Feeling the Burn?

Patty here!
In my last post, I talked about gut health and the potential for eating whole and fermented foods to help normalize imbalances in our guts. As I pondered the physiology of our bodies and, more specifically, our guts, I thought maybe we should talk about where many of our health issues begins... the stomach. So I did some studying, and I was amazed at what I found. Statistics show that 60 million people experience heartburn once a month and 25 million suffer from it daily. THAT IS CRAZY. We used to not pay much attention to heartburn, but those numbers set off alarms in my head.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease or heartburn) can be a serious or even life-threatening problem due to long-term damage it influcts including scarring, constriction, ulceration and even cancer of the esophagus. Recent studies show that the damage from GERD not only extends upward to the esophagus, but also travels downward through the digestive track, contributing to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and other gastrointestinal problems. One report said that IBS is now a leading cause of missed work, second only to the common cold.
The crazy thing is that most people believe heartburn is caused by an overabundance of stomach acid. So they pop Tums or sip on Pepto Bismol to reduce the burn. Many need even stronger stuff, so they rely on prescription antacids from their docs. Well, interestingly enough, research shows that GERD is NOT caused by too much stomach acid. In truth, we feel the burn when we don't have enough. Numerous studies show that HCL (stomach acid) declines with age AND it is well estableished that the risk of heartburn and GERD increases with age. Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD of the Tahoma Clinic in Washington State explains in his book, Why Stomach Acid is Good For You, "When we carefully test people over age forty who are having heartburn, indigestion and gas, over 90 percent of the time we find inadequate acid production in the stomach." Wow! So all this time we have been reducing our stomach acid when we actually needed more? Dr. Wright has also found that patients with GERD or heartburn, when supplemented with HCL (stomach acid) were cured of their problem. Wow.
So, why then, you may ask, do we feel a burn? If we don't have enough stomach acid, why do we get heartburn? If you read the literature, you will see that GERD, or heartburn, happens when the LES (lower esophageal valve) works improperly and allows acid to get back into the esophagus. The misfiring of the LES happens when there is increased IAP (intra-abdominal pressure). The two main causes of this pressure are bacterial overgrowth and carbohydrate mal-digestion. Without the proper amount of HCL, both these problems occur. So again, HCL inhibits the overgrowth of unwanted bacteria and supports the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Low stomach acid (which is the goal of Tums, Prilosec, Pepto Bismol and other antacids) causes bacterial overgrowth and carbohydrate mal-digestion in the stomach which in turn, causes IAP, the release of acid back up into the esophagus and consequently GERD!
So, what should we do? We have had many people in our office suffering from GERD. One of the first things we do is to supplement that with HCL. Typically, symptoms retreat, but the long term results come with a change in nutrition. As I pointed out in my last post, we recommend a lifestyle change of consuming whole, clean foods that allow the body to function as it was designed. Processed grains, rancid oils, and ingredients with names we cannot pronounce have adulterated our food choices long enough. Eliminating sugars and the many forms of high carbohydrates and processed foods from our diet helps balance the flora in our gut so that when food leaves the stomach and enters the intestines it is broken down to the state it should be. Without this change the balance in our stomach stays disrupted, as it is with GERD. Then the downward spiral of digestive dysfunction begins and the potential for more severe problems presents itself.
If you are curious, here is an article from Chris Kresser that will go even more in depth.