July 09, 2010 Women And Digestion: Digestive disorders are epidemic in the US and millions suffer regularly. While gas and bloating is common to both sexes, it is widespread in females, particularly during menses.
	June 28, 2010 Molecular Imaging Reveals Origin of Acid Reflux Disease : Molecular imaging has uncovered evidence that acid reflux is brought on by a lack of motility in the esophageal muscles.
	May 28, 2010 Acid Reflux Medication Carries Increased Risk of Fractures: The FDA warns that Proton Pump Inhibitors, a regular treatment for acid reflux, carry an increased risk of bone fractures in the wrist, hip and spine.
	May 10, 2010 Weight Loss And Physical Activity Improve Symptoms Of GERD: Research shows that weight loss through restriction of calories and increasing physical activity significantly improves symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
	February 17, 2010 Size and Shape of Barrett’s Epithelium Effects Put Some at Higher Risk of Cancer: According to a research team from Yokohama City University School of Medicine, the shape and length of Barrett’s epithelium may help identify a subgroup of patients at high risk for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
	January 25, 2010 Battle of Low-Acid Coffee: According to a press release from PR Newswire, Puroast Brand Low Acid Coffee beat out Folgers Simply Smooth brand in multiple testing categories.
	January 07, 2010 Doctors Disagree with Infant GERD Diagnosis: Many doctors are worried that acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease is being too frequently diagnosed in children. Drugs used to treat the disorder were found to be ineffective in children in a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics in April 2009.
	November 06, 2008 The Dangers of Barrett’s Esophagus : Approximately 10% of people with chronic acid reflux will develop Barrett’s esophagus with a risk of the condition turning cancerous. Those more susceptible include patients who have suffered from severe reflux for many years and people over 50...
	May 16, 2008 GERD Hospitalizations Jump: Hospitalizations for treating disorders caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) more than doubled between 1998 and 2005, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality...
	November 26, 2007 Anti-depressant Drugs Can Double Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding: New research shows that SSRIs, a group of drugs commonly used to treat depression, may double the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding...
September 10, 2007 Probiotics 101: Using Healthy Bacteria To Our Benefit : In recent years, researchers have been examining probiotics as a treatment for a number of health issues, including gastrointestinal disorders in children...
July 02, 2007 Control Acid Reflux To Prevent Esophageal Cancer: For most of his adult life, 49-year-old Jim Bonell suffered from acid reflux, but he never considered the condition dangerous...
June 11, 2007 Kick Heartburn Out Of Your Exercise Routine : Exercise may keep you healthy and strong, but most people don't know that it can also cause heartburn...
April 09, 2007 Drugs for GERD and Beyond: Taking a Closer Look: In Part Two, we explore the topic of pharmaceutical advertising and reflux drugs further...
March 19, 2007 Drugs for GERD and Beyond: Are We Getting the Best Medicine? : Anyone watching the nightly broadcasts, evening sitcoms, or reading any number of mainstream magazines can tick off the latest and greatest pills almost without thinking...
February 20, 2007 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Primer on Fats: With a few simple steps, you can decrease your consumption of unhealthy fats and incorporate more heart-healthy types into your diet...
January 30, 2007 Restaurants and Reflux: Food marketing in restaurants can make it harder to choose wisely. Go in with your eyes open...
December 04, 2006 Have a Happy Chocolate Holiday, Says Stanford Gastroenterologist : When Stanford speaks, it’s hard not to listen...
November 21, 2006 It’s All in the Portions: Keeping Acid Reflux from Marring the Thanksgiving Holiday : Tips on how to have a happy holiday - without heartburn
November 13, 2006 The Three Most Effective Behavioral Remedies for Chronic Heartburn: Read on to learn about lifestyle techniques that can relieve your acid reflux...
November 06, 2006 Subliminal Messages to Eat – More Powerful Than You Think: Eating right and consuming sensible portions is especially important for sufferers of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD...
October 30, 2006 Take Charge of Your Weight for Improved Reflux: Now there is yet another reason to make that effort to lose some weight - taming your acid reflux. Losing just a few pounds can make a difference...
October 25, 2006 The Connection Between GERD and Cancer : The link between acid reflux disease (GERD) and cancer has been established for some time now, but why it existed remained a mystery. New research may have the answers...
October 19, 2006 Aspirin For the Heart May Be Risky for Those with GI Troubles : You’ve probably overheard this conversation: “My doctor has me take an aspirin a day for my heart. You should take one too. It can’t hurt, and it helps stave off blood clots..."
October 02, 2006 Wireless Technology Improves GERD Testing for Patients: The study review confirms that patients appreciate the wireless method of studying the pH in their esophagus...
