Reflux Meds: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Last month, the medical journal BMJ Open published research linking the use of PPI’s, or proton-pump inhibitors, with increased risk of death.

PPI’s are frequently used to treat serious gastrointestinal issues like ulcers, GI bleeds and reflux, and are one of the most commonly used classes of drugs. They’re a powerful tool, but research continues to show that long-term use is a bad idea.

PPI’s are generally meant to be short-term prescriptions, but people often end up taking them for months or years to control symptoms, especially in the US where they’re available over the counter in various forms.

According to the study, however, the longer the drugs are used, the higher the risk of mortality. Past research has also linked this class of drugs to kidney damage, dementia, and bone fractures.

The moral of the story? Take it when you need it and no more!

But My Digestive Issues are Ruining My Life!

GI issues can be extremely challenging to live with. It’s no wonder people turn to whatever works. But there are other solutions for many sufferers. Issues of the gastrointestinal tract are where naturopathic medicine shines, and there are many ways to treat upper GI complaints without prescription medications.

The place to start, of course, is your diet. That may seem obvious, but astonishingly, this is still frequently discounted in conventional medicine. Despite the fact that your entire GI tract exists to deal with food, we seemed determined to not see food as a GI issue. It is.

Here are a few suggestions from the naturopathic toolkit:

  • Food intolerances and inflammatory foods are real culprits here. Get yourself tested, and avoid reactive foods strictly.
  • Avoid coffee, cigarettes, and booze. They all stimulate acid secretion and an inflammatory response. If you are doing these things and also NOT eating, that makes things worse. You are stimulating the digestive tract and not putting anything in it–a double whammy.
  • Cultivate a healthy flora. Probiotics and foods that support healthy flora, like fermented foods, keep the digestive tract working well and help prevent H.pylori and other imbalances of GI bacteria that can cause trouble.
  • Talk to your chiropractor or osteopath. Sometimes the “valve” that keeps the contents of the stomach in the stomach gets stuck open. This can be made worse by sitting too much. An adjustment can get things back in line.
  • Better still, as always, stay active and maintain a healthy weight for your body type.

Digestive issues are among the most challenging to diagnose, and they often mean difficult lifestyle changes, at least in the short term. But compared to the side-effects of long-term PPI use, the sacrifices are small!

To uncover your food intolerances, or get to the root cause of your digestive troubles, book an appointment with one of our Collingwood naturopathic doctors.