Here we go again.
The pharmaceutical industry has made yet ANOTHER “slip-up” that has potentially threatened the lives of millions of people using one of its toxic medications.
This time it’s ranitidine (aka Zantac).
The FDA recently recalled ranitidine because it contains N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is a human carcinogen, and the attorneys are lining up to file a tsunami of lawsuits on behalf of cancer sufferers.
What makes this particularly frightening is that Zantac was at one time the best-selling drug in HISTORY…so you can just imagine the potential exposure here.
In addition to wondering if their cancer risk has been increased, most acid reflux sufferers that used ranitidine are probably wondering, “Now what do I do?”
Well, before you “slide over” to purple pills or their cousins, here’s what you must know…
The dangers of PPIs (proton pump inhibitors—like Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium)
PPIs achieve their desired result by disabling your stomach’s ability to produce acid for digestion. Less acid in your stomach means less acid to rise up in your throat and set your chest on fire.
But interfering with your stomach’s innate biological functioning can have these deadly consequences:
1- Chronic kidney disease
PPIs can cause kidney inflammation (called acute interstitial nephritis) which can progress to chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease and ultimately kidney failure (death).
2- Heart attack
In addition to reducing acid in your stomach, PPIs also reduce the acid activity of lysosomes—cells that breakdown proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. They also impact cellular functions, including those related to blood clotting. And they damage the inner lining of your arteries.
All of which raises your risk of heart attack (and death).
3- Weakened immune function
PPIs cause poor digestion (because stomach acid is needed to properly digest proteins), which leads to imbalances in your gut microbiome.
Since your gut houses 80 percent of your immune system, unhealthy changes in the makeup of the microbiome can lead to weakened immune function.
Your immune system protects you against cancer, so this is yet again another way PPIs raise your death risk.
4- Dementia and Alzheimer’s
In the course of sabotaging your digestion and absoprtion of nutrients, PPIs also increase your risk of dementia and Alzhemier’s due to reduced absorption of essential brain nutrients (especially Vitamin B12).
In addtion, PPIs have been shown in studies to increase the brain’s concentration of amyloid-beta—an amino acid that is the main component of the characteristic amyloid “plaques” found in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers.
Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the US.
5- And more!
Over and above the ways PPIs can potentially kill you, they also:
- Cause gas, bloating and constipation (because of destroyed digestion)
- Increase your risk of fractures (due to reduced absorption of bone-building vitamins and minerals)
- Lead to low energy levels and metabolism (a result of impaired Vitamin B12 absorption)
- Make you more susceptible to food poisoning (since stomach acid kills many dangerous microbes in your food)
So what is the answer?
Now that you see that PPIs are basically no safer than ranitidine, it’s time to look at what’s really happening with your acid reflux, and take safe, natural measures to eliminate it at its root cause!
Acid reflux (aka GERD or heartburn) is nothing more than your body being unable to properly break down and digest what you’ve eaten.
And there are four primary reasons that this happens:
#1: Your diet
The Standard American Diet (SAD) is murder on your digestive system. It’s loaded with processed foods, fast food and meals that are next to impossible for your body to effectively break down.
If you have a typical diet like this, it's time to face facts--YOUR DIET is a primary cause of your misery.
Accept it, stop making excuses and do something about it--like changing your diet to include more nutritious REAL foods, and lay off the soda while you’re at it.
Make your meals inherently easier to digest. My Great Taste No Pain system will show you how to do this. It’s just a matter of pairing foods together in your meals that your system can break down easier!
I guarantee you will see a HUGE difference in your reflux almost immediately.
#2: Enzyme deficiencies
If you've eaten a typical American diet for quite some time, chances are excellent that you have expended far more digestive enzymes than Nature intended you to because processed foods are very hard for your system to break down.
As a result, your body's ability to produce proper enzyme levels may be diminished...and this can be a major contributing factor to poor digestion and acid reflux!
If you suspect low enzymes are a concern for you, then a full-spectrum enzyme formula like Digestizol Max can give your body the help it needs to completely break down all your foods!
Plus its herbal blend (including ginger, fennel and peppermint) helps to soothe inflammation in the GI tract.
Digestizol Max has been helping to eradicate acid reflux and heartburn for thousands of our satisfied clients for over 10 years!
Now that’s success!
#3: Stress
Digestion is a parasympathetic process, meaning your body must be in a relaxed, non-stressed state for it to be accomplished.
Eating in a relaxed state also encourages you to eat slower, which means that your body can recognize satiety before you overeat (which in turn can mean weight loss!).
But if you instead eat when your sympathetic nervous system is in gear (such as when you're working, driving, emotionally upset, rushing, etc.) that can have a devastating impact on your digestion and lead to reflux.
So slow down and relax! Avoid eating in a stressed state. Set aside time for meals and don't eat on the run.
#4: Smoking
Smoking harms your digestive system in a number of ways.
Smokers get peptic ulcers more often than nonsmokers. Smoking also raises your risk of developing Crohn's disease and gallstones, and it can worsen liver disease and pancreatitis.
In addition, smoking is associated with cancer of the digestive organs, including the stomach and colon.
Oh, and it worsens heartburn and acid reflux too.
So if you are a smoker, these are several more very good reasons to quit.
There are a lot of smoking cessation aids and programs out there—pick one and get going. And don’t get discouraged if you fall off the wagon—just get back on and try again! Most smokers report having to try quitting several times before they succeeded.
However, I must caution you against resorting to vaping or Chantix. Vaping presents health dangers of its own, and the list of frightening side effects from Chantix includes anger, anxiety, behavior changes and suicidal thoughts.
When you safely and naturally help your body accomplish digestion, a whole new world without acid reflux will open up for you!
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
