HEALTH Yuletide indulgence without the burn

Yuletide indulgence without the burn


Ask the pharmacist
Karen Jordan

While the mince pies, mulled wine, party nibbles and tins of sweets that come with Christmas are delightful for most, for some overindulgence can be a real pain. Literally. On Christmas Day alone, it’s estimated the average man will scoff 6,000 calories – three times the recommended daily allowance! It’s no surprise then that our digestive systems react to such an inundation of ‘nutrients’ by producing heartburn and indigestion.
Dyspepsia encompasses heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion, all of which come from a problem in your upper gut. The main symptoms are pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, bloating, belching, feeling full after eating, nausea and, in severe, cases vomiting.
Heartburn, a burning sensation felt in the lower chest area, and indigestion symptoms are often related to eating. The pain is often worse when lying down or bending over.
Dyspepsia can be caused by pregnancy, a stomach ulcer, inflammation of the oesophagus or stomach or an infection with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H pylori). Some people’s symptoms can be triggered by certain foods, including tomatoes, chocolate, spicy foods, fatty foods, hot drinks, coffee and alcoholic drinks.
With party season in full swing, it’s worth bearing in mind that the recommended alcohol guideline for adults is up to eleven standard drinks per week for women, and up to 17 standard drinks per week for men. Some examples of a standard drink include a pub measure of spirits, a half pint of beer or an alcopop. One bottle of wine (at 12.5 percent alcohol) contains about seven standard drinks! It takes one hour for every standard drink you take to work through your system.
The symptoms of dyspepsia tend to occur in bouts that come and go. However, for those who suffer frequent bouts, it can affect quality of life. So-called ‘alarm features’ that may warrant referral to your GP include difficulty swallowing or food getting stuck in the throat, dyspepsia accompanied by weight loss, vomiting or anaemia (low iron levels in the blood) or the onset of dyspepsia in people aged over 50 for the first time. If you experience any of these, please ask your pharmacist or GP for advice.
The good news is that for those who suffer with heartburn occasionally, a wide variety of effective treatments exist. Medicines containing antacids neutralise excess acid in the stomach, and alginates form a raft over the stomach and prevent acid rising back up the food pipe. This type of medication is available in liquid or tablet form. Acid-suppressing medicines such as Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 blockers work by reducing the amount of stomach acid made by glands in the lining of your stomach. Your pharmacist will be able to recommend the most appropriate treatment for you.
If your symptoms are severe or recurring, your GP may decide to refer you for an endoscopy. This looks at the inside your stomach and first part of your small intestine by passing a thin, flexible telescope down your food pipe, which can be performed under light sedation. If H pylori is suspected or confirmed, triple therapy will be prescribed. This involves a one-week course of two antibiotics plus an acid-suppressing medicine.
Top tips to reduce your risk of heartburn include maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tight-fitting clothes that put pressure on your abdomen, avoiding your trigger foods/drinks, avoiding late meals and lying down after eating and giving up smoking (why wait until the new year?). For more advice, please speak to your pharmacist.

Karen Jordan is a pharmacist in Lally’s LloydsPharmacy, Mill Street, Westport.