Medslant Acid Reflux Newsletter

Best Wishes For A Healthy And Happy 2012

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GERD And Carbs

There has been a lot of media hype lately about low carb diets and their positive effect on heartburn and GERD. But there is not much concrete information. There is a clinical trial that is recruiting whose purpose is to learn if a very low carb and/or low fat diet will reduce GERD symptoms in very overweight patients. The investigators hope to be able to determine whether a low carb diet will reduce more acid in the esophagus than a low fat diet. The principal investigator is Nicholas J. Shaheen, MD, MPH of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. If you are interested in finding out more about the trial and/or participating, please go to http://www.clinicaltrials.gov and in the clinical trials identifier box enter NCT00998244.

Dr. Shaheen and some of his colleagues at UNC studied eight obese adults on a less than 20 grams of carbs a day diet. Using esophageal probe testing, within six days the patients showed less esophageal acid exposure and improved GERD symptoms.

David Perlmutter MD, a Naples, FL neurologist and American College of Nutrition fellow, says that carbs decrease stomach acidity and with less acid, the valve that lets the stomach empty into the intestine doesn't open as widely, thus leading to the stomach becoming overfull and causing acid reflux.

Also on the cut carbs crusade is Mark Stengler, NMD, a naturopathic medical doctor. Dr. Stengler suggests to his GERD patients that they cut their daily carb intake to 75 grams a day - about half the average intake. He says to try it for two weeks and if you don't see improvement during that time, cutting carbs is not the answer for you.

Make Your Stomach Happy

The YOU docs, MDs Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen have some advice that may help heartburn, IBS, and other gastric issues.

RELAX AND DESTRESS - stress boosts stomach acid levels and makes even a little heartburn feel worse. Try to eliminate one thing from your to do list and take a ten minute "me break" during the day. Relaxation can help.

MOVE AROUND - too much sitting time helps nothing - even a five minute walk or quick stretch helps speed digestion and keeps you upright, a definite plus for helping get rid of heartburn.

SKIP HIGH FAT DAIRY - Lactose, a milk sugar can bother anyone. High fat challenges your digestive system. Try for one or two daily servings of low/no fat dairy for its calcium and, if necessary, take a calcium supplement.

AVOID SUGAR LOADED AND SUGAR FREE TREATS - too much sugar, fructose, and sugar alcohols can overwhelm your digestive system.

TASTE EVERYTHING BUT AVOID SUPERSIZED PORTIONS - fill up on the veggies and lean protein with small tastes of your "fun foods" so you don't feel cheated but aren't overloading your digestive system.

Breathing Exercises May Help Heartburn

A small study of 19 people with mild GERD - no erosive esophageal damage - but who were on proton pump inhibitors, showed improvement after one month of abdominal breathing exercises performed daily for 30 minutes. The study, led by Karl Martin Hoffmann, MD of Medical University Graz in Austria, used a physical therapist to teach deep abdominal breathing exercises to the participants. The participants who stuck with the exercises for one month - only 11 of the 19 - were using less medication - about one fourth - has less acid reach their stomach according to tests, and reported improvement in quality of life.

The American Journal of Gastroenterology reported the findings and Neil Toribara, MD, a gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at National Jewish Health in Denver, CO, thinks the exercises would be a welcome addition to the ways to treat heartburn. Like other positive lifestyle changes, losing weight, sleeping elevated, not lying down for a few hours after eating, the exercises would have only positive side effects and could curb the need for some medications which can have negative side effects.

The main problem - the study participants who didn't stick with the exercises stopped them for the same reasons many of us would - too time consuming and too much effort. According to Dr. Toribara, we are a society that likes instant and easy results. Old story, same ending - sometimes the things that work the best take time and effort.


MedSlant, A Good Night's Sleep Newsletter is going bi-monthly. We know your time is valuable and we want to provide you with new and helpful information only. We won't fill your inbox with rehashes, but will let you know when there is something of merit to tell you.


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

All of us at MedSlant wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and a New Year filled with good health and happiness.

Wishing you a good night's sleep,

Adele


Customer Feedback
"My daughter was having difficulty with night time coughing and the doctor said it was reflux. So I bought this for her. The morning after her first night sleeping with her MedSlant she called to inform me it was the best night sleep she'd had in MONTHS! Thank YOU! No more coughing too! (And I sleep better knowing she is sleeping better!) What more could you ask for?" MB, CA

The MedSlant wedge pillow helps relieve the symptoms of Acid Reflux, heartburn, GERD, acid indigestion, sinus congestion, Gastroesophogeal Reflux, etc. for a healthier, more restful good night's sleep. The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician(s). Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.



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