Acid reflux is a common ailment these days and with very few exceptions it is can be easily resolved, although few know the proper method and some medical professionals may make matters worse. Why do people get heartburn? Lets begin by looking at the stomach, where the problem starts. When we consume food there are several steps to digestion that we all learned in grade school: 1. Mastication 2. Mixing of saliva with starches to form sugars 3. Further processing in the stomach via hydrochloric acid and protein - ase type enzymes to break down proteins. So - food goes into the stomach, having been masticated and partially processed via our saliva. Once food is in the stomach there are two sphincter muscles at the entrance and exit; the esophogeal sphincter and the pyloric sphincter. After eating they are both signaled to close AND stay closed until the stomach signals the pyloric sphincter to open.
How does the stomach know how long to keep food? The body has sensors and feedback loops throughout! If the stomach isi no exception. As the stomach works on our food via hydrochloric acid and protein splitting enzymes I am certain there are sensors in the stomach that are "looking" for these degradation products and when a sufficient number are detected, the pyloric sphincter is signaled to open, releasing food to the small intestines. This sounds easy enough but where does it go south? Americans are notorious for drinking copious quantities of liquid (soda, iced tea, beer - you name it) during the consumption of their food. This dilutes the hydrochloric acid, and when the hydrochloric acid drops below the ph, through dilution, required to properly digest food what happens? Well, the stomach is patient! It will happily wait until the digestive by-products are detected then it will release the pyloric sphincter. But, alas, since there is not sufficient acid level in the stomach, this does not happen. What does happens then? Well, the esophageal sphincter eventually reaches a state of exhaustion and begins to release. When this happens, heartburn is the result, because the partially digested food, with some acid is released, back up towards our throat, resulting in sometimes, extreme discomfort. The common treatment for people who have acid reflux? Many are prescribed a "proton pump inhibitor" which serves to lower the stomach acid even more! What happens when people with GERD go on proton pump inhibitors? The stomach produces even less acid, So, actually, the problem is now worse than it was! BUT the pain goes away - why? The same scenario takes place, BUT when the pyloric sphincter tires and releases, there is so little acid in the stomach content, that leaks back up towards the esophagus, do not elicit a painful reaction! People on proton pump inhibitors do NOT digest their food! The results of being on a proton pump inhibitor for a year or more, are startling. 30% more likely to have a broken hip for example. Why? With inadequate stomach acid, precious few nutrients are extracted from the food consumed! There is also a 50% increase of death over five years! Here is an article showing this effect. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170705113546.htm What course of action will resolve (cure) GERD? Since the problem is too little acid, the cure is to increase the acid. There are several ways to do this, and which one works for an individual depends on how much additional acid they require in order to properly digest food. I know about this because I had this problem about 30 years ago. What I came up with is to take a couple tablets of Betaine Hydrochloride These tablets increased my stomach acid so when I ate, my food was processed in a timely manner therefore my esophageal sphincter did not tire and release. The result was: Better digested food AND a happier tummy! There are other products. One treatment that has stood the test of time is "Apple Cider Vinegar" When I mention this, many folks would say, "Yes! My grandmother would take that before every meal" My next question is always "Was she healthy?" The reply is always something like "Yes and she lived to 92!" Over the last 20 odd years I have probably given away ten bottles of Betaine Hydrochloride to folks suffering from GERD. Every person I have provided with this has used it and loved it! I had a young man, about 21 working for me when I was building a house in the mountains and after lunch I saw him sitting by the side of the road hunched over, grabbing his knees with his head down. I said, "Pete, what is going on?" He looked up and all he said was "PAIN!" I went up to the house got a bottle of Betaine, gave it to him and recommended he take two tablets 10 or 20 minutes before meals. The next time I saw Pete I asked. "How's your stomach doing buddy?" The young man was smiling from ear to ear when he said." I have had no pain since I have been taking those pills" My experience is that I do not have to take it for the remainder of my life. For me, if I begin to feel a little discomfort after eating, that is my signal that my acid is getting low, so I will, for the next few meals take some Betaine. With the taking of a few tablets it seems to reset my stomach acid level. I could be the only person this happens to BUT it works for me. Remember - the most important things you can do to avoid GERD is STOP DRINKING DURING YOUR MEAL! Look at Nature! When you see a herd of horses grazing in the pasture, do they eat a little then run for a drink of water?? NO! They eat as much as they want and will much later, go for a drink! Think like a horse.
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AuthorAfter high school I spent three years in the army, one of which was in Viet Nam. I found it to be a beautiful place with beautiful people and met my first Buddhist Monks there. I used to visit them frequently. This does not minimize the service of many others who had a MUCH harder time than I, too many of them losing their lives. Archives |
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