A Big Misconception About Stomach Problems
One of the most common mistakes people are making when diagnosing their stomach problems is thinking that the "burning" sensation in your stomach has to be combatted with antacids. In fact, a lot of discomfort you feel in the stomach along with many health problems (acid reflux, constipation, heartburn) you might have is due to your stomach not producing enough acid.
It turns out that if your stomach doesn't produce enough hydrochloric acid then you can have an overgrowth of bad bacteria (and the yeast Candida Albicans). With this bacterial and fungal overgrowth present your immune system is gravely impaired. Not only will you find yourself having problems with gas, burping, acid reflux but because your system cannot break down foods properly you might even end up with skin problems like eczema, hair loss, pimples or just dry skin. Most importantly, since you don't have enough acid and can't break down your food properly you'll end up feeling tired and sluggish for most of the day even when you did get a good night's sleep.
How Can You Tell If Low Stomach Acid Is A Problem For You?
It's actually quite simple. If you're suffering from any of the stomach problems I've mentioned in this article then check your house for one of two things. You'll need either a pickle jar with pickle juice or a bottle apple cider vinegar. Now right before a meal drink the apple cider vinegar (you'll want to take 1-2 tbsps mixed with 8oz of water) or pickle juice (enough to fill a shot glass). Eat your meal slowly and do your best to not over eat.
If you notice that this eliminates your reflux or calms your stomach down considerably then it's very possible that you have low stomach acid.
What's The Fix For Low Stomach Acid?
In my own experience, the best fix for low stomach acid has been following a paleolithic diet. When I cheat on the diet and eat carbs I make it a point to always avoid gluten and dairy related products. In order to repair my stomach's ability to produce acid I supplemented with Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (sorry, but pickle juice just sounded gross) at first drinking it up to three times a day around each major meal.
This regimen has ended years of gas, bloating and severe discomfort in my stomach. There were dramatic changes within a week of following a paleolithic diet and supplementing with apple cider vinegar. Within a few months my stomach had repaired itself considerably and a side effect of my healthier way of eating was losing about 25lbs of fat. In addition to paleolithic dieting and apple cider vinegar as a supplement I also found the following to help:
- Chewing my food slowly. Each mouthful of food requires 15-25 chews before swallowing.
- Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day.
- Meditation - I believe that a lot of my health problems were also related to stress and the over production of cortisol. Taking the time to meditate and unwind has done a lot to reduce my levels of stress.
To learn more about low stomach acid visit http://betterhealthx.com/low-stomach-acid
