between cardiac trouble and PPIs.  Also, because such drugs may be overly effective at stopping stomach acid production, they have been know to raise pneumonia, bone loss, and fracture risk; this, by over 40 percent in patients on long-term use.

Now, a new Canadian study of PPIs such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix and osteoporosis-related fractures has revealed a link between long-term use of PPis and increased risk for such fractures of the hip, wrist, or spine.  The link appeared in patients taking PPIs after about seven years.  PPI drug makers claim they haven’t seen increased osteoporosis-related fracture risk in people using their products.

The study included about 63,000 adults aged 50 and older in Manitoba, Canada, and also included about 15,300 patients who sustained an osteoporosis-related fracture of the hip, spine, or wrist from 1996 to 2004.  The researchers, including University of Manitoba’s Laura Targownik, MD, MSHS, also reviewed participants’ prescription records and found that those who received an osteoporosis-related fracture were nearly twice as likely to have taken a PPI for at least seven years; those on PPIs for six or less were not linked to fracture risk.  Those with hip fractures were 62% more likely to have used a PPI for at least five years.

It remains unclear how PPIs might increase fracture risk, but some experts believe it may be related to their stomach acid inhibiting qualities.  Targownik’s team speculates that PPIs speed up bone mineral loss; however, the study doesn’t prove this.  Also, the researchers considered a variety of other factors, including participants’ other prescriptions, medical history, and income.

Meanwhile, long-term PPI use and fracture risk have been linked in previous research and that association “is certainly a strong basis for encouraging further investigation,” write the editorialists, who included J. Brent Richards, MD, of Canada’s McGill University.  “Certainly, at one extreme, such as in patients with bleeding ulcers, the beneficial effects may far outweigh the risks associated with fractures,” the editorial states. “At the other extreme, liberal prescription of proton pump inhibitors for nebulous disorders for extended periods of time is likely worth revisiting.”

Targownik’s study doesn’t specify which PPIs the patients took.  AstraZeneca, maker of Nexium responded, “AstraZeneca does not agree with the conclusion of the CMAJ study,” said spokeswoman Corey Windett   Judee Shuler, senior director of corporate communications for Eisai Inc., maker of Aciphex, said the results “warrant further study, as these fractures are important medical issues that can occur for a variety of reasons.

According to an editorial published along with the study and that appeared in the Canadian Medical Association’s journal, CMAJ , additional research is needed.  Until then, they suggest patients and their doctors reevaluate the risks and benefits of long-term PPI use.

How Can Apple Cider Vinegar Can Treat Acid Reflux Problem?

We know that vinegar is acidic and cause more problems to people who have heartburn acid reflux problem. However there is only one vinegar not only the heartburn sufferers can take and it is actually a natural acid reflux remedy which you can east all symptoms during the day.

WOW! That is Apple Cider Vinegar!

Read more about The Connection Between Vinegar and Heartburn...

Apple Cider Vinegar is vinegar made from crushed and aged apples known as cider. When unfiltered, Apple Cider Vinegar has a brownish-yellow color. Unfiltered cider vinegar, also known as organic apple cider vinegar, contains what is known as the “mother of vinegar” or simply the “mother”. The mother looks like stringy floating globs in the liquid, and is where all of the healing properties of Apple Cider Vinegar reside.

Apple Cider Vinegar contains minerals, as well as trace elements including magnesium, chlorine phosphorous, sulfur, sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, copper, fluorine and silicon. Due of all of its beneficial ingredients, Apple Cider Vinegar is a natural fighter of bacteria, which often makes it a beneficial vinegar acid reflux treatment choice.

How can Apple Cider Vinegar benefit acid reflux sufferers? You may be confused as to how a type of vinegar could be beneficial for treating acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn. After all, doesn’t vinegar have a high acid content? Wouldn’t cider vinegar just exacerbate the problem? Surprisingly, for most acid reflux sufferers, Apple Cider Vinegar helps to relieve the burning sensation and nausea caused by reflux without adding to it.

Why?

Many people with digestive problems like acid reflux, experience problems not because they have too much acid, but because they have too little. Apple Cider Vinegar mimics the acid level of the stomach, which aids in the proper digestion of food, and can help aid the stomach in digesting.

