Zantac in the News

Zantac Taken Off Shelves

At the beginning of April, the Food and Drug Administration announced that all Zantac products and generic versions of the heartburn medication should be taken off pharmacy shelves immediately.

This includes prescription and over-the-counter forms of the antacid. The move comes after months of investigation into certain lots of ranitidine that were found to contain trace amounts of a contaminant called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

The World Health Organization has classified the contaminant as a “probable human carcinogen.”

HOW TO HEAL GERD AND HEARTBURN NATURALLY

Acid reflux (or GERD) is when acid gets pushed up into the esophagus. Once in awhile won’t hurt you, but if it happens often, it burns the inside of the esophagus. Symptoms are known as heartburn, which is a burning feeling in the throat or chest. Researchers estimate that this affects about 7% of our population daily. With heartburn medicine causing cancer dominating the news, it is very important to find natural ways to control this condition.  And it can definitely be controlled  Here’s what you can do.

1.      Don’t overeat. Have you ever noticed that when you overeat, and especially when you mix a variety of different foods together, you experience heartburn?  Eat lighter and choose healthy combinations.

2.     Lose weight.  Belly fat adds pressure in your abdomen that may become so high that the lower esophageal sphincter gets pushed upward, away from the diaphragm’s support. This condition is known as hiatus hernia. This makes people at increased risk for reflux and heartburn. My Sipping Skinny Program can help you lose weight.

3.     Eat a low-carb diet.  This can help relieve reflux. Several studies have shown that a low carb diet does improve refills symptoms. Especially reduce gluten (bread, dough) products and starches such as potatoes and rice.

4.     Avoid alcohol as much as possible. Studies have shown that moderate alcohol intake may even cause reflux symptoms in healthy individuals

5.     Avoid coffee as much as possible. It has been shown that caffeine temporarily weakens the lower esophageal sphincter, increasing the risk of acid reflux.

6.     Avoid raw onions. They can increase heartburn.

7.     Avoid carbonated beverages. They weaken the lower esophageal sphincter.

8.     Avoid too much citrus juice, which can worsen reflux symptoms.

9.     Mix 2 teaspoons of pure apple cider vinegar in 6 oz. of water and drink 15 minutes before a meal. This is possibly one of the most important things you can do to heal acid reflux.  Though not true for everyone, a large percent of acid reflux sufferers actually have low stomach acid which causes the symptoms. If this helps you, then you should take HCLBetaine in the middle of your meal. If it doesn’t help, then you might benefit from mixing a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water.

10.   Cabbage juice, with its ulcer-healing factor, works for both indigestion and gastritis.

11.   Fennel juice aids digestion and relieves gas.