Digestion, Indigestion, and Heartburn – What You Need to Know
One of the most common conditions people suffer with today is indigestion. And for most, taking an antacid or purple pill eliminates the symptoms. But is this approach likely to cause serious problems in the future? The answer is an absolute yes.
Symptoms like bloating, belching, nausea, vomiting, burning in the stomach and esophagus, heartburn, and stomach pain may all be indications of indigestion. And yet, many subtle indications may go unnoticed.
Some of the less common causes of indigestion include ulcers, cancer, gastroparesis (non-emptying stomach), infection, thyroid disease, and pancreatitis.
More indigestion is caused by drugs, medications, and gall bladder dysfunction.
But the most common cause of indigestion is called functional dyspepsia. This is what I see almost daily in my office. This problem has to be remedied before any type of natural protocol can begin.
Functional dyspepsia means that the acidity or pH of the stomach is not suitable for digesting food. This is very important to understand.
The symptoms of functional dyspepsia or indigestion are exactly the same if you produce too much acid or if you produce too little acid. Only a small percentage of people actually produce too much acid.
Interestingly enough, without the correct stomach pH, the stomach cannot digest the food, so the body moves into a starvation mode. Although you may be eating plenty of food, the body is not getting the needed nutrition. Anything that does get through is stored, causing you to gain weight. Your metabolism slows and you are easily fatigued and exhausted. Losing weight is almost impossible.
The majority of people with indigestion do not have enough stomach acid to adequately digest their food, therefore the food ferments causing the indigestion symptoms.
By having too little acid or taking antacids when clinically unnecessary, you are unable to digest and absorb your vitamins and minerals properly. For instance, in order to digest and absorb calcium, the stomach pH must be very acidic at 2 to 3. Without adequate calcium, a host of problems may develop.
Insufficient absorption of calcium can lead to insomnia, muscle cramping, hypertension, twitching, tension headaches, weak teeth, brittle nails, coarse hair, scaly skin, nerve pain and irritability, osteoporosis, soft bones, brittle bones, and colon and breast cancer.
If you suffer with indigestion, take two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar immediately after each meal for one week. If it makes your indigestion worse, discontinue immediately. If you notice a decrease in symptoms and feel better, you will need the proper supplements to help you remedy the problem. These supplements can vary from person to person so an evaluation by a natural health care provider is recommended.