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treating acid reflux

6 Ways to Improve Acid Reflux Symptoms Naturally and Stay Heart Healthy

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In 2015, a study from Stanford University suggested that the long-term use of certain medications used to treat symptoms associated with acid reflux can increase one’s risk of having a heart attack. Since its publication, studies continue to confirm its findings.

These medications, known as Proton Pump Inhibitors or PPIs, include the brand-names Prevacid, Nexium, and Prilosec, and are the strongest medications available to counter the effects of excess stomach acid. They are used to both prevent and treat ulcers, and to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). PPIs are among the most widely prescribed class of medications in the United States.

About the 2015 study

After analyzing millions of medical records to find a relationship between heartburn medications and cardiovascular risk, researchers found that there was indeed a link between the two variables; people who used a PPI as part of their treatment for GERD had an elevated risk of suffering a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. Furthermore, they found that this risk did not apply to patients who used another class of heartburn medications, called H2 blockers, which include brand names such as Pepcid or Zantac.

More recently, research has confirmed that the long-term use of PPIs not only increases the risk of a cardiac event, but can also increase the risk of dementia.

It’s important to note that when used appropriately as a short term treatment, PPIs can be effective to ease acid reflux symptoms. However, since PPIs are available over the counter, the risk of over-use increases as individuals are not necessarily aware of the long-term risks.

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Equally important to note is that some people who use a PPI may have a pre-existing condition that can cause an increased risk of having a heart attack. For example, obesity, alcohol consumption, and smoking are all risk factors for heart disease, and have all individually been shown to increase symptoms of acid reflux and GERD in clinical trials. These lifestyle factors must be taken into consideration before use. The bottom line is that one must always assess the actual risks and benefits of any medical intervention, and explore other possible interventions, before starting any medication.

6 Ways to Improve Acid Reflux Symptoms Naturally and Stay Heart Healthy

  1. Change your diet: Keeping a healthy weight is not only better for your heart, it’s better for controlling heartburn too! Spicy, fatty, or acidic foods can trigger heartburn so avoiding these types of foods makes a difference. Try eating smaller meals more frequently, cutting back on your caffeine intake, and don’t eat close to bedtime. Also, talk to your doctor about supplements such as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) & high-dose melatonin – two supplements that we prescribe to our patients at the Center with great results.
  1. Get tested for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth): Normally, the small intestine contains relatively few bacteria. Most intestinal bacteria are confined to the large intestine. A bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine can cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. It also interferes with normal digestion and absorption of food and can cause damage to the lining or membrane of the small intestine, which ironically can also be caused by prolonged use of an acid-suppressing medication. SIBO can often be an underlying cause of GERD and other gastrointestinal conditions – if you test positive for SIBO, treatment includes dietary modifications as well as probiotic supplementation, and in some cases, an antibiotic.
  1. Cut back on alcohol consumption: Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can cause high blood pressure, a major risk factor for having a heart attack. While the research remains inconsistent on alcohol consumption as a cause of GERD, some studies have demonstrated that alcohol can contribute to its progression. If alcohol aggravates your GERD, your doctor may recommend that you limit or avoid consumption.
  1. Keep exercising: If you have heartburn or GERD you may notice that intense exercise can worsen your symptoms. Don’t let this keep you away from physical activity! Exercise is essential for optimal health and it’s particularly important in maintaining a healthy heart. For GERD sufferers, the trick is to find the right balance for your body to keep your symptoms at bay. Avoid physical activity after eating and try less jarring activities. Exercises that put your abs to work, like running, biking, and weightlifting, have been found to trigger symptoms more frequently because of stomach contractions, so these are good ones to avoid.
  1. Quit smoking, today: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. It can damage the cells that line the blood vessels, causing them to thicken and narrow, thereby allowing clots to form, which can, in turn, block blood flow to the heart. A study published in the journal Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology showed that cigarette smoking can also increase the occurrence of acid reflux. If you have tried independently to quit smoking but have not been able to kick the habit, talk to your doctor today about cessation programs and support groups in your community.
  1. Try acupuncture or meditation: Alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and meditation, are both immune boosters and stress reducers that have consistently shown that they can improve GERD symptoms in patients.

Additional resources:

Updated Insights on Cardiac and Vascular Risks of Proton Pump Inhibitors: A Real-World Pharmacovigilance Study

Association of Proton Pump Inhibitors With Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Failure

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    Updated February 16. 2023.

    SCIM_Broken_heart

    Broken Heart Syndrome: When Sudden Loss or Stress (Literally) Breaks Your Heart

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    Have you ever suffered a broken heart?