Therefore, in some cases, vinegar acid reflux remedies for heartburn work more effectively than antacids, because although antacids will cure heartburn, they are designed to diminish acid within the system. Thus, antacids will not treat the actual cause if acid reflux is the result of too little stomach acid, and instead can make reflux more frequent.

How should you take apple cider vinegar? Apple Cider Vinegar is available in many forms including liquid, tablet and capsule. However, when using Apple Cider Vinegar as a natural treatment, the only form you should obtain is the organic liquid that contains the “mother” enzyme.

When taking Apple Cider Vinegar, you will first want to shake it well before you ingest it to disperse the mother throughout the liquid. To start, try taking one tablespoon of cider vinegar before each meal. You will likely find the taste of the Apple Cider Vinegar to be quite potent. It is an acquired taste, and you should grow more accustomed to the flavor after the first few vinegar acid reflux treatments.

Nevertheless, should you find it too repellant, there are a few other ways you can take Apple Cider Vinegar such as:
- Mix a tablespoon in a fat free salad dressing or light mayonnaise and eat it with your meal
- Sprinkle a tablespoon on salad or vegetables
- Mix a tablespoon in an 8 oz. glass of water and add a bit of honey to sweeten the drink.
- Make a tea out of ACV by adding a tablespoon of the cider vinegar to hot water and slowly sipping it.

Although it is best to ingest apple cider vinegar prior to each meal, you can also take a tablespoon when your stomach is upset or heartburn acts up.

After taking apple cider vinegar for a few days, many acid reflux sufferers find that their symptoms improve, and continue to improve with treatment in the months that follow. However, in addition, you should be aware that Apple Cider Vinegar has a few mild side effects including stomach upset. Furthermore, Apple Cider Vinegar may worsen heartburn in some individuals. It is also known to thin the blood and should be avoided by anyone taking blood thinning medications such as anti-coagulants.

===> Testimonials of Old Folk Remedy: Apple CiderVinegar

Always remember that you should speak to your doctor first before starting any treatment, including vinegar acid reflux treatment, and keep in mind that natural treatment should not replace any medication or treatment advice that has been prescribed by your doctor without prior consultation.

To Learn More about it...

Click Here : Stop Acid Reflux NOW!

How To Relief From Acid Reflux

Heartburn acid reflux is a very common health problem for many people worldwide. Thus, you are not alone.

Here is a video that illustrate how you relieve yourself from heartburn acid reflux


Another important factor that you must look into is your diet. Do you know which types of you food will trigger off your heartburn causing your discomfort?

There is a well-written article about the types of food you should avoid in order not to trigger your acid reflux symptoms.

=====> What Types of Heartburn Foods to Avoid?

Also there is a latest update on dietary changes for GERD and acid reflux patients. Click here for more details - Dietary Changes and GERD / Acid Reflux: The Latest Research

Natural Heartburn Cures

Heartburn is one of the most common and painful ailments that mankind ever suffer. In fact, the drug companies come up with many different prescriptions and medicines very often to help to you combat your heartburn. As you know that taking too much drugs is not good for your health ultimately. You know that heartburn do not happen overnight, hence you can try some other natural heartburn remedies to help you.

Here are some natural cures for heartburn acid reflux, there are a few in particular that you will want to consider.

Orange Peel ExtractOne of the best natural cures for acid reflux is orange peel extract. It has been studied in several clinical trials, and in all of these studies, it proved as being successful in the relieving of acid reflux and heartburn. Scientists believe that orange peel extract helps by moving food through to the stomach effectively and efficiently, and food doesn't stay in the esophagus longer than necessary, lessening the chances for heartburn to develop.

Herbal RemediesThere are various different herbal remedies that can be used for acid reflux. These herbs include chamomile, meadowsweet, slippery elm, cancer bush, fennel, catnip, angelica root gentian root, ginger root, and other botanicals. Modern herbalists have found that a combination of several of these herbs can be even more effective, and so you should take some time and try out a few different combinations in order to see what works best for you.

Proper DietThis is one of the most obvious, and easiest natural cures for acid reflux. Simply by eating fruits, vegetables, and an otherwise healthy and nutritious diet, you will be able to relieve any existing acid reflux problems that you have, as well as prevent any problems with this disease in the future.

As everyone is different, it is not necessarily that all the natural heartburn remedies will work for one person. You need to try out more different things. If you are interested, you can check here:

Cinnamon-Ginger Drink Fights Heartburn Symptoms

Do you know that ginger is a good form of alternative medicine to our ailments? Chinese have been using it as part of their Traditional Chinese Medicine to help them to cure their illness.

