Send us a text There is certainly an enormous amount of discussion regarding GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic,, Semaglutide, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. And it's no wonder considering 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese. To optimize gut health and avoid acid reflux and hiatal hernia, losing weight is a key component. It's not the only factor, but an important one. GLP-1 drugs mimic the action of the hormone GLP-1 which is released into your small intestine from L cells in response to eating. GL...
Jul 24, 2025•10 min
Send us a text Do you have a chronic cough that's driving you crazy? (not to mention those around you!) Have you been treated for asthma, allergies or bronchitis but the medications don't seem to do any good? Here are the reasons why! 1. Acid, bile or pepsin (the main digestive enzyme in your stomach which breaks down proteins) from the stomach can reflux into the esophagus and even reach your larynx (voice box) or airways. This triggers a reflexive cough to clear the throat or lungs. This mecha...
Jul 20, 2025•6 min
Send us a text There's a strong causative link between constipation, acid reflux and hiatal hernia. First, a look at the statistics: Up to 20% of the population suffers, but this is highly under-reported due to so many people suffering who don't realize they are actually constipated. Women are at double the risk of men. The percentage goes up to 33% in older adults The definition of constipation is less than 3 bowel movements per week, but the ideal definition of a normal bowel is 1 to 3 movemen...
Jul 17, 2025•12 min
Send us a text If you've been considering Hiatal Hernia surgery I'm glad you're here. I am not typically a fan of the surgery but that doesn't mean I never think it should be done. The majority of hiatal hernias are small and sliding, and much can be done conservatively to regain optimal functioning of your GI tract. If this is you, then this video, and in fact this channel is for you! Large hiatal hernias and paraesophageal hiatal hernias are a different story where surgery is often the only op...
Jul 14, 2025•15 min
Send us a text If you have acid reflux or hiatal hernia, you may very well have gastroparesis, which means your stomach is digesting food much slower than it should.
Jul 13, 2025•13 min
Send us a text Do you have acid reflux or a hiatal hernia, are you sometimes short of breath or anxious? We're going to discuss the connection these symptoms can have to your low back and hip. An unlikely connection on the face of it, but highly important once you understand how the connection occurs. We're talking about your psoas muscle (the "p" is silent - SO-as) which runs from your lower back to your thigh bone (femur). It's a hip flexor, so if you're sitting right now and you lift your thi...
Jul 12, 2025•12 min
Send us a text It can be frustrating to suffer with burning, nausea and what seems like acid reflux, only to be told you don't seem to have excess acid or you're given PPI medications that don't work for you. Do you have any of the following symptoms? Burning Nausea, especially after fatty meals Bitter taste in your mouth or the back of your throat Nighttime reflux Gastritis or esophagitis without a high acid level If you do, you may be suffering from the effects of bile acids, not stomach acids...
Jul 11, 2025•16 min
Send us a text Do you have a chronic cough that's driving you crazy? (not to mention those around you!) Have you been treated for asthma, allergies or bronchitis but the medications don't seem to do any good? Here are the reasons why! 1. Acid, bile or pepsin (the main digestive enzyme in your stomach which breaks down proteins) from the stomach can reflux into the esophagus and even reach your larynx (voice box) or airways. This triggers a reflexive cough to clear the throat or lungs. This mecha...
Jul 07, 2025•9 min
Send us a text If you're contemplating surgery for your hiatal hernia, or you've already had one and are unhappy with the results, I think you'll find this information very enlightening. First let's review the size of the normal esophagus and how much the opening expands with a small to medium hiatal hernia. The end of your esophagus is just under 1 inch (0.98). Where the stomach joins with the esophagus the diameter increases 4/10 to 8/10 of an inch. Thus, a small hiatal hernia has widened the ...
Jul 01, 2025•25 min
Send us a text If you're a mouth breather, you could be creating an environment for acid reflux and hiatal hernia. Mouth breathing, due to congestion or inflammation can contribute to a weakened diaphragm, altering its mechanics, increasing intra-abdominal pressure, and leading to poor posture. Nasal breathing, or normal breathing, engages the diaphragm fully and rhythmically, helping to prevent acid reflux and hiatal hernia. Chronic mouth breathing encourages shallow chest breathing using the u...