    Everyone can understand the intense pain, heartache, and distress that comes with dealing with a broken heart, especially when it’s due to a loss of a family member or dear friend. Unfortunately, these extreme stress situations can rob us of our health. We know how closely intertwined our emotional and physical states are, but can a person actually die of a broken heart?

    What causes broken heart syndrome?

    Stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM), also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy and/or “Broken Heart Syndrome,” is a real cardiac condition triggered by extreme stress or anxiety from a traumatic event. Along with the loss of a loved one, other emotional or physical stressors like natural disasters, car accidents, sudden financial loss or gain (think lottery!), domestic violence, or even a sudden shock, could all provoke an attack.

    A study published in JAMA Network Open confirmed that pandemic-related stress has caused an increase in stress-induced cardiomyopathy.

    What happens when someone has broken heart syndrome?

    In such cases, a rush of stress hormones causes one part of the heart to bulge, forcing the rest of the heart to work harder. As a result, the heart is unable to pump blood normally. Under these circumstances, a person will experience symptoms similar to a heart attack, like chest pain and shortness of breath, but with no signs of coronary artery disease.

    Luckily for most, with treatment, the heart is able to return to its normal state. But SICM can also be fatal.

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    How is broken heart syndrome treated?

    Treatment for Broken Heart Syndrome/SICM typically includes medications that are used to treat heart attack victims, like beta-blockers, which relieve the excessive strain on the heart. However as research continues on SICM it questions whether this form of treatment is actually effective, as this study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded: “Although it has been proposed that beta-blockers might prevent takotsubo cardiomyopathy events, the condition developed in 32.5% of the patients in our study while they were taking these agents. Of 57 patients with recurrent takotsubo cardiomyopathy, 29 were taking beta-blockers at the time of the second event. These data suggest that beta-blockers are not effective in preventing takotsubo cardiomyopathy.”

    Another study, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, led by Dr. Harmony Reynolds of NYU Langone Medical Center, looked at the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for helping the body calm down) as a major player in SICM and proposed that treatments such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises, may be beneficial in preventing attacks by strengthening the mind-body relationship.

    Dr. Reynolds’ research also aims at explaining why as much as 90% of patients diagnosed with SICM are post-menopausal women. Some suspect that the reason for this may be the loss of estrogen during menopause (estrogen is cardio-protective in that it improves blood flow to the heart; as levels drop one’s risk for a cardiac event increases).

    And while Broken Heart Syndrome is relatively rare in the big picture, only counting for 1-2% of patients with heart attack symptoms, the pain you feel after suffering a loss can also cause other negative health effects. Not getting enough sleep or proper nutrition (both common occurrences while coping with a loss or stressful situations), can suppress your immune system, and put you at a greater risk for developing other illnesses.

    While there is no way to predict how your body will react to a traumatic event, there are things you can do to put yourself in the best position for coping with stress and recovering from a cardiac event.

    1) Know the signs and symptoms of a cardiac event.

    Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for men and the #1 cause of death for women in the United States. Typical symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, dizziness, shortness of breath, breaking out into a cold sweat, and/or heart palpitations. Women may present different signs and symptoms than men, like abdominal pain or nausea, shortness of breath with or without chest pain, back, neck, jaw, and arm pain.

    While there may be no warning for sudden cardiac arrest, anyone experiencing any of the symptoms above should call 911 immediately.

    2) Take care of yourself.

    This includes eating a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet and maintaining a regular sleep schedule. If you are having difficulty falling or staying asleep don’t put off talking to your physician. A healthy sleep pattern is absolutely essential for good health. If you are a smoker, quit.

    3) Keep up with a regular exercise routine.

    Physical activity is anything that gets you moving. If you have never engaged in regular exercise start with a simple and easy to keep walking routine. However, try not to work out when stress or emotions are running high; a study of over 12,000 people showed that heavy exercise while angry or emotionally stressed tripled the incidence of a heart attack.

    4) Take up a mind-body therapy.

    Meditation, yoga, and breathing practices, such as Pranayama, can prompt a cascade of physiological effects including decreases in blood pressure, stress, and heart rate, and increases in immune function, mood, and vitality.

    5) Talk with a therapist or grief counselor.

    Speaking with a professional can help you navigate the more complex emotions surrounding the loss of a friend or family member, or coping with a current or past trauma.

    6) Speak with a doctor about your health concerns

    Even if you’re not sure if your symptoms are related to your emotional state keeping your doctor informed is extremely important, particularly if you suffer from any chronic medical conditions.

    We are here for you, and we want to help.

    Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

    Inflammation as a predictor of heart disease.

    Why Cholesterol Levels Are Not the Best Predictor of Heart Disease

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    Individuals with higher-than-normal cholesterol levels are commonly prescribed statins in the hope of reducing their risk of heart disease or stroke. Yet, medical research indicates that statins actually have very limited usefulness in preventing heart disease unless the patient already has a personal history of the disease. This may be due, in part, to the fact that cholesterol is just one of a series of factors that put an individual at risk.

