Medslant Acid Reflux Newsletter

Alternative Medicine For Acid Reflux and GERD

I frequently receive emails asking if I am familiar with many alternative approaches to GERD, or supplements that may be helpful. After doing much research, I decided that the most sensible information came from the Mayo Clinic, a source I trust.

Alternative and Complementary medicine are getting lots of press. and, lots of recommendations from friends and work out buddies. Although the two terms, alternative and complementary are often linked together, they really mean different things. Complementary treatments are those used along with conventional therapies, i.e. massage in addition to meds. Alternative approaches are used instead of conventional methods, i.e. seeing a naturopath or homeopath instead of a medical physician.

Practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine usually base their work around a few principles, some of which may be similar to those of a conventional doctor, while many are quite different. Basic philosophies of alternative and complementary medicine include:

Your Heart Heals Itself

Practitioners see themselves as facilitatorsthe theory is that your body heals itself and they provide treatment to help your body's natural healing process.

Prevention

The key to good health is to see the practitioner before you get sick to insure that you are doing all possible to achieve and maintain health.

Learning and Healing are Connected

Those who practice alternative and complementary medicine generally view themselves as teachers and mentors who offer guidance. You are the one who actually does the healing.

This all sounds good. Although many conventional doctors do discuss and refer patients to those who practice alternative and complementary medicine, many remain skeptical. Some of the reasons may be the exaggerated claims about cures and asking patients to stop seeing a conventional physician.

Herbal Supplement - The Basics

One of the best examples of complementary and alternative medicine is the use of dietary supplements and herbs. These treatments generally use ingredients found in nature so people like them; but natural doesn't always mean good.

The most important question is, Are Herbal Supplements Safe? Supplements don't go through the same testing as do drugs before being approved by the FDA, but new regulations are being phased in over three years so that by June, 2010, all supplement manufacturers will have to meet certain standard requirements.

Two concerns remain: how do you know what is really in a supplement and how do you choose one? Much information should be included on the label: the supplement name, quantity, other ingredients, a facts panel including serving size, amount and active ingredient, and the name and address of either the manufacturer, packer, or distributor. BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT DRUGS MANUFACTURED OUTSIDE THE US. Although many European herbs are regulated, toxic ingredients and prescription drugs have been found in some supplements manufactured in other countries.

When selecting a supplement keep a few key points in mind:

* Buy only single herb productsmake sure how much each dose contains. Some products are mixtures of several herbs with unknown quantities of each. * Look for standardized herbal supplements. The U.S. Pharmacopeia's 'USP Dietary Supplement Verified' seal on a product indicates that the product has met certain manufacturing standards. There are additional groups who certify supplements. Also, to check on a supplement, you can go to www.consumerlab.com, a website whose mission is 'To identify the best quality health and nutrition products through independent testing.' * As important as it is to know about the supplements you buy, you should also know something about the people you buy them from.

And, here are some suggestions about who should NOT take herbal supplements:

* Persons under 18 and over 65few supplements have been tested for safety on children and older adults metabolize medications differently. * Persons having surgerymany supplements can affect surgical success. They can decrease anesthesia effectiveness or cause complications. If you are taking supplements and having surgery, be sure to tell your doctor what you take. * Women who are pregnant or breast feeding shouldn't take anything without the knowledge of their doctor.

Proven medical treatments are availabletraditional medications with established records are usually safer and less likely to result in negative side effects.

AND MOST IMPORTANTIf you take prescription meds or OTC meds, check with your doctor BEFORE taking supplements. Possible negative interactions can occur.

As I always tell you, I am neither a physician nor health care professional of any kindsimply a patient researcher. For many of us, supplements have a place in our overall care. But, before you take any, please consult with a physician, pharmacist, nutritionist, or specialist knowledgeable in the supplement field.

Please keep the phone calls and emails coming to 1.800.346.1850 and customerservice@medslant.com. I love hearing from you.



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