The People's Perspective on MedicineArticles categorized as Acid Reflux
Loading articles..
The People's Perspective on Medicine© 2026 The People's Pharmacy
All Rights Reserved
The People's Perspective on MedicineLoading articles..
The People's Perspective on Medicine© 2026 The People's Pharmacy
All Rights Reserved
Can you cure your heartburn with baking soda or vinegar? Changing the way you eat might be more effective in calming reflux long term.
Many medications can interfere with good nutrition. If you are taking pills for certain conditions, perhaps you should be taking vitamin supplements.
As the list of PPI side effects has grown longer and scarier, readers want a way to control heartburn without a PPI. Is Voquezna the answer?
Dennis Miller, R.Ph., likes RFK, Jr.'s efforts to blame processed foods for chronic disease. Will his initiative make America healthy again?
Although melatonin is usually sold over the counter as a sleep aid, research indicates it can also help ease symptoms of acid reflux.
Stopping acid-suppressing drugs can trigger symptoms of heartburn; 2 ounces of persimmon punch before each meal can ease the pain.
Many people take PPIs like omeprazole for heartburn. Others have Barrett's esophagus. Will PPIs really prevent esophageal or stomach cancer?
People taking acid-suppressing drugs are at higher risk for repeated intestinal infections with Clostridium difficile, aka C diff.
Why don't drug companies, doctors or the FDA tell patients how to stop medications? This is a problem with benzos, antidepressants and PPIs.
PPI confusion continues. One study suggests that PPIs are linked to serious adverse events. Then we are told PPIs are safe! What's going on?
In this live radio show, get answers to your questions about the safety and effectiveness of OTC drugs. Can you trust them?
PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) suppress stomach acid, relieve heartburn and heal ulcers. But research reveals PPIs can cause kidney damage.
GI docs love proton pump inhibitors. Is there a link between PPIs and kidney damage? The maker of Prilosec and Nexium will pay $425 million!
New research shows that curcumin (from turmeric) is as effective as the PPI omeprazole. Is that why a spoonful of mustard can ease heartburn?
Stopping heartburn drugs like Nexium can lead to rebound acid. Gradually tapering the dose along with natural approaches help.
Acid-suppressing drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are go-to drugs for heartburn. Should you be concerned that PPIs are linked to premature deaths?
Many remedies can help with the challenge of getting off omeprazole by easing the symptoms of rebound reflux. Can famotidine (Pepcid) help?
Although PPIs like omeprazole are immensely popular, there are natural ways to treat heartburn. Tune in to the broadcast 3/11/23 to learn more.
Readers found ways to get off a PPI without withdrawal symptoms: Eat just one low-carb meal a day to reduce discomfort, or take psyllium.
A reader found that taking a probiotic product for better digestion also improved sleep. Studies support this observation.
What questions do you have about protecting your digestive tract? On 9/24/22, we'll talk with gastroenterologist Nick Shaheen in a live Q&A.
Irritable bowel syndrome may be explained by an imbalance in gut microbes. One reader reports DGL helped ease IBS symptoms.
The health benefits of buttermilk and yogurt both derive in part from vitamins, minerals and probiotic bacteria in their cultures.
Learn the best way to manage your heartburn without relying too heavily on PPI drugs like Nexium or Prilosec. Does diet help?
Dr. Marvin Singh, integrative gastroenterologist, offers insights on how to recover a healthy gut balance after it has been disrupted.
Listen to find out when your digestive distress might signal a serious problem and when you could manage it at home with simple remedies.
For over 30 years, millions of people took ranitidine (Zantac) for heartburn. Is there a link between ranitidine and cancer? There's new data!
Dr. Marvin Singh takes an integrative approach to digestive health and precision medicine. How can you assess your biomarkers at home?
D-limonene derived from citrus peels may help ease the symptoms of acid reflux. Some people take it for gallstones, too.
A dose of baking soda in water signals the spleen to produce anti-inflammatory immune cells. This may help reduce swelling.
We warn a reader to be wary of a secret weapon for heartburn. It turns out to be generic Nexium, and long-term use has potentially serious complications.
A high-dose IV form of the heartburn medicine famotidine is being tested for a surprising new use. Scientists hope it will help against COVID-19.
Many people have found they can ease heartburn with vinegar. When will scientists study this remedy so we will know whether or how it works?
A mother describes how her young daughter overcame her constipation by following a diet full of fiber-rich vegetables and fruits.
Taking a spoonful or two of apple cider vinegar mixed in water is a popular remedy for heartburn. While not everyone finds it helpful, many people do.
