Digestion an unappreciated process:

Digestion is not a topic at the family dinner table for most people. We all want our digestive processes to happen silently and most of us never even contemplate all the amazing work that takes place as our bodies digest our food and absorb the nutrients that feed our entire body. 

Humor me for a moment and consider the following statement. Every cell in our body depends on properly digested high-quality nutrients for optimal function, and optimal function at the cellular level is what keeps us strong, healthy and disease free! 

Wow! So, what I am getting at is that healthy digestion is fundamental to nutritional therapy and to our overall health. 

Digestion gone awry:

Unfortunately, due to stress, excess carbohydrate consumption, processed foods, excess alcohol intake, and certain prescription medications, digestive function can go awry. 

One of the most common complaints of Americans is acid reflux, heartburn or full-fledged GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease). It is no surprise that billions of dollars of antacids and acid blockers are sold each year. These medications certainly deal with the symptoms, but do they deal with the underlying problem?

Why do we need stomach acid? 

Let us consider for a minute the function of stomach acid for digestion. Our stomach is meant to be an acid tank. Hydrochloric acid (HCL for short) in our stomachs is the first line of defense against pathogenic microorganisms such as yeast, bacteria, viruses and parasites. 

When our stomach PH is correct (very acidic), the stomach digests these microorganisms or little proteins into food. However, when our stomach is too alkaline, these microorganisms thrive and wreak havoc in the gastrointestinal tract! So, HCL is key to our immune health not just our digestive health.

We also need HCL to ensure our food is properly broken down for the next phase of digestion. Without enough HCL, carbohydrates ferment, fats go rancid, and proteins putrefy. These improperly digested foods can cause reflux or backward flow into the esophagus. 

The esophagus is not designed to accommodate acidic food in the stomach, so you feel the burn. 

Are you having an “aha” moment yet? Let me say this again! For most people, it is TOO LITTLE STOMACH ACID that causes the reflux and the burning symptoms, not too much stomach acid.

Ninety Percent of Americans have TOO LITTLE Stomach Acid (HCL):

According to Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD in his book “Why Stomach Acid is Good for You,” ninety percent of Americans produce too little HCL, and for most, HCL declines as we age.  He came to this conclusion using Heidelberg Gastro telemetry equipment to check the stomach PH of thousands of patients.  

In his book, he lists the long-term consequences of acid suppression from taking acid blocking medications. Possible consequences include asthma, allergies, skin issues, insomnia, osteoporosis, damaged stomach lining, depression and a multitude of digestive problems further down the line in the small intestine and colon. 

The stomach acid helps the stomach and pancreatic enzymes do their work, so without stomach acid the whole digestive system is thrown off. As a result, nutritional deficiencies abound making us more susceptible to disease and illness. 

What Next?

What follows are some tips for overall digestive health:

• Digestion starts in the brain with the sight and smell of food. Try to be in a relaxed mode as you are preparing your meal as this helps stimulate the digestive process. 
• When you sit down for dinner, take a few deep belly breaths to switch you from fight or flight/sympathetic mode to rest and digest/parasympathetic mode. You can only digest your food in rest and digest mode!
• After the brain, the mouth is the next place where digestion begins. Chewing your food well stimulates enzymes and saliva which break down carbohydrates making the stomach’s job much easier.
• Read the book, “Why Stomach Acid is Good for You,” by Dr. Jonathan V. Wright to take a deeper dive into this issue. 
• Try 2 teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in 4 oz. water before a meal to see if this relieves heartburn. Apple cider vinegar also comes in tablet form if this is easier. If this helps, you may need supplemental HCL.
• There are some studies that suggest that lower-carbohydrate intake influences the activity of various hormones that open and close the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. Try adding more protein and healthy fats to your diet while reducing carbohydrate intake. 
• Cut back or eliminate sugar, coffee, alcohol, citrus foods and carbonated drinks to see if this helps reduce symptoms.
• When you must choose, go with a non-aluminum antacid over an acid blocker drug. Antacids only neutralize PH and if taken only occasionally do not interfere with our enzymatic machinery as do acid blockers.
• Do not take tums as a calcium supplement. Tums contains calcium carbonate which neutralizes HCL and inhibits absorption of calcium.