Friendly advice for the president

Mr. President, I feel your pain.

President Obama has been complaining about a sore throat for several weeks, and it turns out he has an acid reflux problem.

I've had severe acid reflux for more years than I want to count. At times it's not fun. It hurts. But it can be medicated.

I take pills in the morning and the evening to control it.

Where it really got interesting was when I used to get sore throats and then it seemed to turn into what I thought were sinus infections. It got that bad.

My family doctor finally sent me to the ear, nose and throat specialist, who looked down my throat, looked in my ears and checked my nose. At that point he looked me straight in the eye and said, "You're having an acid reflux attack."

I tried to argue with him (like I was going to win). He repeated it was acid reflux. I still couldn't believe it. Here I was getting charged a $20 office co-pay and he was telling me it was acid reflux, which I already knew I had.

He told me that the green junk in my throat wasn't necessarily a sinus infection. He added that from now on I had to wait seven to 10 days before I sought medical attention for a sinus infection. If the symptoms lasted more than 10 days, it was indeed an infection; if not, it would be cured by then.

Short of that, use a saline wash in my nose, take some cold medication and wait for a recovery, he said. I can't remember the last time I took antibiotics for a sinus infection.

More importantly, he told me some things I had to do. Cut back on chocolate (tough move), cut back on carbonated and caffeinated beverages (an even tougher thing), elevate your head, no late-night snacking and don't overeat. And when you overeat (accidentally, I'm sure), don't lay down right away even with your head elevated.

Oh, yeah, the other thing is don't sleep on your right side because you're more likely to get acid reflux when your stomach sits in a lower position. And don't sleep on your stomach because it is just as bad. Have you ever tried sleeping just on your back or your left side?

As I left his office, I wasn't convinced he was right until I tried some of his advice. But you know, I cut back on soda and chocolate. I still have trouble with late-night snacking, but I'm trying. And I don't overeat as much as I used to (except on holidays). I do sit up after overeating.

But the most interesting is that when I do have an acid reflux attack, it generally occurs when I sleep on my right side. Of course, when you feeling the burning sensation, it's too late. You take some Gaviscon liquid, which my gastroenterologist in Bentonville said was the best for acid reflux. He also recommends the tablet form as well, particularly when you overeat.

I also would be remiss if I didn't say that uncontrolled acid reflux can lead to other problems. I was diagnosed with Barrett esophagus, which left untreated can cause cancer. Later this winter, I will go in for my second treatment to have it burned off my esophagus. Not much fun, but better than the alternative.

So Mr. President, take care of yourself, and I recommend that in two years you get a less stressful job. It might improve your health. In the meantime, enjoy taking those meds and never leave home without Gaviscon, as it truly is the best stuff to help with acid reflux.

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As a Big 12 fan, I was upset that neither Baylor or TCU made it to the National Championship Final Four. However, I'm not a fanatical fan unless it was Kansas or Kansas State.

I think Alabama, Florida State, Oregon and Ohio State are probably the best teams. I know a case can be made for the Big 12, but I don't think either team is strong enough to beat Alabama. So if Ohio State loses when it plays Alabama, I can always claim that either TCU or Baylor would have won and no one can prove me wrong.

You have to understand, I couldn't care less if there is a national champion in football. I don't care if it's a four-team, eight-team, 16-team tournament because someone will complain they have been left out of a chance for the national title.

To prove my point, the season wasn't half over before some were calling for an eight-team playoff instead of four teams. I predict it will be eight teams next year.

While the schools make money, the television networks are the ones who benefit (just like political ads) the most. They need a solid and prolonged football season to carry over into college basketball so they can improve their revenues and the ratings. How else would ESPN fill a half dozen networks full of sports 24-7.

Personally, I think we should have a 64-team playoff. It might take the whole college season, but then nearly every team has a chance to win. We'd have a couple of sleeper teams make it into the Sweet 16, and that's good.

People get worked up for a national champion that no one will remember except for the school that wins. I'd dare say few could remember last year's BCS champion (you know the forerunner to this year's national championship series).

And I'd also bet that the same four teams would have made it into the final four if it was under the old system. Some computer geek needs to put the data in and see how far off I am.

So the bowl season will begin soon. We get to watch 30-something bowl games that really have no meaning, except many people get to go to a warmer climate for a long weekend and ESPN gets to fill its schedules. And then we get to watch a two-game national championship that no one will remember 365 days from now.

Let the games begin.

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Throne is managing editor of The Weekly Vista.

Editorial on 12/10/2014