Hello, this is Monica Reinagle, and you're listening to the nutrition TV,

quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous.

Okay, I'd like to see a show of hands.

How many of you take Pepysic, Puylissac, Prevacid, or another acid blocking medication

on a regular basis?

Right, I see a lot of hands, and that's not surprising.

Acid reducing or blocking medications are among the most commonly prescribed drugs,

and also among the most popular over-the-counter medications.

They're usually used to treat the symptoms of GERD, which stands for

gastrointestinal reflux disease, more commonly known as reflux or even just plain old

heartburn. Reflux is when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus or the throat and it can cause chest pain, burping, sore throat, asthma, coughs, bad breath and other unpleasant symptoms.

Reflux is a really big deal among singers because it can make

your voice horse. And there's an even scarier possibility. Chronic reflux can

increase your risk of esophageal cancer. So it's no wonder that doctors are so quick to prescribe acid-blocking medications when their patients report heartburn.

These drugs are usually pretty effective at reducing reflux symptoms.

Of course, if you stop taking them, the symptoms tend to come back.

So many people and their doctors have simply accepted that the medications will need to be

taken indefinitely.

Well, I'm not sure that's such a good idea.

Shutting down acid production might reduce your reflux symptoms,

but your body produces stomach acid for a reason.

It helps you digest your food, particularly proteins. It kills harmful bacteria that might otherwise cause food poisoning.

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