[Avodah] Taking Tums On Shabbos and/or Yom Tov?

[Dr. Josh Backon]

Someone asked:
>Are Tums considered candy or medicine in regard to taking on  Shabbos and/or
>Yom Tov? If one has heartburn as opposed to pregnant women  taking them as a
>calcium supplement.

The  SEFER REFUAT HA'SHABBAT discusses heartburn ("tzarevet") in Chapter
41, pages 322-323. He says that on Shabbat one should try to avoid eating
those foods that induce acid reflux and "l'chatchila ein likach soda l'shtiah
[sodium bicarbonate] k'dei listor chumtzot eilu d'ein zeh ma'achal b'ri'im.
V'assur mishum gzeirat shechikat sammanim".

However if EVERY food the person causes heartburn and he has no option of
eating except by taking bicarb then "yesh l'hakel".

KT

Josh