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ACID REFLUX – GASTRITIS

Acid reflux or gastritis is extremely common in today’s population. Conventional treatment for these conditions tends to mask symptoms instead of correcting the problem.

So what is the cause, behind the problem?

• Excessive tissue acidity caused by an over-acidic diet. In the process of normal metabolism, the body produces a variety of acids; for example, carbonic acid during respiration, lactic acid in the muscles when exercising and several others in the process of digestion, metabolism and detoxification, (fatty acids, oxalic acid, uric acid,, pyruvic acid, etc.). This creates an acidic load that must be neutralized somehow before it reaches the elimination system, to avoid burning tissues, the large intestine and urinary tract and other elimination systems like the lungs, sinuses, or skin. In order to do this, the body uses sodium bicarbonate which is produced mainly by the pancreas.

• Sodium bicarbonate is composed of carbon and ionic sodium. Carbon is abundant in organic chemistry, but ionic sodium is obtained almost exclusively from vegetables and in smaller proportion from certain fruits. Non-Ionic sodium, as in salt (especially refined table salt), has a very strong ionic bond and therefore has a very poor absorption rate and is therefore not a good source of sodium for acid neutralization purposes. If the body lacks an abundant supply of ionic sodium, it starts by robbing sodium from the bile, setting up the perfect environment for gallstones, and from the stomach lining, increasing the probability of ulcers. If the acidity levels are excessive, the only plausible solution is to start robbing other alkaline minerals from the body’s reserves, in particular from the bone mass. It is no surprise that osteoporosis, along with arthritic conditions are so rampant today with our highly acidic lifestyles. The most acidic foods are sodas, sugar (including alcohol), coffee, pasteurized dairy, meats and grains.

• Again, to insure an adequate supply of organic sodium, a 50% to 75% vegetarian diet by weight is ideal.

• So, back to the stomach. When body tissues are acidic, meaning deficient in alkalizing minerals, they are said to have a low pH.

• The scale for measuring acid/alkaline composition is the pH scale, which goes from 0 – super acidic or no minerals to 14-super alkaline, with 7 being the neutral or balance point.

• But the letters pH come from the term “potential of Hydrogen”, meaning the capacity of tissues to release Hydrogen so it can be used in other metabolic processes.

• When we are acidic, our pH is low, meaning our Hydrogen donor ability is impaired. Since stomach acid, which is essential for digesting proteins, is H+CL, Hydrogen plus Chloride, we end up deficient in essential stomach acid.

• With impaired stomach acid production, digestion of protein such as meat, eggs, dairy, etc., slows down to a crawl, so instead of digesting in 2-3 hours, the food remains in the stomach for up to eight hours or more.

• Since we don’t eat protein by itself, but rather usually accompanied by carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes or sugary stuff, here is where the problem continues.

• Any carbohydrate that we eat begins it’s digestion in the mouth while chewing and starts to break down by the time it hits the stomach. If it spends too much time decomposing in an enclosed warm space such as the stomach, the sugars begin to ferment. Fermentation produces gas and fermentation acids and it is these acids that we begin to belch up, causing from mild to severe distress.

• So, what is the solution?

• Temporarily, the solution is to acidify the stomach during meals to make up for the low stomach acid, using a supplement such as one capsule of Betaine HCL from the health food store. You can buy them here:

• Or for severe cases, using a complete digestive enzyme might work even better, such as NOW brand Super Enzyme Caps:

• But the permanent solution is of course to remove the cause and alkalize the body with a diet high in vegetables (excluding corn, potatoes and beans which are not really vegetables anyway).

• ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: Excessive stress and unresolved emotional upheaval will also cause a highly acidic state by forcing minerals to be lost through the urine. Stress can be just as or more acidifying than a poor diet

• For additional information, contact me directly at bw@ or 816-582-7399

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