When you have a pain searing pain or pressure in your mid section it could be the first sign of acidity, heartburn, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (commonly called as GERD) or ulcer. But when that happens, your immediate priority is to reduce the pain as quickly as possible regardless of its name or nature. This is when the problem starts; you are most likely to resort to acid-blocking drug for symptom relief rather than considering the actual cause of the problem.
You have 2 options for acidity cure when you are suffering with Stomach pain or abdominal discomfort – the potentially lethal risks of standard treatments or safer alternative medicines. The easier option and more freely available standard option of acid suppression can be hazardous because
- Acid blocking drugs are indicated for a short period only (few days or weeks). For longer periods you need a doctor’s guidance because serious side effects can cause from long term use. Unfortunately people do not know this
- The stomach acid these drugs block is not actual cause of your pain. The stomach job is to make acid and that is not the problem
- There may a constitutional fix that may be required to fix the gastric system in order instead of masking the problem with the drug or surgery
- Statin cholesterol drugs can cause acid reflux while pain relievers like aspirin and motrin can cause gastric ulsers
- Studies in US on esophageal cancer (1975 – 2001)point to the possibility that long term use of acid blocking drugs rather than GERD may be the root cause
Facts you should know about Acidity cure that standard medical advise wont provide you
- Acidity can be useful, even life saving. Blocking stomach acid actually fosters the growth of bacteria that cause gastritis and are associated with gastro intestinal cancer, MRSA, pneumonia
- Heartburn is a misnomer – the pain is not in the heart or even the stomach. It originates from the gullet (esophagus) the muscular pipe connecting the throat to stomach.
- Acid reflux makes digestive juices reach your throat – this can cause persistent sore throat & cough. In extreme cases the liquid can reach your mouth and erode tooth enamel
- Doctors warn patients from alcohol and fats. However moderate consumption of alcohol and good fats may actually help the stomach. Over eating of refined sugar, flour, inflammatory fats is a major cause of acid reflux
- Natural remedies recognize that Acidity-indigestion, heartburn, gastritis, GERD and other similar disorders carry similar underlying causes, drug therapy and curative path of treatment. More importantly Homeopathy recognizes that we are all different and therefore need customized solutions for acidity, GERD cure
- Dietary supplements, and simple techniques can relieve acid related symptoms, help improve digestion and repair the underlying problems
- Alternative remedies recognize that improving digestion and GI functions also addresses insomnia, depression, joint pains etc while boosting energy levels. The long term benefits being improved immunity and protection from fatal diseases
Check out effective homeopathic acidity medicines list (in Syrups, Tablets form) online here
Causes of stomach pain
Having good GI bacteria over bad ones, and right amount of digestive enzymes and acid in the stomach a important measure for natural acidity cure as explained below
- Low stomach acid – Insufficient stomach acid is one of the major causes of heartburn and a number of other seemingly unrelated symptoms. Doctors easily fall into the trap of using acid blockers for most stomach complaints since the presenting symptoms of low acid and excess acid are virtually identical!
- Insufficient digestive enzyme – Enzymes from pancreas help chemical break up of food for digestion, proteases break down proteins into amino acids; amylases break down starches into sugar molecules; and lipases break down fat into its component parts. When there is lack of such enzymes due to disease like cystic fibrosis it leads to conditions like pancreatic insufficiency and improper digestive functions
- Bacterial infection – Bacteria coming from contaminated sources can infect your gut leading to inflammation of stomach and intestines. This causes diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps and vomiting. E.g., – Salmonella & protozoal infections
- Overgrowth of yeast – Candida albicans is a yeast that surfaces due to digestive imbalance. The good bacteria in your gut typically keeps your Candida levels in check. However, the Candida population can get out of hand if a round of antibiotics kill too many of those friendly bacteria. This can cause digestive disorders such as gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, flatulence, and irritable bowel disease
- Hiatus Hernia – A hiatal hernia happens when the upper part of your stomach pushes up through your diaphragm and into your chest region. This may cause acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which is when stomach acid backs up into esophagus.
Poor food choices
We are what we eat and therein lies the key to acidity cure, i.e., taking the right food is important if your stomach regularly sends out signal of distress
- Increase your intake of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids by eating more fish and switch to grass fed meat. On the other hand reduce intake of pro-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids by switching to cooking oils such as olive or unrefined peanut oil, safflower oil etc
- This one is tough but a hard choice you will have to make – meats contain pesticide residues that upset intestinal balance and put your health at risk in many ways. Also the following fruits & vegetables are believed to be most contaminated when coming from conventional, non organic sources: grapes, apples, cherries, peaches, spinach, strawberries, potatoes, pears, celery, bell peppers. Either cut down these foods or switch to organic variety of meat, fruits and vegetables.
- If any food or drink that you eat burns as it goes down, stop and check out why. Continue only if you have found an answer
Obesity and Acidity
Being overweight especially around the waistline contributes to gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD because increased intra-abdominal pressure can send acid and other stomach contents shooting up into the esophagus. Increased levels of acidity in the stomach kills of the good bacteria which foments the growth of Candida, a yeast which in excess can cause several problems.
How Yeast in stomach raise your insulin levels? – Candida which causes digestive imbalances and acidity also affects the body through enzymes it produces, also called Secreted Aspartyl Proteases or SAP) . The enzymes causes damage to body by causing pre diabetes conditions (include insulin-resistance and hypoglycemia). Insulin normally attaches to receptors on cells which activate the sugar absorption from the blood. These protease enzymes will chop off the receptors on cells causing blood sugar levels to increase.
Candida infestation can even cause your body to crave sugary and starchy foods. Because it is a yeast, it needs sugar in order to grow and creates the intense cravings for sugar. Many a times this craving is mistaken for insulin resistance.
If you are overweight, chances are that your digestion will improve as you loose weight.