September 26, 2006 Acid Reflux May Be Caused By More Than Just Food Choices: Your body’s sensitivity may go a little deeper than just your choice of food and beverages. It may be a hiatal hernia...
September 20, 2006 Currying Favor With Your Colon: Those Indian curries are not just tickling our taste buds; they may also be reducing colon cancer...
September 11, 2006 From Acid Reflux to Esophageal Cancer – New Discovery Heralds Hope: Now that we know the sequence, we may be able to slow down or even block the progression of cancer by blocking these different steps...
September 05, 2006 Schools Offering Healthier Food Choices to Kids: In the place of junk food and meals high in fat and low in fiber, children are increasingly being offered healthful foods...
August 28, 2006 Which Direction to Turn with GERD – An Endoscopic Treatment Primer: Most people are familiar with medications and surgery focused on relieving symptoms associated with GERD. They tend to be less familiar, however...
August 21, 2006 From Crackers and Water to Pizza and Chocolate: A Reflux Survivor’s Story: Even though Rebecca Oaks has kept right on making chocolate and nut candies as a favor to her grandchildren, she hasn’t been able to eat the goodies for the past 10 to 15 years...
August 16, 2006 The Pleasure of Eating – Transplants Improving and Saving Lives: Freedom for Jessica Terrazas was biting into a hamburger at 9 p.m. It has been years since she’s enjoyed the simple pleasure of a family meal or a snack with friends. But an exciting joint project allowed Jessica to survive...
August 08, 2006 Worm-like Robot for GI Exploration?: A worm-like robot crawling around our gastrointestinal tract may sound gross, but before we dismiss the prototype diagnostic tool European scientists have developed, we might consider the alternatives...
July 26, 2006 New Test Can Detect GERD (and LPRD) in Saliva: Been hoarse lately? Or perhaps you’ve had a chronic cough despite having given up smoking years ago. Then again, maybe you’re a singer and the high notes you used to hit have become unreachable...
July 18, 2006 A Recipe for Wellbeing – Part Two: I’ve got a gorgeous cookbook here on my desk that I checked out from the library. It takes you through the seasons and everything...
July 10, 2006 Good News: Improved Prognosis for Patients with Esophageal Cancer: Until recently, a diagnosis of esophageal cancer meant an ominous prognosis. But new research gives hope to the tens of thousands of people facing this cancer...
July 06, 2006 Home Cooking and Healthy Foods – A Recipe for Wellbeing: “I can’t tell you how many times I hear it,” said Suzanne Schroeder of Portland, Ore. “People talking about the food police, and how if they follow all these rules there won’t be anything they can eat...
June 26, 2006 Moderate Portions Key to Overall Health: As so many people with acid reflux say, even one last bite can get them into big trouble. Severe reflux symptoms can mimic a heart attack or at the very least cause major burning and pain that brings an abrupt, decisive halt to dining fun...
June 20, 2006 Yale Rules Out Soda as Cause of Esophageal Cancer: Go ahead, according to the folks at Yale: Pop that top once in awhile and disregard the media flap last winter over whether soft drinks might contribute to rising rates of esophageal cancer...
June 13, 2006 Your Liver’s Not Alone: Alcohol Also Affects Your GI Tract: Alcohol may be a legal drug in our country, but it can be tricky business when it comes to its effects on the body...
June 06, 2006 New Study Singles out Kimchi as Risk for Gastric Cancer: “Why is it that they always say the good stuff is bad for us?” said April Everhart of Upland, Calif., an emergency room nurse...
May 30, 2006 Splenda: Not So Sweet After All?: From fairytale commercials filled with fluffy cakes and golden pies to the little yellow packets that come when we order coffee or tea, the artificial sweetener Splenda seems to be just about everywhere these days. But fearing...
May 24, 2006 Peace at Last – Part Five: “For me, Overeaters Anonymous (OA) has been up, down, and around the pike,” said Jill Schmidt. “I’ll be candid right here that the organization’s little banal truisms...
May 16, 2006 Peace at Last – Part Four: “I don’t want to put too much emphasis on the medicinal potato thing at night,” Jill Schmidt said, picking up where she left off in the last installment of her story...
May 08, 2006 Peace at Last – Part Three: Running across Gina Mallet’s line about sugar being an industrial narcotic was only part of what eventually gave Jill Schmidt the strength to stand on her own without using food as a drug. “It took me two years...
May 01, 2006 Peace at Last – Part Two: Jill Schmidt’s story is one to which many overweight and obese people might relate. She was born into a chaotic family environment to parents who had addictions of their own...
April 25, 2006 NIH Calls for Halt of Acid Reflux Drugs in Preemies: What happens, though, when things don’t go as planned? When a drug used to treat one problem turns around and creates another that is equally if not more harmful...
