Medslant Acid Reflux Newsletter

Over 60% of US Adults Deal With Acid Reflux

It's no surprise that the incidence of acid reflux disease is on the rise. Two of the leading causes, obesity and stress just don't seem to go away. According to recent research, more than 60% of us deal with reflux on a regular basis. And lots of natural remedies exist; but, are they valid or not? The Acid Reflux Connection has some answers. Below are six of the most common myths and the answer to their validity as based on current research.

Natural Remedies * Apple Cider Vinegar. There is no scientific proof that this works; rather there is an indication that is it highly acetic and may make reflux worse.

* Peppermint Tea. This is used to calm an upset stomach but peppermint is not good for reflux. It is proven to decrease the pressure of the LES (lower esophageal sphincter muscle) and cause more pain.

* Eating Several Small Meals Daily. A large amount of food eaten at once causes stomach distention and weakens the LES. It is much better to eat several small meals throughout the day. X

* Maintaining a Normal Weight. This reduces reflux risk for two reasons: excess weight puts pressure on the LES causing it to relax and reflux stomach contents; and, consuming fatty foods triggers reflux. X

* Slippery Elm Bark Tea. Tea made from the inner bark of the Slippery Elm tree was used by Native Americans and early pioneers to heal and sooth. It is known to sooth sore throats and may coat and sooth the digestive track as well. George Washington used the powder made from pounding the inner bark to make a drink and gruel to feed his troops.

* Exercising Immediately After Eating Aids Digestion. There are reports that exercising immediately after eating reduces the chance of reflux because exercise aids digestion. Just the opposite is correct your Mother was right you need to wait an hour after eating before you exercise.

Of course, like with anything else, you have to see what works best for you.

Holiday Gift Special

Do you want a new pillow for yourself or to give a gift that is helpful and lasts? Order a MedSlant, enter coupon code 'holiday', click apply coupon and $10 will be deducted from the cost of a pillow. If you want to send a gift message, please enter it in the special instructions box. It will appear on the packing slip. And, we never include prices on our packing slips. So why not give the gift of a healthier night's sleep ' it will last for years!

New Drug Review Delayed

The FDA has told Takeda Pharmaceuticals North American Inc. that a review of their experimental proton pump inhibitor,TAK-390MR will not be completed by the end of October as promised but will probably take at least an additional three months. The new drug which will get a brand name before coming to market is said to have some elements that make it different from existing proton pump inhibitors. The company, seller of Prevacid which is projected to generate $2 billion in sales this year as part of the $14 billion proton pump US sales, has not told how their new drug differs from current ones.

New Barrett's Treatment

Gastroenterologists at Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have come up with a new method of freezing damaged esophageal cells to prevent them from turning cancerous. As I tell you often, I am neither a physician nor health care professional of any kind, just a patient researcher who is telling you about new information. And, you are aware that a very small number of GERD patients develop Barrett's Esophagus. But, if you are one who is concerned, you may want to discuss this new treatment with your physician. The goal of this new therapy which is FDA approved and is called cryoablation therapy is to freeze the damaged cells and stop them from turning into cancer. Dr. Jayaprakash Sreenarasimhaiah is one of the gastroenterologists working on this. You can find more information on Barrett's at the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/barretts/. If you Google cryoablation, you will find many articles. Here are a couple of links: http://medheadlines.com/2008/07/30/new-procedure-freezes-damaged and http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080729074928.htm. Again, if you think this might be helpful information for you, please consult your physician.

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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