Jun 30, 2025•12 min
Send us a text Your body has a natural Anti-Reflux Barrier designed to prevent reflux from occurring – it's composed of 3 structures: 1. LES (lower esophageal sphincter) 2. Crural diaphragm – tendons from the lumbar spine that form a “crura” (like another sphincter) which surrounds the opening where the esophagus passes through the diaphragm and prevents reflux – it lies above the LES by just a small distance. 3. Phrenoesophageal ligament – anchors to the esophagus and the diaphragm both, and ho...
Jun 27, 2025•17 min
Send us a text Are you taking a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) to address the symptoms of your acid reflux? Please note that acid reflux does not occur due to excess acid, but rather pressure inappropriately placed upon your stomach, forcing the acid up your esophagus and thus the symptoms of reflux. The decreased acid in your stomach creates problems for your liver, particularly leading to liver inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver. The diminished acid levels allow bacteria to overgrow in yo...
Jun 25, 2025•14 min
Send us a text If you have acid reflux but still suffer with symptoms despite using medication, you may suffer from bile reflux. You can have both acid reflux and bile reflux, or you can have bile reflux only. Let's delve into it. Symptoms of bile reflux include many of the same symptoms of acid reflux. They include: upper abdominal pain or burning nausea after eating cough or sore throat if the bile reaches the upper esophagus vomiting (may be yellow-green if it contains bile) unresponsive to P...
Jun 23, 2025•17 min
Send us a text I'm frequently asked if H2 blockers are safer than PPIs. Let's take a look. To review the dangers of PPIs first, they are associated with the following: Nutrient deficiencies Gut microbiome disruption Infections Depression and Anxiety Loss of libido Kidney problems Osteoporosis Stroke, heart attack risk Stomach cancer, and more... H2 blocks work by this mechanism: They block histamine-induced acid secretion in your stomach. Histamine triggers your stomach cells (parietal cells) to...
Jun 20, 2025•13 min
Send us a text Macadamia nuts can help you have a healthier gut which everyone should be interested in, but they also improve mental clarity, stabilize your blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity and may help you lose weight. Macadamia nuts and nuts in general help act as a prebiotic, feeding particular bacteria in your gut, helping to keep nice diversification of your microbiome. They help in mental clarity because they are high in omega-3 fatty acids while being low in omega-6s. Eating more ...
Jun 19, 2025•7 min
Send us a text If you suffer from acid reflux or have a hiatal hernia, you've likely been tested for H. pylori (Helicobacter Pylori), a bacteria found in the stomach which is the number one cause of stomach and duodenal (top part of your small intestine) ulcers. The most common way to test for it is during an endoscopy, although stool testing can be done as well. The symptoms of H. pylori are a bit vague and can mimic acid reflux, making it often missed. Unfortunately a chronic infection has a l...
Jun 19, 2025•12 min
Send us a text PPI medication is very commonly prescribed for acid reflux but it's important to know its various side effects, of which there are many. Today I'll review the increased risk of infections, what types and the mechanisms involved. Your stomach's acid is a key part of your body's natural defense system against pathogens, both bacteria and virus alike. When the acid level is decreased more pathogens survive and can reach your intestines and respiratory tract. 1. Clostridium difficile ...
May 30, 2025•12 min
Send us a text If you have Hiatal Hernia Syndrome you may have been told you have a shortened esophagus. A shortened esophagus can put you at risk for, or worsen, a hiatal hernia. I'm going to review why it happens and what you can do about it. One cause is due to chronic reflux and the acid has damaged your esophagus to such an extent that it goes beyond inflammation of the esophageal tissues and becomes scar tissue (fibrosis). Scar tissue does not have the "elasticity" of healthy tissue and it...
May 29, 2025•14 min
Send us a text Patients often ask how they can tell between "legitimate" digestion issues and anxiety. They want to know if the cause of their symptoms is "just anxiety" or something else. With Hiatal Hernia Syndrome common symptoms include acid reflux, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and anxiety. But too often, while the reflux can be confirmed, visits to specialists fail to find anything wrong with your heart or lungs, and then when the complaint of anxiety or panic attacks is added to...
May 22, 2025•18 min
Send us a text Many Americans suffer from gastrointestinal complaints including: Gas, bloating, indigestion, SIBO, gastroparesis, constipation, diarrhea or IBS, to name a few. These problems go beyond the discomfort associated with them, they are compromising your overall health in a major way. When you think of it, digestion allows you to feed your 10 trillion cells. Therefore when digestion is compromised it impacts your health across the board. It can't be overstated how important it is to op...