April 19, 2006 Peace at Last – A Recovery from Compulsive Eating: Jill Schmidt thinks she’s finally got it this time. Schmidt lives in Santa Barbara, Calif. and is using a fictitious name for this story. She’s spent a lifetime trying to deal with a compulsive overeating disorder...
April 10, 2006 How the Arkansas Gov. Fought Obesity and Health Problems: “A year ago, I’d just as soon eat lawn clippings as eat asparagus,” said Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee (R) who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2003 and has since shed 110 pounds off his 5 foot 11 inch frame...
April 04, 2006 A Solution for Obesity and the Overweight? – Overeater’s Anonymous: It’s hard to listen to the news these days without hearing about the nation’s overweight and obesity epidemic. Since the 1980s, Americans have been packing it on. As a result, the nation is staggering under the weight of its own fat...
March 28, 2006 Persistent Cough – GERD and Other Culprits: No matter what you try or how much you ignore it, weeks pass and it still won’t go away. When a cough lasts this long, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition and shouldn’t be ignored...
March 20, 2006 Study Debunks Weight Myths and Highlights the Importance of Activity : Nighttime eating does not pack on the pounds any more than calories consumed throughout the day. While this idea may not seem like news to many cosmopolitan Europeans and South Americans...
March 13, 2006 Symptoms of GERD on the Rise in the Littlest Patients: By now, most adults are familiar with the telltale symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – persistent heartburn, regurgitation, or trouble swallowing. But what many don’t realize is that GERD often occurs in infants...
March 07, 2006 Computer Helps Parents Track Kids' Diets: For any parent who has lamented the loss of control over their children’s nutrition once the bus pulls away in the morning, a technological advancement in school dining promises to put minds at ease...
February 28, 2006 Certain Medications Can Worsen Acid Reflux Symptoms: There’s a good reason to tell the doctor who is treating your reflux about all the medications you are taking. While the gastrointestinal tract is an amazingly well-designed system, when it’s subjected to various stresses...
February 24, 2006 Soft Drinks and Cancer – Looking at Both Sides of the Debate : The average American consumes soda at the rate of more than 42 gallons a year. Do the math and you come up with a staggering consumption of two to three quarts a week...
February 13, 2006 Surprise Low Fat Study Results Make Front Page News: Papers across the country heralded in early February that low fat diets have little effect on breast cancer, colorectal cancer, heart disease and stroke. Yet some remain skeptical...
February 06, 2006 Maternal Obesity Connected to Childhood Weight Problems : Researchers found that children of mothers who were obese before pregnancy are more likely to be overweight during their early childhood...
February 01, 2006 Asian Diet Makes for Superb Health : Data attesting to the health-giving benefits of the Asian diet are impressive. Forty-two percent of the American population experienced heartburn at least once over a recent six month period. Contrast those figures with the miniscule rates of heartburn in Japanese and Chinese populations, 7 percent and 3 percent respectively...
January 23, 2006 It Wasn’t Always So – Peptic Ulcers and H pylori : “I remember this older Mexican man back in Phoenix, Arizona in the 1970s when I a nurse at St. Joseph’s,” said Beth Beggs. “He had an ulcer, and the doctors told him he had to give up eating his beloved chili. I loved the man’s spunk. He said, “I’d rather die...
January 17, 2006 A Closer Look at Mediterranean Cuisine: Although almost half the American population (42 percent) had heartburn at least once in a six-month period, only a mere 9 percent of the Italian population suffered from the problem...
January 09, 2006 GERD Linked to Esophageal Cancer: According to a new report published in the Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the alarming rise in esophageal cancer may be linked to GERD and other gastrointestinal disorders...
January 03, 2006 The PPI Tradeoff: Goodbye Heartburn, Hello C. difficile: For those suffering from GERD or constant heartburn, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are their saving grace. These drugs are often prescribed to stop overproduction of acid that causes reflux. But using these drugs may result in lowering resistance...
December 28, 2005 Acid Reflux Benefits from Asian and Mediterranean Diets: Take the focus off how much (and how often you eat), and instead, pay attention to what you eat. Have plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains, and keep your fat intake low...
December 19, 2005 Understanding Barrett’s Esophagus: Innovation and Awareness: Until recently, a conversation about Barrett’s esophagus could be wrapped up in just a few words: People with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can develop this incurable condition, and having Barrett’s esophagus means facing...
December 12, 2005 Headway in Making Sleep Apnea-Acid Reflux Connections: Sixty million Americans have GERD and sleep apnea affects as many as 18 million people, according to National Institutes of Health. Sleep apnea is a disorder that disrupts sleep and stops breathing for as long as 10 second intervals...