Here is a story from a lady who lived in Maryland - Jocylen M.

My heartburn became really bad when I stopped hormone replacement therapy. Initially, the heartburn suppressing pills worked very well. However, after 2 months I couldn’t stop them without having heartburn recurring.

One occasion, I went out to have dinner with my friends at a Korean style restaurant. One of them ordered a drink called persimmon punch- a concentrated cinnamon ginger drink. After taking a few sips, I actually felt much better.

After 1 month of adding about 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon-ginger drink to my tea in the morning and night, my low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels had dropped 30 points, and the heartburn problem was under control.

Unfortunately the cinnamon ginger tea has sugar in it, so a simpler alternative is to add a piece of candied ginger to your tea. The ginger is amazing for heartburn.

Thanks
Jocylen M.

Here is a simple drink recipe that you will like to try:

1 piece of cinnamon
2-3 slices of ginger
A mug of hot water

Let it draw for a little while and it is ready to drink. Keep the spices in the cup, they last for at least 10 hot drinks. It is a very very healthy drink with a good taste.

Alternatively, you can get a packet of ready-made powder cinnamon-ginger that can be found in drugstore.

If you are interested to find out more, you check out these home treatments.

Natural Heartburn Cure: Fighting heartburn, naturally

Television commercials have trained our minds to believe that taking antacids for our heartburn is a normal part of our life.

However, simple diet and lifestyle modifications can help prevent you from joining the 25 percent to 35 percent of Americans who suffer from frequent, severe heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This condition can have serious consequences if left untreated, including an increased risk for esophageal cancer.

Frequently, medications are the first method of treatment for GERD. Unfortunately, some of these medications have side effects, such as impaired absorption of nutrients including calcium, vitamin B12 and iron. You may be able to avoid medication and its side effects by taking these easy steps to make prevention your first line of defense against heartburn:

# Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes like neckties and tight waistbands. This will give your system room to move.

# Do not eat within three hours of bedtime. Avoid bending over or lying down immediately after meals. Gravity can help aid digestion.

# Avoid acidic, spicy foods, or any foods that you know trigger your heartburn. Consider skipping the nachos during the game.

# Avoid large, high-fat meals. Fat slows digestion, and slow digestion contributes to heartburn.

# Limit alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. These substances relax the esophagus and may allow acid to creep back from the stomach.

# Increase regular intake of "bitters" such as dandelion and mustard greens to stimulate digestion.

# Always consult your health care practitioner if your symptoms continue or become severe.

[Source: Laura Hunter, BS, dietetic intern and Debra Boutin, MS, RD, assistant professor in the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr University
Nonprofit, accredited Bastyr University (bastyr.edu) offers multiple degrees in the natural health sciences, and clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health (bastyrcenter.org), the region's largest natural medicine clinic]

Surgery may cure heartburn

This is an interesting article that I got it from The Detroit News:

Dear Dr. Donohue: I have been suffering from GERD for 19 years. Stomach acid stays in my throat. I have tried all kinds of medicines, but they make things worse. I have had acid tests with a tube in my throat that indicated an acid rise when I step out of bed. Why on an empty stomach? My sphincter muscle doesn't work. I had a procedure called EndoCinch; it didn't work. I spoke to a surgeon about laparoscopic surgery. Do you feel surgery would benefit me?

L.T.

Dear L.T.: You'd be hard-pressed to find a single person who hasn't had at least one episode of GERD -- gastroesophageal reflux disease, or heartburn, in common language. It's often felt on an empty stomach. Food initially neutralizes stomach acid, but some foods do increase acid production shortly after they hit the stomach.

GERD is like Old Faithful, except instead of water, it is a geyser of stomach acid, which shoots up into the esophagus because of a lax sphincter (SFINK-tur) muscle. The sphincter, if working, would shut and prevent the upward spurt of acid. Sometimes, as in your case, stomach acid can rise as high as the throat and mouth to cause hoarseness, cough or an awful taste sensation.

