Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Hello, Terry, “I’ve been diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus and my dad died of esophagus cancer. I want to be as healthy as possible…do you have any suggestions? Thank you.” —Bev O., Walla Walla, WA A. Dear Bev, I am sorry to hear about your father, and about your own health concerns. Since you have been diagnosed with Barrett’s Esophagus, which greatly increases your risk for esophageal cancer, it is very important to work with your doctor to find the best intervention to help heal this condition. Incorporating dietary supplements may be quite helpful to support a healthy esophagus. Some useful ingredients might be DGL (deglycerrhizinated licorice) and d-limonene to help with acid reflux, and Sea Buckthorn oil, which has been studied for support of the stomach lining and its healing/soothing effects. Healthy probiotics (the healthy cultures in yogurt) are also important to include in your daily regimen. Another area to address is cancer prevention, which means eating healthy, natural foods, drinking at least 8 glasses of pure water a day, and getting adequate exercise and rest. My favorite supplement that has clinical studies on the role it can play in cancer prevention is curcumin. There are studies specific to the protective effect curcumin has against esophageal cancer, but the studies have been done in cell cultures and in animals. However, since curcumin is so safe and supportive of so many aspects of daily health, you might want to consider adding this supplement based on these strong preliminary reports. Make sure you choose a high absorption curcumin from a reputable company to get optimal effects. My best wishes to you for continued good health.