December 05, 2005 Mom’s Family Values May Help Reduce Teenager Obesity: Mom was right - again. A new study shows that a positive maternal attitude towards family meals may actually decrease the risk of teenage obesity...
November 30, 2005 Savoring the Moment and Staving Off Holiday Heartburn: It’s ramping up already. All the food glossies have those alluring photos of sumptuous delicacies on their covers, and almost everyone’s tossing an extra pound of butter into their shopping carts, along with some cream cheese, powdered sugar...
November 21, 2005 New Study Raises Questions about Bariatric Surgery : Early death? Males? Older people? And not-so-practiced surgeons? That’s quite a laundry list of complications for those who are so desperate about their weight that they are contemplating bariatric surgery...
November 14, 2005 Stop Before That Last Bite – A Glimpse into Living with Reflux : It’s four in the afternoon and a furious November rain slants down in great splats on the window glass. The bedroom is cozy though, and a sandwich made from rare deli roast beef, mayo, thin slices of fancy dill pickle and hazelnut bread sits on the plate by the bed...
November 07, 2005 Study Links GERD and Excess Weight: “It doesn’t surprise me that they’ve linked GERD to eating too much,” said Dorothy Saucorn of Castle Rock, Washington who suffers from GERD. “I know since I’ve cut back on the calories, my problems haven’t been as bad as they were when I just ate...
October 31, 2005 Minimally-Invasive Surgery for GERD Earns High Marks : Grandpa might have called it heartburn and managed with nothing more than Rolaids and sitting up in his chair after one of grandma’s meat and potatoes dinners. These days, though, gastroesophageal reflux disease can be treated...
October 20, 2005 Extra Pounds in Middle Age Linked to Late-Life Dementia: Baby boomers have never done anything in a small way. And with the ‘Age of Aquarius’ crowd poised on the cusp of senior-hood, experts expect dementia to increase a whopping 400 percent in the next 20 years....
October 14, 2005 Inflammatory Bowel Disease Linked to Nerve and Respiratory Disorders: In nature, what happens upstream influences events downstream and elsewhere. Similarly, the human body appears to have holistic associations, particularly when it comes to conditions associated with chronic inflammation...
September 29, 2005 News Alert: Boston Scientific Initiates Voluntary Recall of Enteryx: Enough problems have developed with the use of Enteryx that on September 23, 2005, Boston Scientific Corporation initiated a voluntary recall of the product. Initially thought capable of bringing relief for symptoms of GERD...
September 26, 2005 Spaghetti Squash Season has Arrived: The next time someone asks if you need something from the store, instead of a chocolate bar or another processed treat, you might say, “Yeah, nab a spaghetti squash...
September 15, 2005 Hooked on the Goods: Science, Big Business and Fake Food: With two-thirds of the American population overweight, the focus is on things like “modified starch” added to corn chips to make them high in fiber. Then there’s omega-3 fish oil palletized and encapsulated...
August 29, 2005 Soda and Sleeping Pills Linked to Nighttime Heartburn: In the United States, at least 50 percent of the population experiences heartburn at least once a month. A new study released in May by the University of Arizona has found a direct link between nighttime heartburn...
August 15, 2005 Last-Gasp Solution to Obesity – Bariatric Surgery – A Primer: Bariatric surgery – major gastrointestinal operations that either seal off most of the stomach to reduce the amount of food one can eat or rearrange the small intestine to decrease the calories a body can absorb...
August 04, 2005 Does Working Make us Fat?: We already know that being overworked causes stress and fatigue. Well, now you can add weight gain to your list of work-related woes. According to a recent study, being overworked, tired and unhappy at your job leads to weight gain...
July 18, 2005 Run a Clean Machine – The Science of Eating Well : It can be pretty tough. We’ve all been there – or at least most of us. In the confines of the physician’s office listening to how we should eat better. Staring at the sheets on diet and nutrition...
July 05, 2005 Obesity and Lifespan: Extra Pounds, Fewer Years?: We know that obesity is a huge factor in such conditions as diabetes and heart disease, but a new study points out its grim – and inevitable – toll on a broader scale: Life expectancy...
June 20, 2005 Soul Food has Deep Roots: Ray Charles loved his red beans and rice, not to mention a little Southern fried chicken to go with. But Ray took only a little and worked his calories off singing his heart out to America. It hasn’t been so easy for black women according to a recent study...
June 07, 2005 Legacy of Sorrow – Children’s Obesity and Overweight: Like epidemics throughout the history of the world, the current plague of overweight and obesity in America and other parts of the globe is hitting children as hard as it is the adult population...
