Proof The Bible Is True

If you take a PPI to tame heartburn, here’s something you need to know…

These drugs are targeting the wrong organ.

This means that out of the more than 20 million people who take them every day, 70% are getting all the risks that come with this dangerous drug…

But no real benefit.¹

Studies show that PPIs can:

• Increase your risk of dementia by 38% and Alzheimer’s by 44%²
• Increase your risk of heart attack by 20%³
• Significantly increase the risk of hip fractures⁴
• Raise your risk of kidney problems, bone fractures, and certain cancers⁵
• Increase the risk of pneumonia by almost 12%⁶

In fact, taking these drugs in high doses gives you a 24% higher risk of death.⁷

It’s understandable why you’d take one… My patients tell me they’d try anything to cool the fire.

But as I said before, PPIs focus on the wrong organ. They work by targeting stomach acid production. But your stomach isn’t the problem. It’s doing its job properly.

The real problem is happening in your esophagus.

Let me explain…

Heartburn isn’t caused by too much stomach acid. It’s caused by too little.

You need stomach acid to digest food and absorb nutrients. This acid also protects your digestive tract from dangerous bacteria linked to ulcers.

Heartburn is a direct result of the inefficient closing of your lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

Your LES is a small muscle that opens and closes to allow food to move from your esophagus into your stomach. But thanks to our modern grain-heavy diet, it’s overwhelmed and overworked.

And when the LES doesn’t close completely, food, bile, and acid flow back into your esophagus, causing painful heartburn and indigestion.

In addition to the nightly pain and discomfort of heartburn, prolonged exposure to acid in the cells of the esophagus can produce precancerous changes.

This condition, called Barrett’s esophagus, is a precursor to cancer of the esophagus.

And esophageal cancer is increasing at an alarming rate.

I tell my patients to neutralize acid and find relief by shifting attention to healing the esophagus.

3 Simple Steps To Banish Pain And
Protect Your Esophagus

Instead of dangerous PPIs, here’s what I recommend to my patients:

1. Coat Your Esophagus With Slipper Elm. The bark from this native American tree is loaded with mucilage. This gel-like substance coats the esophagus, soothes irritated tissue, and creates a temporary barrier against acid.

   Mix 1 teaspoon of powder in warm water. Let it thicken slightly, then sip slowly. Take it immediately after a meal.

2. Take Melatonin Before Bed: If you’re still suffering from symptoms, I suggest taking this hormone before bed. You may know melatonin as a sleep hormone, but it also helps normalize LES pressure to allow it to close more effectively.

   One randomized study compared melatonin to the popular PPI Prilosec. After just 40 days, 100% of the melatonin group had a complete remission of their symptoms. But only 66% of the Prilosec group found relief.⁸

   Look for a melatonin spray, drops, or a sublingual that melts under your tongue. I recommend taking no more than 0.3 mg about 30 minutes before bedtime.

3. Supplement With Curcumin. A recent study found that turmeric, from the curcumin root, is just as effective as omeprazole at banishing heartburn.⁹ Without any side effects.

   The patients in the study took 250 mg of curcumin, four times a day. Look for a supplement that also contains piperine. This black pepper compound has been shown to make curcumin more bioavailable.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD, CNS

References:

1. Downey M and Gonzalez G. “Stop Heartburn Fast!” Life Extension. Feb. 2017.
2. Haenisch B, et al. “Risk of dementia in elderly patients with the use of proton pump inhibitors.” Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2015.
3. Ariel H, et al. “Cardiovascular risk of proton pump inhibitors.” Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. 2019 Jul-Sep; 15(3): 214–219.
4. Robert V, et al. “Proton pump inhibitors and risk of fracture in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Geriatr Nurs. 2025 Nov-Dec;66(Pt A):103596.
5. Drugwatch.com. “Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) side effects.” https://www.drugwatch.com/proton-pump-inhibitors/ Accessed on May 5, 2026.
6. Lin W, et al. “Association of increased risk of pneumonia and using proton pump inhibitors in patients with type ii diabetes mellitus.” Dose Response. 2019 Apr-Jun; 17(2): 1559325819843383.
7. Bhandari T. “Popular heartburn drugs linked to higher death risk.” medicine.washu.edu/.
8. de Souza Pereira R. “Regression of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms using dietary supplementation with melatonin, vitamins and amino acids: comparison with omeprazole.” J Pineal Res. 2006;41(3):195-200.
9. Kongkam P, et al. “Curcumin and proton pump inhibitors for functional dyspepsia: a randomised, double blind controlled trial.” BMJ. 2023 Sep 11;bmjebm-2022-112231.