Ask Dr. Mike: Alkaline Reflux & Omega-3 Fish Oil

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

I would like you to direct me on the subject of alkaline reflux. I had an endoscopy done recently and the gastroenterologist observed reflux of bile back into my stomach. Unfortunately, in the related research I did about the existence of this illness, I found very little and on how to handle it, absolutely nothing. Thank you for your non-drug advice.

Alkaline reflux is just like acid reflux. However, instead of the acid juices coming back up into your stomach, alkaline juices from your internal organs like your pancreas, liver, and gallbladder reflux back into your stomach.

Alkaline reflux is also due to a weakened lower esophageal sphincter muscle. Based on recommendations from experts, Dr. Mike would treat this just like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

The three best nutrients are a combination of zinc and carnosine, liquorice root, and Picrorhiza kurroa.

The stability of omega-3 fish oil is somewhat questionable. On one hand, you're told to keep fish oil in the refrigerator and not expose it to heat. On the other hand, salmon gets cooked at high heat and sits in a tupperware for days in the fridge as a leftover. You would think that would completely oxidize the omega-3's. What do you think?

If you take fish oil and put it out in a bowl, it will get oxidized, and begin to stink. All fats are like that and have a stability question to them. That's why Dr. Mike believes that if you're taking an omega-3 supplement, it's important to have additional ingredients to help preserve it.

Cooking the fish can be looked at as a form of processing. When you start to manipulate a food source, that's processing and it will decrease the nutrient content of the food.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.