Question: I recently started taking medication for acid reflux. But the medication would cause more problems than the reflux. Do you know of a natural remedy I could take instead of omeprazole?
Dr. Brownstein's Answer:
Omeprazole (Prilosec) is part of a class of pharmaceutical medications known as proton pump inhibitors. I describe the problems of this class of drugs in greater detail in my book, "Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies That Do."
You are right: There can be many problems associated with long-term use of proton pump inhibitors. First, you should search for what is causing the reflux. Common causes of reflux include having too much abdominal weight, eating a poor diet, and not drinking enough water.
These problems can all be rectified by eating a healthier diet and losing weight.
Sometimes aloe vera juice can provide good relief from reflux. However, you do not want to let reflux esophagitis persist — it can be associated with severe problems such as esophageal cancer. A holistic approach to reflux can minimize the use of acid-blocking medications.
Keep in mind that sometimes these medications are indicated for severe reflux cases.
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