Heartburn
How Do You Feed Your Microbiota?
Scientists know that the community of microbes that lives in your digestive tract is unique to you (your microbiota). They hypothesize that if you want to stay healthy, you have to keep the community …
Can Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) Blow A Hole…
People have been using a natural antacid (sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda) for a very long time. It is cheap and surprisingly effective for easing symptoms of indigestion. But too much of a good t…
What Do You Really Know About Scary Ibuprofen Si…
Do you read the labels on OTC pain relievers? Be honest now. The last time you purchased Advil, Motrin IB or some house brand ibuprofen pills, did you check out the dosage instructions or the warnings…
Getting Off Omeprazole
Is it smart to block the production of stomach acid with powerful proton pump inhibitor drugs (PPIs)? Millions of people take these drugs to control acid reflux, ulcers or gastroesophageal reflux dise…
Show 1378: Rediscovering the Power of Medicinal …
This week, two guests describe their work with the healing power of medicinal herbs. They draw upon family histories of herbalism along with their own studies of how to use botanical medicines. You ma…
Show 1375: The Science Supporting Home Remedies
This week, Joe and Terry Graedon entertain your questions and stories about home remedies. What do you do for leg cramps or heartburn? Call in your favorites at 888-472-3366 between 7 and 8 am EST, or…
Should You Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?
Vitamins were among the most exciting discoveries of the early 20th century. Since then, however, doctors have been expressing a lot of skepticism about the value of taking vitamin supplements. Last y…
PPIs are Safe! No, PPIs are Dangerous! What to B…
Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are very popular for relieving symptoms of heartburn. That’s because drugs such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and omeprazole (Prilosec) are extremel…
Show 1360: The Pros & Perils of OTC Drugs
In this broadcast, we answer listeners’ questions about over-the-counter drugs. If you have bought a medicine without a prescription, how do you use it wisely? Dr. Stefanie Ferreri, Distinguished Pr…
Will Apple Cider Vinegar Cure Your Heartburn?
Do you get uncomfortable after a big meal? A burning sensation under the breastbone after eating is common. If you have ever suffered from this type of indigestion, you may want to know how to cure yo…
PPIs and Kidney Damage | Nephrologist Spanks GI …
Many specialists live in silos. By that we mean they hang out with other experts just like themselves. They reinforce each other’s understanding of the world. These specialists may not spend a lot o…
How Can You Ease Heartburn Symptoms?
If you suffer from heartburn, you might describe it as a burning sensation under the breastbone. People with recurrent reflux can usually also talk about the types of foods that trigger their discomfo…
Do You Swallow a Spoonful of Mustard for Heartbu…
Do you suffer from heartburn? Many people do, judging from the popularity of acid-suppressing drugs such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) or omeprazole (Prilosec). Antacids like Maalo…
Multiple Strategies Are Needed for Stopping Hear…
When your doctor hands you a prescription, do you ask about the exit strategy? Most people don't, but perhaps you should. Some drugs are very difficult to quit once you have been taking them for a whi…
Metformin (Glucophage) Side Effects & Compl…
The fascinating compound called metformin was discovered nearly a century ago. Scientists realized that it could lower blood sugar in an animal model (rabbits) as early as 1929, but it wasn't until th…
How to Manage Your Heartburn Without Drugs
The American diet seems designed to create digestive problems. We love fast food, which is low in fiber and high in processed carbs and fat. We also eat on the run. As a result, many people suffer fro…
Old-Fashioned Italian Antacids Ease Reflux
Before there were acid-suppressing drugs there were antacids. For decades, people relied on products such as Alka-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer, Amphojel, Di-Gel, Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids and Tums, to name j…
Why Popular Heartburn Drugs PPIs Are Linked to P…
Millions of people take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to suppress the secretion of stomach acid. The last time we checked, doctors wrote over 100 million prescriptions for drugs like dexlansoprazole (…
Getting Off Omeprazole Can Be Challenging!