May 24, 2005 Overweight and Obesity – The Activity Factor: “When we used to hike the Grand Canyon back in our twenties and thirties and forties, we could eat anything and stay lean,” said Sandy DePew. “Basically it’s the old you’ve got to burn more than you take in type of deal, and these days it’s way more of a challenge...
May 16, 2005 Overweight and Obesity – Food Factors: On our grandmothers’ and mothers’ watches overeating often escaped the same classification as the vices of smoking or drugging or drinking too much. Even now, lingering at the table over a second dessert or grabbing one too many candy bars is often dismissed as an innocent pleasure...
May 09, 2005 Tackling Obesity and Overweight : While eating and activity are critical aspects of normalizing weight, profound behavioral issues influence people’s ability engage in healthy options. Thus, this three-part series on tackling obesity and overweight will start with perhaps the stickiest wicket of them all – behavior...
May 02, 2005 Mother’s Day with a Twist – Planning Ahead Makes Holiday Meals Worry Free: If Mother’s Day plans include a meal and mom – not to mention dad – who is getting a bit older, thinking ahead can go a long way toward honoring them with respect and dignity...
April 25, 2005 HPMC - A Cure for America’s Fast Food Ills? : With so much in the news about diabetes and its link to our diets, we all know that we should eat high-fat fast foods sparingly. But if you just can’t let go of greasy hamburgers and salty fries, researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture may have the answer you’ve been looking for...
April 18, 2005 The ABCs of Reflux Medications: More than 60 million Americans suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) at least once a month and many turn to a variety of popular heartburn drugs to relieve their symptoms. Milder symptoms can be treated with fast acting over the counter (OTC) medications...
April 11, 2005 Let’s Eat: Tips for Diners with GERD: Changing your diet and the way you cook can help alleviate many GERD symptoms. Certain foods and beverages seem to trigger GERD and experts say these will vary according to the individual. So, the first step is identifying those foods that disagree with you...
April 05, 2005 Closing in on the Link Between Obesity and Diabetes?: Obesity isn’t always a fast track to diabetes - and researchers think they may be figuring out why. It all started in 1994 when researchers discovered a hormone that regulates appetite levels in mice and named it leptin. Since then, spurred by epidemic levels of obesity...
March 28, 2005 Study of Obese Diabetics and Low-Carb Diets Raises Questions : The idea that people will self-correct on extra calories when carbohydrates are eliminated isn’t news to those familiar with low-carb diets like the Atkins and the Zone. Still, the recent clinical study at Temple University on low-carbs...
March 21, 2005 The Skinny on Overweight and Obesity: The news is that we’ve got a pretty big problem - literally. Anywhere you turn in the excess poundage circles these days, the news is grim. Pundits are saying we’re in the middle of an epidemic that started in the early 1990s and has done nothing but worsen.
March 14, 2005 Barrett’s Esophagus – Yet Another Eating Disorder?: The big money these days in America goes for large-scale research on links between reflux (GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease), obesity and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Instances of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, a deadly form of cancer, rose rapidly between 1974 and 1994...
March 07, 2005 East-West Divides on Types of Esophageal Cancer: While people on both sides of the world suffer from esophageal cancer, the underpinnings of each region’s problems are markedly different. That’s why in China scientists have their eyes on zinc, and in the States, one group of researchers took a look at selenium...
March 01, 2005 One Man’s Struggle with Obesity – UPDATE: This past Feb. 14, Patrick Deuel kept a Valentine’s Day promise to his wife and did something he wasn’t able to do for eight years. He took a walk with her outside. In June 2004, Deuel was dying of obesity...
February 22, 2005 Is it EE or GERD?: People who have heartburn, nausea and cramping pain are routinely diagnosed as having gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). But in many cases, a different ailment could be causing the symptoms – Eosinophilic esophagitis (EE).
February 14, 2005 French Company Tests New Drug for Obesity: Her ice blue eyes are fringed by thick lashes, but there’s a dull sorrow to them. “I’ve been fat all my life,” said the size 16 woman in her fifties. “I’ve tried every diet in the world and lost hundreds of pounds only to regain them and more. Then there was all the expensive psychotherapy and a slew of different diet pills...
February 07, 2005 Soft Drink Industry and Esophageal Cancer Researchers Clash: The rise of esophageal cancer in the United States has been meteoric – 450 percent over the past 25 years. Consequently, even though out of almost 1.5 million new cases of cancer found in 2004, only 15,000 were esophageal, researches are asking hard questions...
January 31, 2005 Gastric Bypass - An Option for Treating Obesity: Changes in lifestyle and diet have created a population struggling with weight. Today more than 97 million Americans are overweight and approximately 5-10 million people suffer from morbid obesity. Anyone with a body mass index of 40 percent, carrying an extra 100 pounds or more...
