Medslant Acid Reflux Newsletter

Heartburn or Heart Attack?

Much has been in the news lately about telling the difference between heartburn which has nothing to do with your heart, and a heart attack. Richard A Desi, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist at the Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, has some suggestions on how to tell the difference. Dr. Desi says that the most important thing is to consider the classic symptoms of each. Burning sensations that radiate from the center of the stomach and into the chest and typically improve when you take an antacid and worsen when you lie down are classic heartburn symptoms. They are often set off by a meal. A common heart attack symptom is left-sided chest pain, radiating down the left arm with numbness or tingling. This can be set off by physical exertion and accompanied by shortness of breath.

Desi continues that sometimes typical symptoms don't appear and often will overlap. His advice is that if it is a new pain that you have never experience before, see a doctor to get it checked out. "It's better to err on the side of being a little bit embarrassed" he says. The Mayo Clinic website agrees. But they do point out that other digestive conditions besides heartburn can cause chest discomfort; a muscle spasm in your esophagus, gallbladder attack, fatty meal that leads to a steady ache in the right abdomen and shifts to your shoulders, neck or arms. Often, women do not exhibit classic heart attack symptoms. The best advice is to NOT gamble with your health by assuming that your symptoms are always heartburn and if it is a new or different pain, to get it checked out by a medical professional.

Too Much Thanksgiving?

Happy ThanksgivingFortunately, most of us have much to be thankful for. And Thanksgiving is often a wonderful reminder to slow down and appreciate all of the good in our lives. But, if you or someone you know is likely to over indulge at the turkey laden table, now might be a good time for a new pillow for you or one for a friend or relative.

Order either pillow by Nov. 15, enter coupon code "gobble", click apply coupon and $10 will be deducted from the cost of a pillow. Be generous, please share this with family and friends.

GERD and Weight and Eating More Slowly

I know we've discussed GERD and being overweight; but, every expert keeps coming back to two suggestions for preventing or managing heartburn: maintaining a healthy weight and sleeping elevated. A study reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology claimed that abdominal fat was the most important risk factor in developing heartburn and suggested that weight loss is the most beneficial way to relieve heartburn. The foods on the "to avoid" list don't cause heartburn, but they can aggravate it by stimulating acid production in the stomach. The acid in your stomach which is necessary for digesting food is actually about 100 times more acidic that the foods you eat. Fatty foods, for example, are irritating because fat is the nutrient that takes longest to digest. So, by sitting in your stomach for a longer time, the acid in your stomach used to digest food has more time to splash up into the esophagus. And the reason to avoid that after dinner mint is simple - peppermint can relax the LES (lower esophageal spinchter), thus allowing stomach acids to flow back in the esophagus.

Nutritionists have suggestions on how to eat more slowly. We've all heard them but sometimes reminders help: stop eating before you feel full - it takes 15 - 20 minutes for your digestive system to tell your brain you've had enough; put your utensils down between bites and don't pick them up again until you have swallowed or try chopsticks to really slow down; chew well and don't take another bite until you have swallowed; take a break - at least once during a meal stop for a minute or two; concentrate on your meal and eat a variety of foods.

And, there is even new research done in Japan that claims that long term PPI use can cause weight gain. A group of 58 patients taking PPIs was followed for a 2.2 year period. A control group with similar ages, body mass, and body weight was also studied. The GERD patients gained seven pounds on average while the control group did not. The authors concluded that lifestyle changes should be at the front of GERD treatment and that patients should be encouraged to avoid overeating and participate in an exercise program.

Please keep the phone calls and emails coming to 1.800.346.1850 and customerservice@medslant.com.

May you and those you care about have much to be thankful for this holiday season.

Wishing you a good night's sleep,



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