    Furthermore, statin use over a prolonged period has been linked to an increased risk of Type II Diabetes. A  study published in spring 2015 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, cited this connection among healthy adults at baseline.

    In the study – Statins and New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Complications: A Retrospective Cohort Study of US Healthy Adults – researchers looked at a pool of 25,970 adult patients defined for the purposes of the study as “healthy” (i.e., free of heart disease, diabetes, and other severe chronic diseases). From this pool, 3351 statin users and 3351 non-users were propensity score-matched based on 42 baseline characteristics. The results were striking: statin users were almost twice as likely to develop diabetes, more than twice as likely to develop diabetic complications, and slightly more likely to become overweight/obese than their counterparts.

    Recent studies continue to confirm the link:

    Statins and the potential for higher diabetes mellitus risk
    Statin users have an elevated risk of dysglycemia and new-onset-diabetes

    Inflammation as a predictor of heart disease

    Inflammation is a much more reliable predictor of one’s risk of developing heart disease than cholesterol and is easily measured by looking at a patient’s C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. What’s also heartening (pun intended) is that inflammation can be reduced dramatically by making modest lifestyle changes.

    Statins do have a place in treating heart disease, but before medical practitioners prescribe a statin whose side-effects can range from an increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes to muscle pain or weakness, headaches, sore throat, sinusitis, nausea, and liver problems, it makes sense to first look at alternative, natural, and inexpensive ways of lowering inflammation in the body.

    Here are 5 steps that you can take immediately to reduce inflammation in your body (and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke):

    1. If you smoke, stop. Smoking unquestionably raises the inflammatory factors in the body and dramatically increases your risk, not only for heart attack and stroke but also for cancers.
    2. Eliminate inflammatory foods and add Omega-3’s to your diet. An anti-inflammatory diet is one that eliminates fatty and fried foods (especially foods containing trans fats and saturated fats) and includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in a wide variety of fish, olive oil, and nuts, help reduce inflammation in the body and are also effective in treating arthritis, depression, ADD, and ADHD.
    3. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise (ideally 10,000 steps per day if it is possible) has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and with it, the risk of developing a great number of diseases. If you have limited options right now as many of us do, think creatively. Exercise could be doing your own stairs throughout the day, yoga, bodyweight exercises, even your own living room dance party!
    4. Meditate daily. Meditation helps reduce inflammation by improving the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This axis is responsible for regulating the blood pressure and heart rate, as well as the body’s production of cortisone, an anti-inflammatory hormone.
    5. Make every effort to improve your sleep. More than ever people are having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. A healthy & regular nightly sleep pattern allows your heart rate to slow down and your blood pressure to drop, reducing stress on the heart. Lack of sleep compromises the normal functioning of your immune system, and long-term sleep deprivation causes your body and brain to be in a chronic state of inflammation. This not only increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, but can also increase the risk of obesity, chronic pain, ADD, depression, and anxiety.

    We are here for you, and we want to help.

    Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

    HRV Biofeedback for Managing Stress

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    Emotions, even more than thoughts, activate and drive the physiological changes in the stress response. Feelings of anxiety, irritation, frustration, impatience, and hopelessness are what people mean when they say they are “stressed out.”

    For optimal health and resilience, it is important to regulate emotional reactions because they are what push the imbalance in the nervous system. The heart is a key component of the emotional system and negative emotions sap our energy and rob us of the ability to think clearly. You can either deplete or renew your physical, mental, and emotional energy reserves.

    “Fight or Flight” versus “Rest and Digest”

    Heart Rate Variable (HRV) is a biomarker of the balance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The ANS is tied to every automatic process in the body and is comprised of two main branches that work together to control the body’s stress and recovery processes.

    Under stress, one branch of your nervous system, the “fight or flight” branch, becomes very active. When this happens, HRV goes down and there is an imbalance between the two branches.

    In an ideal situation, the stress is only temporary, the “rest, digest, and recover” branch of the nervous system kicks in causing the HRV to go up again, and the nervous system returns to equilibrium. However, a busy, frenetic, and stressful lifestyle can cause the imbalance to persist throwing the system into a chronic state of fight or flight.

    Because this shift happens at such a gradual pace, we might not even notice there is a problem. In fact, a chronic state of fight or flight can become so familiar that any other way of being can just feel wrong and unfamiliar.

    Since the insidious effect of long-term stress may be the single most harmful assault against our body’s health, getting an objective measure of it is important.

    Click here to learn more about Heart Rate Variability assessments.

    We are here for you, and we want to help.

    Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2