January 24, 2005 Surgery Effective for Obese Reflux Patients: A recent study points to the effectiveness of a special combination of surgery for reflux patients who are also morbidly obese. Doctors Ionnis Raftopoulos and colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center ran the study, which involved 7 morbidly obese patients...
January 18, 2005 High-Fiber Foods Reduce Reflux Symptoms by 20 percent: After getting diagnosed with gastro- esophageal reflux disease (GERD) last fall, Kathleen Brown received no nutritional counseling. Still, she’s made discoveries on her own that mirror the latest word.
January 11, 2005 GERD Basics: What Is It and How Is It Diagnosed?: GERD is a fairly common condition of the digestive tract, caused when the muscles that act to close the esophagus don’t work properly and acid escapes from the stomach, causing indigestion, tissue erosion, and other troubling and potentially dangerous symptoms.
December 13, 2004 Smoking, Salt Pose Significant Risk for Acid Reflux: Bolstering the claim that lifestyle behaviors influence acid reflux disease, a study found that smoking and salt intake increased the risk of developing acid reflux disease by 70 percent.
December 01, 2004 Ashlee Simpson: One of Many Teens With Acid Reflux: After 19-year-old Ashlee Simpson’s pre-recorded vocal track began playing and Ashlee fled the set during her Saturday Night Live appearance, several stories began circulating.
November 24, 2004 Vitamin pills may not protect against gastrointestinal cancer: A new study indicates that taking antioxidant supplements containing Vitamins A, C, or E may not help prevent gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, and may actually increase the rate of mortality from GI cancer. Selenium supplements may help to prevent liver cancer, although more research is needed.
October 28, 2004 Heartburn Drugs Linked to Pneumonia: Widely used heartburn and ulcer drugs such as Nexium, Pepcid and Prilosec can make people more susceptible to pneumonia, probably because they reduce germ-killing stomach acid, Dutch researchers found in a study of more than 300,000 patients.
October 12, 2004 Baking Soda Found to Enhance Effectiveness of Acid-Reflux Drugs: A new study has found that sodium bicarbonate – the active ingredient in the simple household and cooking product most people know as baking soda – is instrumental in aiding the function of acid-reflux treatment drugs.
September 29, 2004 Vocalists Sing the Painful Tune of Acid Reflux Disease: Dr. Dana Talley was only 30 years old and already in his third year of performing as a principal tenor with the Metropolitan Opera when he experienced his first attack. He was in the middle of a concert and he felt the excruciating pain in his chest.
September 23, 2004 Half-Ton Man Seeks Gastric Surgery: Patrick Deuel is on a diet. He's down to about 700 pounds now. He hopes to lose 400 more.
August 25, 2004 Olympic Record Holder Challenges GERD and Wins: Mark Spitz gave his heart to the sport of swimming, and despite some serious competition from Michael Phelps this summer, he still holds the record for seven gold medals in an Olympics.
August 20, 2004 New Esophageal Cancer Screening Test Could Lead to Longer Survival: A new screening test for esophageal cancer could help doctors spot malignancy early on, when chemotherapy is most effective, increasing the odds of survival for a disease in which outcomes are statistically poor.
August 17, 2004 FDA Investigates Death Linked to Device for Treating GERD: The federal Food and Drug Administration is probing Boston Scientific Corp.’s Enteryx device, a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), after reports of one recent death and six serious injuries among patients treated with the device.
August 09, 2004 Does Your Infant Have Frequent Heartburn?: If your infant vomits frequently or has recurring heartburn, gas, or abdominal pain, this may not be typical childhood digestion — your infant could be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
July 28, 2004 Can a Low-carb Diet Relieve GERD?: Few studies have been done on the subject of GERD and low-carb eating, but many personal testimonials indicate that the change in eating habits after embarking on a low-carb diet seems to reduce symptoms of heartburn dramatically.
July 21, 2004 Is Acid Reflux Disease Eating Away at You?: Erosion is bad enough at the beach; it shouldn't happen in your body. If you regularly experience heartburn, you may be at risk for erosion of your esophagus, an essential part of your digestive tract.
July 14, 2004 Popular Reflux Drug Approved for Teen Use : Now, teens who suffer from GERD and its related symptoms have a new reason to be optimistic about treatment. On June 30, TAP Pharmaceutical announced the FDA’s approval of the use of Prevacid in adolescent patients from the ages of 12 to 17.
June 28, 2004 Reflux, Obesity May Be Asthma Culprits: Asthma and obesity are becoming more and more common in Western society, and doctors and researchers have long suspected that there is a relationship between the two diseases.