Have you tried the non-medicine approaches that can sometimes control GERD? Chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, coffee (including decaf), other caffeine-containing foods and drinks, citrus fruits, tomato products, high-fat foods, garlic, onions and spicy foods often make it worse. Six-inch blocks under the bedposts at the head of the bed keep stomach acid in the stomach during sleep. Weight loss, if needed, is another way to stop stomach acid from spurting up. Small meals, slowly chewed, help. Smoking and alcohol aggravate GERD.

If nothing works, surgery is a definite option. The Nissan fundoplication is successful 90 percent of the time. It can be done with a scope. The upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the lower esophagus to create a barrier to acid reflux. A number of procedures, like your EndoCinch, can be done through a gastroscope -- a scope passed into the esophagus through the mouth. The long-term results of these procedures aren't as well-known.

The booklet on GERD, heartburn and hiatal hernia discusses these topics in depth. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 501, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Write to Dr. Paul Donohue at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

Learn about the Foods Heartburn Sufferers MUST Avoid

What acid reflux foodstuffs must I avoid?

It is a perplexing question for many heartburn sufferers. Making changes in your diet and lifestyle have been shown to be natural components of any long-term holistic acid treatment and they cannot be dissociated either. A preference for healthy foods and selective nutrition to ban certain foods and eat more of others can show long-term health benefits to acid reflux sufferers.

The reduction of the consumption of unsuitable foods and the adoption of new diet habits in particular to aid digestion for heartburn sufferers could create a very positive effect on your current heartburn conditions.

The kind of food we eat determines how we can maintain the delicate and natural equilibrium inside our bodies. Certain dietary customs and nutritional habits have been shown to contribute indirectly or directly to the degradation of a heartburn condition.

These kinds of foods are:

Drinks with caffeine content like coffee. They cause increase acidity, so stop consuming large cups of coffee. Where possible, halve your cup of coffee to give two separate drinks and drink less coffee before going to sleep. Do not go over two cups of coffee per day and reduce even further if you can.

Alcohol can also be at the same time a relaxant for the LES muscle and an irritant for the stomach, causing an increase in acidity and reflux.

Foods high in fat content have a longer digestion time and take more effort for your body to get rid of them. They increase the risk of acid refluxing into your esophagus and are among the worst delinquents for triggering acid reflux symptoms. The exceptions are fish and fish oil omega-3 fatty acids. These are actually strong anti-inflammatory substances.

If you are addicted to chocolate, go for dark, organic types in preference to others limiting your consumption to two or three little two or three times in any week. Containing large quantities of caffeine and fat, chocolate can also lead to heightened acidity and degraded digestion, and thus should not be consumed.

Before going to sleep, make sure that you do not drink milk or consume any products based on milk containing a lot of calcium.

Leave aside food with strong mint. The same goes for herbal tea that is mint-based. Acid reflux symptoms can be aggravated still more by peppermint and spearmint amongst others.

The esophageal sphincter is also liable to open in response to cruciferous vegetables (such as spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli) and foods high in acid (tomatoes and oranges, to take two examples) leading to further acid reflux.

So finally, which acid reflux food has to be taken out of your nutrition? It doesn't matter what your current level of acid reflux level is; when you make the choice of an improved quality of life, you can make the choice to terminate heartburn permanently, with a holistic solution. You can move to eliminate acid reflux and put your well-being and quality of life on a different level, by making these modifications in your diet and having the right motivation to revamp your lifestyle.

The keys to solving the problem will be yours. To learn more, click here to find out in more details and steps to prevent your heartburn symptoms.

Heartburn Cures - Heartburn & Diet Part 3

Junk food?


Occasionally, but with caution, choose fat free cookies, baked potato chips, or red licorice. A good exercise to do if you suffer from heartburn regularly is to create a food diary and log your meal intake for 2 or 3 weeks. Then note each time you experience heartburn in order to target the foods you need to avoid.

In addition to making better food choices, consider changing your portion perception.

Overeating is another heartburn aggravator. Exercise caloric conscientiousness and choose to skip that second helping or fatty side dish, eat slow and drink plenty of water. Living without heartburn is within anyone’s grasp, and shouldn’t require drastic medical treatment.

Simple, reasonable modifications in your eating habits can do wonders for quelling acid reflux, not to mention improving overall health.

Heartburn Cures - Black Raspberries May Protect Against GERD Cancer

The black raspberry may be one of the reason why Barrett’s Esophagus patients can use to stay strong and prevent their heartburn acid reflect condition from turning into cancer, health professionals said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Barrett’s Esophagus is a condition which the esophagus changes so that some of its lining is replaced by a type of tissue similar to that normally found in the intestine. The condition usually starts as heartburn acid reflux problem which affects about 700,000 Americans.