Most people assume that over-the-counter heartburn medicines are completely safe. Why else would the FDA allow them to be sold without a prescription? The trouble is that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)…
Cabbage Juice Remedy Cured Chronic Heartburn
How do you manage heartburn? Many people use over-the-counter medicines such as Pepcid or Nexium. Others, presumably with more chronic or more serious reflux, are taking prescription medication such a…
Show 1292: Natural Ways to Treat Heartburn (Arch…
Whether we call it indigestion, reflux, sour stomach or heartburn, this condition is painful. When acid from the stomach splashes up into the lower esophagus, it burns. Even though heartburn doesn’t…
Can You Get Off a PPI Without Suffering Heartbur…
Have you ever tried to get off a PPI like esomeprazole (Nexium) or lansoprazole (Prevacid)? If so, you might have experienced rebound heartburn. People who encounter this problem–and many do–may f…
Show 1316: Protecting Your Digestive Tract
This week on our nationally syndicated public radio show, we invite gastroenterologist Nicholas Shaheen into our studio to answer your questions about protecting your digestive tract. He is a national…
Are Heartburn Drugs (PPIs) Linked to Stomach Can…
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as esomeprazole, lansoprazole and omeprazole are extremely popular heartburn medicines. More than 110 million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors are filled eac…
Are the Health Benefits of Buttermilk Like Those…
Do you consume dairy products, or do you try to avoid them? Many people find that the lactose in milk makes them uncomfortable. Scientists report, however, that probiotic products can reduce those sig…
The Zantac – Ranitidine Weirdness Just Got Str…
If you have been reading this newsletter, you know that one of the most popular acid-reducing drugs in the world became embroiled in a carcinogen controversy over two years ago. That's when a pharmacy…
Show 1224: What Is the Best Way to Manage Your H…
Bellyaches and heartburn are among the most common problems driving people to the pharmacy to seek relief. Heartburn, a burning sensation behind the sternum, happens when acid escapes from the stomach…
Dr. Marvin Singh Tells You How to Establish Heal…
Integrative gastroenterology combines the perspective of conventional allopathic medicine with a holistic approach to patients and their lives–mind, body and soul. Sometimes adjusting diet or lifest…
Show 1179: What Should You Do About Digestive Di…
Have you ever had horrible heartburn or a really bad bellyache? Most of us have experienced digestive distress at one time or another. When do you need to seek medical attention for your problem? What…
Can You Use D-Limonene to Overcome Heartburn?
Have you suffered from heartburn? Many people report that they feel a characteristic burning sensation under the sternum sometimes. Others experience this problem more frequently. You can manage occas…
Show 1222: How Can You Optimize Your Microbiome?
The microbiome–the genome of our collective microbiota–has become a trendy topic in medicine lately. With more microbial than human cells in our bodies, it’s becoming clear we should think of ou…
What Are Downsides to New Secret Weapon for Hear…
If you frequently suffer from indigestion or "acid stomach," you might wish for a new secret weapon for heartburn. One reader was excited to discover a "new" drug, not realizing that it is far from ne…
Ranitidine – Zantac is Going, Going Gone At La…
There was a time when Zantac (ranitidine) was the most prescribed medicine in the world. Now Zantac is going onto the scrap heap of discarded drugs. This heartburn medicine was considered a highly eff…
Can You Relieve Heartburn With Vinegar?
Some household products turn up time after time in remedies. People have been extremely inventive in finding multiple uses for Vicks VapoRub, Noxzema and Milk of Magnesia. But perhaps no item has been…
Are Drug Companies Making a Killing on Convenien…
Americans love convenience. That’s why we use drive-through windows at banks, fast food restaurants and even pharmacies. We’re even willing to pay a little more for fast food. People who want to s…
How a Little Girl Overcame Her Constipation
Digestive woes such as heartburn and constipation are tricky enough to manage when an adult suffers from them. When the person suffering is a child, the situation becomes even more serious. A mother d…
Apple Cider Vinegar Is a Weird Remedy for Heartb…
Do you have a favorite remedy for heartburn? Some people rely on drugstore antacids such as Tums or Maalox. Others take medication such as cimetidine (Tagamet) or omeprazole (Prilosec). But plenty of …
Can Prelief Prevent Indigestion from Coffee?
Like our reader below we are coffee lovers. There is nothing like a hot cup of Joe on a cold morning. Fortunately, we do not suffer indigestion from coffee, but this person does. Is there anything tha…
What Are the Risks of PPIs for Children?
Doctors love proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Acid suppressing drugs like esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec) and pantoprazole (Protonix) are widely to prescribed to ad…
Will Intermittent Fasting Give You Heartburn?
If you have trouble with acid reflux, you probably try to avoid foods, beverages and situations that can trigger heartburn symptoms. Stretching out on the sofa after enjoying Thanksgiving dinner might…