June 16, 2004 Can PPIs help Sufferers of Sinusitis?: For years, doctors have recognized the frequent overlap of GERD and chronic sinus problems in patients. It now seems that for those who suffer from both, GERD medicine may also help relieve sinusitis symptoms.
June 09, 2004 Heartburn Prescriptions on the Rise in Iowa: Iowans have increased their use of prescription heartburn medications by 35% over the last three years, according to a new report by Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.
May 21, 2004 Study: Coffee, Carbonated Drinks Can Help Liver But Negatively Effect GI Health : Two studies unveiled Monday as part of Digestive Disease Week 2004 revealed that soda drinkers are at increased risk of developing esophageal cancer, while those who drink caffeinated beverages may be at lower risk for developing liver problems.
May 07, 2004 New Recommendations for Barrett's Esophagus Screening: A recent review article in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics outlines how often one should be screened for Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which the acid from reflux changes the cellular structure of the esophageal lining.
April 28, 2004 Acid Reflux May Not Be the Only Cause of Heartburn: While heartburn is usually associated with acid reflux, new research suggests that in some people with frequent heartburn, the pain may also be caused by abnormalities in the esophagus.
April 13, 2004 Is Your Reflux More Dangerous at Night?: While the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be troubling and uncomfortable at any time of the day or night, research indicates that the symptoms of GERD, when they do occur at night, can be more damaging than these same symptoms during the day.
March 29, 2004 Tracking Heartburn’s Flare: Heartburn is usually associated with acid reflux. Yet, in a recently published study, researchers have discovered that in some people with frequent heartburn, the pain may also be caused by abnormalities in the esophagus.
March 22, 2004 Exercise and Your GERD: For people with chronic heartburn, the battle of the bulge is even more challenging to win, since exercise often triggers acid reflux.
March 11, 2004 Propulsid Lawsuit May Reach Settlement Soon: Johnson & Johnson has offered a settlement of up to $90 million in order to resolve all federal lawsuits regarding their product Propulsid (cisapride).
March 02, 2004 The Burning Truth About Heartburn: According to the American Gastroenterological Association, about 25 million American adults suffer daily from heartburn; and the kind of relief heartburn sufferers look for can be summed up in one word-fast.
February 11, 2004 The Consequences of Untreated GERD: More than 60 million Americans have been diagnosed with painful Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD, but for those who don’t get treated, the consequences are sometimes deadly.
January 29, 2004 Antacids: Helpful, But Should Be Used With Discretion : While antacids are generally thought to be a low-risk solution for unpleasant digestive symptoms, it is also important for patients to know that as with all medications, there are some potential risks associated with antacid use.
January 16, 2004 GERD: Not Just For Grown-ups: Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD, is often regarded as an ailment that affects only adults; but in fact, many children and infants suffer from it too.
January 05, 2004 How To Beat Heartburn When You're Pregnant: More than four million women are expected to give birth this year. It is likely that a majority of these women will experience heartburn, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. If you are one of them, you don't necessarily have to suffer.
December 23, 2003 Gatekeeper System Could Help Heartburn Sufferers: Medtronic, a leading medical technology company, has announced the start of a clinical trial that could lead to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of its Gatekeeper Reflux Repair System. The system was already approved in Europe last spring.
December 09, 2003 Wishing You Heartburn-Free Holidays: ‘Tis the season for company parties and get-togethers with family and friends, but for some GERD sufferers just the sight of the holiday spread gets the esophagus burning like chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
December 03, 2003 Chronic Heartburn May Signal Serious Disease: GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is a chronic condition that currently affects more than 21 million Americans. Unfortunately, many people who suffer from GERD do not know they have it, or mistake it for common heartburn.
November 25, 2003 Avoid Reflux During Your Thanksgiving Celebration: If you’re prone to heartburn anyway, holiday eating can make it worse. Even the occasional heartburn sufferer may find that reflux thrives between Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, simple decisions can help alleviate your suffering - read Reflux1's guide to surviving the holidays.
November 21, 2003 Fifth Annual GERD Awareness Week Takes Place November 23-29: The week of Thanksgiving, traditionally a time for overeating and subsequent heartburn, marks the fifth annual GERD Awareness Week, which aims to educate people about the symptoms and risks of untreated GERD.
November 12, 2003 Halitosis an Indicator for H Pylori Infection: Blame it on the bacteria. Halitosis, the medical term for bad breath, may be a symptom of H. pylori infection, according to researchers in Turkey.
November 05, 2003 Studies Show Stretta® Procedure is Effective in Treating GERD: In the last two years, researchers at Vanderbilt University, Ponce (Puerto Rico) Gastroenterology Research, and VA Palo Alto Health Care System have published studies on the effectiveness of the Stretta® procedure for treating GERD.
