Do any of you have heartburn?
Boy oh boy, I do with certain foods. Hamburger buns interestingly enough! Through the years as my diet has evolved and gotten better, my digestion has become very efficient. However as I age, I do notice that I tend to get pretty good heartburn every now and then with certain foods.
Did you know that antacids & proton pump inhibitors (PHPs) actually damage your belly?
They suppress your natural stomach acid, inhibiting your ability to digest food. This can lead to gastroparesis, overall slow digestion, nausea, and malabsorption of vitamins and minerals, especially zinc and the B vitamins.
I have a very personal experience with this, as when my youngest son was born he had severe colic, silent GERD. HOLY COW! I think we almost died. What I felt then, that the medicine wasn’t making anything better and much worse in fact, I have not figured out why. O M G!!!
In a nutshell, your digestive system needs to be a beautifully acidic environment. The acidic levels of the stomach kill potentially harmful pathogens and bacteria – even the kind that lead to bacterial overgrowth and Candida!
Generally the medicines that are given are really only meant to cover put the symptoms, like discomfort in the throat. They do not address the issue and can make them worse. Antacids also lead to more serious conditions, like stomach cancer, chronic hepatitis, depression, anemia, and even anxiety.
The Real Cause of GERD
If you ask the average Joe on the street what causes acid reflux, you’ll likely get the answer, “too much stomach acid!” Contrary to popular belief (and the media!) this is wrong. Acid Reflux & GERD are actually caused by to little tummy acid and something called intra-abdominal pressure – which is basically stomach bloating that causes the acid to be pushed into your esophagus & upper tummy. And what causes the bloating?
Low digestive acid & poor carbohydrate absorption. See the chart below by Dr. Kresser for the process in a nutshell.
Reclaiming Your Stomach
So, here’s what you can do to heal your stomach and stop acid reflux from happening in the first place.
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- Adopt a healthy grain-free diet, mostly talking about wheat. You can most certainly eat cleaner grains like quinoa and couscous. Treat your belly right with a diet high in plant foods and rich in healthy animal foods like pastured meat, whole dairy, and eggs.
- Drink bone broth. Repair your damaged gut lining with the collagen-rich broth made from bones.
- Take an HCI supplement. Betaine Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) promotes healthy gastric acidity, digestion of proteins, and nutrient absorption. This supplement is especially handy if you’re transitioning from a vegetarian diet to one containing animal foods. This stuff has been saving my husband’s belly – which was feeling rather sluggish and “basic” after transitioning from a SAD to grain-free lifestyle. Take one (650mg) before every meal, and increase the dosage as needed. Feel the power of strong belly acid!
- Replenish your own gut flora by take probiotics.
- Drink up the morning elixir made of ACV. Lots of recipes out there; the clean eating program goes over this one in depth.
- Chill with yoga and breathing. Stress can have a bit impact on your gut.
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