In my last post about acid reflux I discussed why most types of acid reflux are caused by a lack of stomach acid (hypochlorhdyria), what causes hypochlorhdyria, and what other health problems can be caused by hypochlorhdyria. In this post you will learn simple tips how to improve this condition and cure your acid reflux.  And as always, self-diagnosis can be misleading. It is better to consult with a knowledgeable health practitioner first to make sure that you are on the right path.

Safe and Effective Ways to Eliminate Acid Reflux

Before listing several effective tools to improve your acid reflux I want to point out that people who are already taking proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec or Prevacid should never stop taking this type of drugs cold turkey. You can experience severe rebound symptoms if you do not decrease your dose gradually. Ideally you want to gradually reduce the dose of your proton pump inhibitor to the lowest possible dose and then switch to an over-the-counter H2 blocker like Tagamet, Cimetidine, Zantac, or Raniditine. Once you have achieved this gradually wean off the H2 blocker over the next several weeks.

• Avoid drinking with your meals as this only dilutes the stomach acid and makes it weaker. If you absolutely need to drink something with your meals drink a small cup of green tea. Green tea stimulates secretion of stomach acid

• Betaine hydrochloride supplements. Taken before a meal this will help your body to digest food. It will also create a less favorable environment for Heliobacter Pylori. Take this only under the supervision of a health care practitioner

• Chew thoroughly. Proper chewing means chewing each bite 50 times. This, in combination with modifying your diet towards eating less processed foods and sugar, will improve your digestion dramatically

• Cut out caffeine, alcohol, and all nicotine products

• Use high quality, unprocessed salt, such as Himalayan salt. It provides you with chloride your body needs to make hydrochloric acid. It also contains over 80 trace minerals your body needs to perform optimally

• Optimize your vitamin D and B levels. It is easy to have your vitamin D levels checked by your doctor. The majority of Americans are deficient in vitamin D

• Take a good Multivitamin. Hypochlorhydria may lead to deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals

• Probiotics are recommended in case you are suffering from acid reflux

• Identify food intolerances/allergies

• Ginger Tea can be very helpful to improve digestion but is not recommended in people who are, according to the traditional Chinese medical system, suffering from heat in their stomach.

If you found this post helpful or interesting I would love to hear what you think or answer any questions you might have. Please let me know.

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Most people believe heartburn or acid reflux is caused by too much acid in the stomach.  While this is true for some, most people experience chronic heartburn or acid reflux because they are lacking acid in their stomach. How does this work? The answer is simple.

The environment in your stomach is very acidic. The acid your stomach produces pre-digests your food. Food is only allowed to pass on into the small intestines once it is pre-digested enough. In people lacking stomach acid this process takes more time. Because the food sits longer in your stomach it starts to ferment/putrify. This process creates gasses that go up through the sphincter-muscle of the stomach into the esophagus. Because the stomach environment is still very acidic these gasses will also be acidic and irritate the lining of the esophagus. This will cause a sensation of heartburn.

In a different scenario heartburn is caused by food being forced back up from the stomach into the lower part of the esophagus. Often the cause is lack of stomach acid. The food is not digested enough so the sphincter in between the stomach and small intestines does not open. If the stomach tries to pass its contents on through force they might spill out of the top of the stomach causing acidic irritation. Both scenarios can, over time, cause hiatal hernias.

Acid reflux is usually caused by lifestyle and is a simple problem that most people remedy the wrong way. Antacids or proton pump inhibitors will neutralize the acidic irritation outside the stomach but they will also cause the stomach to produce less acid, which sets you up for a vicious cycle of increasing indigestion.

For people already taking antacids it is important to know that even if their true cause for acid reflux and indigestion is a lack of stomach acid, they can not stop taking their medication cold turkey. It is usually advised to reduce them gradually to avoid severe rebound symptoms. Otherwise the problem may end up being worse than before you started taking the medication. It is very effective to support this process through supervision of a qualified alternative healthcare practitioner.

Lack of stomach acid is called hypochlorhdyria and can lead to:

• Heartburn
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Sense of “fullness” after eating
• Bloating/belching
• Heliobacter Pylori infection leading to stomach ulcers
• Flatulence immediately after meals
• Indigestion
• Diarrhea, and/or constipation
• Mineral deficiencies
• Vitamin B12 deficiency leading to fatigue, poor memory/concentration, depression
• Itching around the rectum
• Weak, peeled, and cracked fingernails with ridges

Common causes of hypochlorhdyria are:

• Stress
• Drinking with you meals (especially sodas but also water)
• Antacids/proton pump inhibitors
• Lack of proper nutrient absorption
• Vitamin/mineral deficiencies
• Chronic gastritis
• Certain autoimmune diseases
• Pernicious anemia
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Adrenal fatigue
• Age
• Heliobacter

If you found this post helpful or interesting I would love to hear what you think or answer any questions you might have. Please let me know.

In part 2 of this article I will discuss simple strategies to improve your digestion, curing your acid reflux.

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