May 20, 2025•11 min
Send us a text One of the dangers from taking PPIs for years is an increased risk for dementia. What is the mechanism associated with this? We are going to look at 4 different mechanisms. The first is the creation of a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is essential for producing neurotransmitters. GABA is such an example and with low GABA you can experience cognitive dysfunction along with anxiety and insomnia. Magnesium is anti-inflammatory. If its low oxidative damage occurs to nerve tissue alon...
May 17, 2025•11 min
Send us a text A common question in the area of digestive health has to do with gas and bloating. Why am I always bloated? Why do I look pregnant after eating? Gas and bloating is not only embarrassing but it can be confusing when you're trying to eat well. It's also pretty darn uncomfortable and can be quite painful. What's important is to appreciate what it means, and that is your gut is not functioning normally, and over time that's going to create a variety of health issues that are serious ...
May 16, 2025•15 min
Send us a text I use the term "inflammation" often so let's discuss it more in depth. Inflammation is at the root of all the degenerative diseases we're trying to avoid including heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, cognitive decline, obesity and cancer. But what is it? Inflammation is ongoing activation of the immune system either acutely (for a short time) or chronically (long term). The acute inflammation is the good protective kind that heals you up quickly after a cut or an infectio...
May 08, 2025•13 min
Send us a text There's a type of reflux which is atypical and "silent" because it doesn't create the typical symptoms of acid reflux. It's LRP - laryngopharyngeal reflux. Your larynx is your voice box, and your pharynx is your throat. This condition is frequently misdiagnosed as allergies, infections (like chronic sinusitis), vocal strain, or even anxiety-related throat tension, when it's actually a form of acid reflux. And endoscopies are frequently normal so going through that test is no help ...
May 07, 2025•13 min
Send us a text I'm frequently asked if acid reflux can feel like a heart attack. It absolutely can and that occurs due to two main reasons. Anatomy, or geography, is one reason - the stomach, esophagus and heart lie very close to one another. Therefore the burning of acid up into the esophagus can be felt in the chest and surrounding area, therefore mimicking a heart attack. Even pressure in the chest, which occurs with a heart attack, can happen with reflux. There is another reason which relate...
May 02, 2025•11 min
Send us a text I'm frequently asked "Why has my doctor been unable to diagnose my Hiatal Hernia Syndrome?" "Why have I lived all these years suffering and received no help?" Let's first review what Hiatal Hernia Syndrome is. It's the coming together of about 20 different symptoms with a common root cause. It frequently starts with acid reflux, bloat, gas, constipation, and then over time other symptoms occur such as heart palpitation, shortness of breath, anxiety, mood swings, light headed, ting...
Apr 30, 2025•12 min
Send us a text If you've been considering Hiatal Hernia surgery, you've likely been told that surgery has a very high success rate and that you can expect to no longer need your PPI (antacid medication), and there are no long term side effects. Surgery is always a risk, but the outcomes sound pretty good when you consider what you are told in the main. Study from 2001 published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) entitled "Long-term outcome of medical and surgical therapies for...
Apr 28, 2025•11 min
Send us a text This video reviews the story of how we discovered Hiatal Hernia Syndrome, its start, its evolution and where we are now. Patient 1 was over 30 years ago - a young woman who awoke in the middle of the night with heart palpitations, trouble breathing and panic. As so many of you have experienced the diagnosis was a panic attack. She did have chronic bloating and constipation but she never suffered with anxiety. We treated her digestive issues and she resolved beautifully and she nev...
Apr 25, 2025•40 min
Send us a text Do you take PPI medication? If you or someone you know does, please give a listen. There are some significant dangers associated with this drug that you must know about. It's a very commonly prescribed medication for acid reflux - over 110 million prescriptions annually in the U.S. A 2014 study published in the International Journal of Cardiology wanted to determine the risk of heart attack with those individuals taking the drug as compared to those who did not. The individuals st...
Apr 24, 2025•8 min
Send us a text 90% of Americans are deficient in omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s make up your cell membranes, your nervous and brain tissue. They are cardioprotective and are highly anti-inflammatory. There's an omega 3 index test where a high index is 8% or more, and those with a high index have a higher life expectancy by 5 years over the average American. In Japan, where they have a very high index of 10% due to all the fish they eat, they enjoy a long life expectancy. They also found that moth...
Apr 16, 2025•5 min