October 28, 2003 Acid Reducing Drug Seems to Prevent Ulcers in Patients Taking NSAIDs: People who take pain relievers for chronic arthritis or other joint pain are four times as likely to develop ulcers as a result of the medication churning up acid in their stomachs.
October 20, 2003 Vitamin E May Reduce Cancer Risk: Two new studies add to the evidence that diet and lifestyle affect a person’s risk of developing stomach or esophagus cancer.
October 10, 2003 Aetna Gives $1 Million in Prilosec OTC Away: As Prilosec becomes available in drugstores, Aetna, Inc. will be sending a $10 coupon for the drug to 100,000 of its members with a history of using anti-reflux medications. A $10 coupon will pay for a two-week supply of the drug for each Aetna member targeted.
September 30, 2003 Bacteria May Protect Esophagus From Cancer: Bacteria present in the stomachs of about half of adults worldwide may provide protection from cancer of the esophagus, researchers disclosed earlier this year.
September 23, 2003 Sleep Apnea and Gastroesophageal Reflux Treatments Serve Dual Purpose: A team led by Dr. J. Barry O’Connor at Duke University Medical Center recently determined that continuous positive airway pressure treatment of sleep apnea can also ease symptoms of GERD.
September 15, 2003 Heartburn and Headaches: the Reflux/Migraine Connection: Many heartburn sufferers are intimately familiar with the word "trigger." Triggers are factors that can cause regurgitation of stomach contents. But less attention has been given to how reflux disease itself can trigger other health problems.
September 08, 2003 Fall Brings New Relief Options for Heartburn Sufferers: If you have ever avoided some of your favorite foods in order to reduce the pain of heartburn, you’re not alone. More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month.
August 27, 2003 Eating on the Run May Cause Reflux: Have you ever grabbed some toast on your way out the door in the morning? Does your lunch consist of a sandwich and potato chips gobbled at your desk in the five minutes between meetings? And an hour after you eat, do you ever experience that food again—in the form of heartburn?
August 14, 2003 The Influence of Obesity on Reflux Disease: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects more than 60 million American adults at least once a month. Incidentally, the same figure of 60 million accounts for how many American adults are obese. Therefore, it is not surprising that these conditions often overlap.
August 06, 2003 Pizza Reduces Cancer Risk: Splurging on a slice of pizza a week may not be a guilty pleasure after all. New research serves up a link between pizza and reduced cancer risk.
July 28, 2003 A More Comfortable Way to Diagnose GERD: Medtronic’s new Bravo™ pH monitoring system represents a significant advancement over traditional methods of diagnosing and monitoring gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD).
July 08, 2003 Prilosec to be Sold Over the Counter: Prilosec, the original "purple pill" for frequent heartburn, has received FDA approval to be sold as an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. Prilosec OTC, as it will be known, will be a pink tablet in its non-prescription form.
June 25, 2003 Gum Chewing to Reduce Acid Reflux: Chewing gum may do more than just freshen breath for the millions of Americans who experience chronic heartburn. New evidence shows it can also reduce acid reflux.
June 11, 2003 Acute Chest Pain - Heart Attack or Heartburn?: More than five million Americans check in to the emergency room every year with chest pain. Is it a heart attack or heartburn? The symptoms often bear a close resemblance - so close that it is dangerous for the patient to "self-diagnose."
May 28, 2003 GERD Aggravates Asthma: A recent study of asthmatic children by Dr. Vikram Khoshoo and other scientists indicates that not only can GERD cause or exacerbate asthma, but that asthma and asthma medications may in return cause or aggravate GERD.
May 15, 2003 Coping With Heartburn During Pregnancy: Heartburn plagues many a pregnant woman and the symptoms tend to increase through the course of the pregnancy. Many women have a difficult time finding remedies that work, but there are a range of options to ease this condition.
May 09, 2003 Is Heartburn Keeping You Up at Night?: Heartburn was keeping Django Amerson up at night. Every time he ate spicy foods late in the day, he would wake up two or three times that night, feeling like he had a lump in his throat.
April 22, 2003 Boston Scientific Announces FDA Approval for Enteryx® Technology : Boston Scientific Corporation announced it has received approval from the U.S. FDA to market the Enteryx® technology for the treatment of symptoms of GERD in patients responding to and requiring daily pharmacological therapy with PPIs.
April 09, 2003 Identifying Your Heartburn Triggers: Sometimes your heartburn wakes you up at night, and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes you feel that burning pain in the morning, and sometimes in the afternoon. Sometimes you don’t feel it at all. What’s going on?