Some readers report that intermittent fasting reduces their symptoms of heartburn. For others, however, fasting triggers indigestion.
Many people take supplements. A major review last summer concluded, though, that they are a waste of time for heart disease. Is that really true?
A large European study found that people who usually had two soft drinks a day were more likely to die prematurely than those who had less than one a month.
Some people need acid-suppressing drugs forever. That would include those with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. But not everyone needs acid blockers for life.
A new study from Austria suggests that acid-suppressing drugs cause allergies such as hives. There are even elegant explanations why it could be true.
A reader describes how effective treatment for hypothyroidism reversed low stomach acid and overcame stomach problems and Barrett's esophagus.
What you eat and drink has an important impact on your microbiota. The medicines you take, including acid-suppressing drugs, can also affect these microbes.
PPIs for acid reflux have been linked to infections, heart attacks, strokes, nutritional deficiencies and osteoporosis. What about PPIs and kidney damage?
Do you know the right dose of baking soda to calm your indigestion? Sodium-sensitive people need to be careful not to take too much.
One reader reports that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar lowers occasional high blood pressure. Research in rats suggests vinegar inhibits ACE.
A reader who remembers home remedies of long ago wonders what happened to cod liver oil. Although doctors no longer prescribe it, people still take it.
We talk with two eminent experts about how to heal your digestive tract. Dr. Shaheen treats Barrett's esophagus. Dr. Bretthauer treats C diff.
Substituting losartan for valsartan takes care of the valsartan shortage caused by the recall. It might result in unexpected side effects, however.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Nexium and Prilosec can prevent heartburn and heal ulcers. But they do have some frightening side effects and might even promote liver cancer.
Millions of people take powerful acid-suppressing drugs every day. They are thought to be so safe you can take them without medical supervision. A new PPI complication may have emerged.
Eating a few almonds after a meal, avoiding highly processed foods and taking DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) can help stop heartburn without drugs.
Planning ahead and knowing what your insurance plan will cover can help you sidestep unpleasant surprises at the pharmacy checkout counter.
When a medication leads to low magnesium levels, you might have trouble sleeping. Restoring magnesium with supplements could help.
Do you play doctor by medicating yourself or those you love with over-the-counter medicines? Do you understand the pros and cons of such drugs? Our faves and our fears on OTC meds!
Pregnant women who take PPIs or H-2 blockers to treat heartburn symptoms during pregnancy increase their risk of having babies with asthma.
Spicy cough lozenges with menthol, licorice, eucalyptus and hot pepper stimulate saliva production, which can wash stomach acid out of the esophagus.
It seems unlikely that a heartburn drug would cause depression, but a study finds that people taking PPIs are more likely to be depressed or anxious.
Enteric-coated peppermint oil will do nothing for heartburn, but it has been shown to ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
A new study linking PPIs to stomach cancer made headlines. A pharmacist with a long memory found a 1994 warning about omeprazole and cancer in the PDR.
A new study suggests that long-term use of acid-suppressing drugs might pose a substantial risk for stomach cancer in patients treated for H. pylori.
Have you ever been caught in the middle of an argument? It's an uncomfortable place to be. When specialists disagree, patients are left holding the bag.
Mixing powdered ginger and baking soda in water results in a homemade ginger ale that can ease heartburn and indigestion.
The traditional Indian remedy of drinking turmeric in milk can provide anti-inflammatory benefits with causing digestive distress.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a simple and inexpensive remedy for heartburn. But what about the sodium content? Is so much sodium bad for your health?
Many people consider PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) strong antacids. They are far more powerful. Recent discoveries about serious side effects are worrisome.
Suppressing stomach acid can change the intestinal microbiome with potentially dangerous consequences. Do the risks of Pepcid Complete include C. diff?
One reader found that avoiding dairy products as well as wheat, barley and rye controls heartburn symptoms better than drugs.
Research suggests that aspirin blocks a key inflammatory pathway cells utilize when they are becoming cancerous and could prevent esophageal cancer.
Spicy green tea with ginger and turmeric can help ease gastritis and acid reflux. Should you drink it while you are tapering off omeprazole?
Millions of people take PPIs for heartburn. Kidney damage may be a complication of long-term use. But stopping PPIs is harder than you might think.
Sipping persimmon tea with ginger and cinnamon can help control symptoms of heartburn and improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Ranitidine (Zantac) can help control heartburn. It has fewer serious side effects than the popular PPI medicines like omeprazole, but it can interfere with vitamins.
A study in Scotland found that people who take PPIs for a long time are more likely to suffer from C diff or Campylobacter infections.
Taking a probiotic supplement regularly helped one couple overcome heartburn and Barrett's esophagus. Might it help your digestive problem?