For more than 10 years, Danny Harris has struggled with heartburn after he eats. He learned his reflux had turned into Barrett’s Esophagus, and that an interesting thing happened when he ate black raspberries.

“I really didn’t have any flare-ups or episodes after I had taken the berries,” he said.

Harris was part of a new study led by a research team at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. For six months, he and other Barrett’s Esophagus patients drank a black raspberry powder and water mix.

The study said that the black raspberry actually helped many patients to reverse the negative impact of the reflux acid. Nearly every four in 10 patients saw a boost in a protective enzyme and six in 10 saw a decline in oxidative stress, which can cause cell damage, researchers said.

Researchers said they believe the fruit’s combination of nutrients gives it super healing power.

“They’re really strong antioxidants. They’re also a good source of multi-vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Laura Kresty of Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center said.

A larger study is likely the next step to see if black raspberries yield more positive results for patients with Barrett’s Esophagus, officials said.

Night-time Heatburn Cures

Here are the simple ways that you can help to prevent having night-time heartburn symptoms:

1. After you eat, walk around to help with your digestion. Do not lie down immediately for 2 to 3 hours after you eat. Sitting upright with the help of gravity can drain food and stomach acid into your stomach and intestines.

2. Avoid taking snack before going to sleep. Eating close to bedtime can set off heartburn symptoms.

3. Have your meals about 2 to 3 hours before your bedtime. This gives time for the food to digest.

4. Eat less spicy food and fatty food. These foods can easily trigger heartburn.

5. Adopt new habits of eating your food slowly and eat smaller and frequent meals instead of having a quick bit or 3 large meals a day. These new habits can help to avert activating heartburn acid refluet symptoms

6. Cut back on stuff like chocolate, mint, citrus, tomatoes, pepper, vinegar, catsup and mustard.

7. Avoid drinks that can activate reflux, like alcohol, drinks with caffeine and carbonated drinks. Alcohol can relax the esophageal sphincter, worsening GERD, so avoid it.

Natural Heartburn Cures: Chamomile

Chamomile has many medicinal uses. It is often used to treat motion sickness, tension, restlessness, spasms, headaches, migraine and depression.

It is often taken as tea. Chamomile tea is an extremely effective remedy for hysterical and nervous breakdowns and is also used as an emmenagogue.

When chamomile flower combined with ginger and alkalies, this cold infusion proves an excellent tonic to indigestion problems such as flatulent colic, heartburn, acid reflex, loss of appetite, and also in gout and periodic headache.

For more other natural remedies using chamomile, find out from Alternative medicine: Chamomile

News: New Incisionless Surgery Offers Hope to Heartburn Sufferers

A new cutting-edge simple operation can give hope to the millions of people are suffering from acid reflux or heartburn.

Recently, the surgeons at the Ohio State University Medical Center have performed the first incisionless procedure on first 2 patients that leaves no outside scarring. There is very minimal post-operative pain and at the same time, it reduces the patients' recovery time significantly.

This procedure makes use of a device known as EsophyX which was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.The mechanism is relatively new in the United States and it has been proven safe and effective in patients treated throughout Europe for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as heartburn or acid reflux.

The incisionless surgery allows reconstruction of the one-way valve at the top of the stomach, when the valve is defective. The new tubular device is introduced to the body totally through the mouth, and is then advanced down the esophagus into the stomach. During the procedure, the operation is viewed through a small fiberoptic camera located within the tubular surgical tools.

Patients are normally stay overnight in the hospital. After the procedure, the patients reported to be symptom free.

[Source: Fox News]

Is heartburn surgery remedy overused medical treatment?

In the latest Nov issue of Consumer Reports magazine, there is a list 10 overused tests and treatments. Heartburn surgery is one of them.

HEARTBURN SURGERY.
Doctors surgically tighten a sphincter muscle that blocks stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus. But research shows the operation, which costs $14,600 or more, provides no better long-term relief than taking a proton-pump-inhibitor drug such as omeprazole (Prilosec OTC), which costs less than $1 a day.

Are we really overused surgery as our remedy for heartburn? Actually there are many natural remedies for heartburn as long as you bother to research more about it.