General Health Quotes

Telltale and red flags for neurogenic cough: 1. Cough from talking or singing; 2. Cough caused by changes in temperature or air conditioning; 3. Cough caused by perfume or other fumes; 4. Presence of other neurogenic symptoms such as odynophonia (painful speaking) or painful burning throat. (Throat-burn is typically a neurogenic symptom and not a common symptom of reflux). [2014] - Jamie Koufman

For the treatment of neurogenic cough, I generally use just three medications alone or in combination: Amitriptyline (Elavil), Gabapentin (Neurontin), Tramadol (Ultram). [2014] - Jamie Koufman

Besides chronic cough, the most common symptoms of silent airway reflux are chronic throat clearing, hoarseness, choking episodes, trouble swallowing, lump-in-the-throat sensation, shortness of breath and asthma. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

Reflux is not a chronic disease. If you can completely stop reflux for two weeks, the system will usually recover. Sometimes it can be done with diet alone but in many cases treatment requires medications to suppress acid or improve vagal and esophageal function. Fortunately, most airway reflux and esophageal reflux patients can become reflux free within six to twelve months. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

H2As like cimetidine (Tagamet),ranitidine (Zantac), and famotidine (Pepcid) have fewer side effects and work better than PPIs for nighttime reflux. H2As are the drugs of choice for people who need to take antireflux medicine on an as-deeded basis. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

While PPIs such as omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantaprazole (Protonix) and others may be somewhat more powerful acid suppressives than H2As, PPIs have many side effects including bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, and are believed to be associated with osteoporosis (bone thinning and bone loss) and B12 deficiency. When PPIs are discontinued, many patients experience rebound, developing hyperacidity and recurrent reflux symptoms. There is reason to believe that the increasing rates of esophageal cancer may be related to the use of PPIs. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

When you have trouble breathing, do you have more trouble getting air in (during inspiration) or out (during expiration)? If the answer is in, it's reflux, and if the answer is out, it's asthma. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

Nocturnal (nighttime) reflux in particular can cause sinus symptoms, the most common of which is post-nasal drip. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

A pouch at the upper end of the esophagus is called a Zenker's diverticulum; and at the bottom of the esophagus, a distal esophageal diverticulum. Zenker's are far more frequently the cause of symptoms, including bringing up undigested food into the throat (especially when lying down) and chronic cough. Diagnosis is by endoscopy or barium swallow/esophagogram. [2014] - Jamie Koufman

According to the American Heart Association, metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has three or more of the following measurements: 1. Abdominal obesity (excessive belly fat) 2. Triglyceride level of 150 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dl) or greater 3. HDL cholesterol level of less than 40 mg/dl in men or less than 50 mg/dl in women 4. Systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 130 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or greater 5. Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of 85 mmHg or greater 6. Fasting glucose of 100 mg/dl or greater 7. Insulin resistance of glucose intolerance [2013] - Hillary Wright

What prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, and PCOS have in common is insulin resistance, which even without it having progressed to diabetes is a hazard to your cardiovascular system, and potentially to other organs. Having metabolic syndrome alone without prediabetes raises your risk of diabetes five-fold. Having both prediabetes and metabolic syndrome raises your risk of diabetes even further. Recent scientific evidence has also begun to tie insulin resistance to increased risk of a number of cancers including cancer of the colon, liver, pancreas, and breast. [2013] - Hillary Wright

Many people with insulin resistance have similar complaints. They include the following: 1. Fluctuations in energy level throughout the day--some start off energetic but crash in the afternoon 2. Frequent hunger and, after eating, not feeling full for long 3. Binge eating at meals 4. Constant cravings for sweets and other refined carbohydrates, like white bread, crackers, or pasta 5. Irritability and feeling shaky if they go too long without eating, which might not be long at all compared to people without insulin resistance 6. Severe intolerance to very low-calorie diets, particularly those that severely limit carbohydrates [2013] - Hillary Wright

It is exceptional rare for a person to gain more muscle just from eating more food. Forcing yourself to consume more food than your body wants is not in your best interest. If you want to gain weight, lift weights to add muscle; then the exercise will increase your appetite accordingly. When you eat a healthful diet, nature has you carry only that mass you need; your muscles will enlarge only if additional stress is placed on them. [2011] - Joel Fuhrman

You were told that if your blood pressure is below 140/90, it is normal. Unfortunately, this is not true. It is average--not normal. This number is used because it is the midpoint of adult Americans older than sixty. The risk for stokes and heart attacks starts climbing at 115/70. At a minimum, we should consider blood pressure higher than 125/80 abnormal. [2011] - Joel Fuhrman

There is no data to suggest that blood pressure drugs prevent heart attacks in healthy people with only mildly elevated blood pressure. In the elderly, moderately high blood pressure is not a risk factor for increased mortality. Low blood pressure, on the other hand, is: blood pressure values below 140/70 are associated with excess mortality in the elderly, and this is especially noticeable when drugs push down the diastolic blood pressure too low. [2011] - Joel Fuhrman

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is more toxic than ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) and is effective for only 4-5 hours anyway. In healthy adults, even a dose of 4 grams daily (the equivalent, typically, of 8 extrastrength tablets) can cause liver function abnormalities; and lower, more standard dosages can cause digestive tract problems. Avoid acetaminophen and other fever reducers; if you are too uncomfortable to sleep at night, take ibuprofen with some food. [2011] - Joel Fuhrman

About a third of reflux patients just have poor esophageal function and may need medical or surgical treatment. Another third experience relief from symptoms after trying The Reflux Diet along with medical treatment. The final third of our patients find they can achieve complete control over all symptoms just by using the diet alone. [2010] - Jamie Koufman