When pregnant women treat heartburn with popular acid-suppressing drugs, their babies have an increased risk of developing asthma.
One reader found that sipping sparkling water throughout the day keeps acid reflux symptoms away.
The list of serious PPI side effects keeps expanding. Add strokes and heart attacks to several other complications like infections, fractures and dementia.
Every day millions of people swallow pills to suppress acid production in the stomach. Do powerful proton pump inhibitors pose a risk for dementia?
When was the last time you were tested for low levels of vitamin B12? If you are a vegetarian or someone taking drugs for diabetes or heartburn be vigilant!
One reader discovered that a daily cup of green tea could prevent heartburn. Could it work to help you with GERD or acid reflux?
Can you trust the vitamins in pharmacies and health food stores? One analysis suggests that a third of the tested products did not live up to expectations.
A poop transplant that alters the disturbed microbiota of a diseased digestive tract can provide surprising relief from diarrhea, pain and other symptoms.
Many doctors think it is a good thing that patients can monitor blood pressure and blood glucose at home. Should you be able to order your own blood tests?
Some readers report that a daily dose or two of coconut water can help keep heartburn under control without the long-term effects of PPIs.
Long-term use of a PPI such as omeprazole might be harming your kidneys; how can you ease heartburn symptoms more safely?
To get the best absorption of prescription esomeprazole delayed release capsules, take Nexium at least one hour before any meal,
One reader reports that drinking dandelion root tea has made heartburn disappear. Will it work for you?
Many people who have taken an acid-suppressing drug for months or years could use advice on how to discontinue their PPI without withdrawal symptoms.
Millions loved acid suppressing drugs for decades. Reports of PPI side effects didn't daunt them. But a new German study about dementia has people worried.
When doctors prescribe lots of heartburn drugs like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec they may find it hard to believe there could be risks from long term use.
Acid-suppressing drugs like esomeprazole can disrupt bacterial balance and change the ecology of the digestive tract.
People often take heartburn drugs for granted. But research confirms that powerful acid-suppressing drugs have unexpected consequences that can be serious.
Taking a few bites of apple before bed may ward off nighttime heartburn without unpleasant side effects.
Popular heartburn drugs such as omeprazole change the balance of bacteria in the colon and make a person more vulnerable to a dangerous C diff infection.
When stopping PPIs suddenly, symptoms of heartburn may push a patient back to the drug. Tapering may be more comfortable and successful.
The sleeping pill zolpidem (Ambien) has been linked to symptoms of acid reflux, although the connection is sometimes hard to prove.
Taking apple cider vinegar for acid reflux may seem like an odd remedy, but it quelled heartburn symptoms and a troublesome cough.
Rebound reflux makes getting off PPIs difficult, but there are ways to help ease the pain and get through the withdrawal period.
Chewing gum is a surprisingly effective way to ward off acid reflux and the heartburn that comes with it.
Ginger, in capsules or as tea, can help ease the discomfort of discontinuing certain acid-suppressing drugs.
Acid suppressing drugs used to treat heartburn double the risk of kidney damage among older people.
Many natural remedies can help control heartburn symptoms.
Heartburn drugs that are supposed to protect the digestive tract from irritation due to NSAIDs may actually make it worse.
Relieve reflux symptoms with usual home remedies including peppermint lozenges or gum to stimulate saliva, mustard, apple cider vinegar and so much more.
Acid-suppressing drugs can control heartburn symptoms, but they can also reduce absorption of important nutrients including magnesium and vitamin B12.
Acid suppressing drugs like proton pump inhibitors may not protect against esophageal cancer and might even increase the risk.
Persimmon punch helps relieve symptoms brought on by acid reflux.
Big weekly dose of vitamin D triggered acid reflux symptoms.
Zolpidem (Ambien) is a very popular sleeping pill but there is a side effect patients are rarely warned about: Heartburn or acid reflux. It can be BAD!
Coconut water produced amazing results against acid reflux.
The holidays seem like fun and games--time to hang out with family and friends. Beware the dangers. We offer home remedies to the rescue.
Have you ever experienced heartburn after dietary indiscretion? Given the risks of PPI drugs, why not try home remedies for heartburn?
Persimmon tea is an amazing remedy for acid reflux and can be helpful in weaning off acid-suppressing drugs.
You can manage occasional heartburn with home remedies or OTC medications. More frequent symptoms deserve medical attention.
There is a reason why humans and other creatures have stomach acid. Trying to suppress this process may hold unforeseen dangers.
Chewing gum stimulates saliva which can soothe symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn.
