The Problem May NOT Be Too Much Acid

The older we get the less stomach acid we produce. I have read one estimate that more than half of the people over 50 produce too LITTLE digestive acid for proper digestion. That's a pretty big number.

The symptoms of too much and too little stomach acid are very much alike - indigestion is an upset or imbalance in the stomach chemistry.

Prescription antacids are among the top five pharmaceuticals sold, very profitable for big pharma. Antacids may take care of the symptoms, but they may not be the real solution for the cause of the problem so many people really have.

LOW stomach acidity is very unhealthy - it adversely effects digestion, and is is not strong enough to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. This leaves us open to invasion from the outside world.

H2 Histamine Blockers

H2 blockers include Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid

When food is eaten, histamines are produced that stimulate the production of normal gastric (stomach) acid. Histamine-2 receptor antagonists, commonly known as H2 blockers, are drugs that block the production of the histamines, therefore interfering with the production of stomach acid.

Cells in the stomach wall release hydrochloric acid when stimulated by histamine - this is a normal stomach function associated with eating. H2 blockers prevent histamine from stimulating this acid pump, reducing the amount of acid that is released into the stomach. This is an interference to normal function.

How H2 Blockers Work

H2 blockers work by blocking the histamine receptors in acid-producing cells in the stomach. H2 Blockers begin working within an hour. H2 blockers usually block these histamine receptors for 6 to 12 hours. So very little stomach acid is produced during this time, and no food can be digested.

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Normal Stomach Function

Our bodies need the nutrients in food to sustain healthy life. Countless processes between enzymes and the food we eat take place in the stomach, where digestion begins.

We use stomach acid to dissolve our food into particles small enough for us to absorb. Digestive enzymes in the stomach only function in the strong acids produced in the stomach. As digestion proceeds, the acidity becomes less and less strong, until digestion in the stomach is complete.

The acid becomes weaker, the enzymes finish their job, and the food is moved out of the stomach into the small intestines, where the nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream.

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Help your gut begin to function normally,
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Side-Effects and Consequences

Using these drugs interferes with normal acid production.

If H2 blockers are taken before a meal, stomach acid is not produced even though the stomach is filled with food. The food stays in the stomach for a while. Because there is no acid to dissolve and digest it, the food is not properly prepared to be absorbed, and it is passed into the gut to be eliminated as waste.

If H2 blockers are taken after a meal, stomach acid has already been created, and digestion is able to continue to some degree. Any food eaten in the next 6 to 12 hours, though, is unable to be digested, and it is passed into the gut to be eliminated as waste.

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H2 blockers interfere with normal absorption of the minerals we need to be healthy. For example, we need calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and other minerals in order to build strong, healthy bones. Without these minerals, we can develop other serious health problems, such as colon malfunction, the bone loss of osteoporosis and osteopenia, nerve system and muscle disorders, etc.

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Acid indigestion or gastric reflux may be related to a
digestive system that is clogged and doesn't work right.

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Malnutrition

If H2 blockers are taken every day for GERD, acid reflux, heartburn, gastritis, dyspepsia, general indigestion symptoms, whether mild or severe, the consequences can be dangerous.

Eating becomes a waste of time and money. The basic building blocks of life are not available to the body, and imbalances occur from these types of GERD treatments. Symptoms can be handled in most people with the natural GERD remedies described above.

For example, calcium and other minerals require normal stomach acidity in order to be taken into the body. Our muscles and nerve system rely on proper balance of minerals in order to function; mineral imbalances cause other symptoms, like memory loss, visual problems, muscle weakness, etc. Calcium that should be available for bones is not there, and bone loss - osteoporosis - can result. Our bodies begin to malfunction, and our immune system becomes weak.

Doctors are telling patients to take H2 blockers 'for prevention'; removing symptoms while ignoring the cause, and allowing the body to become really sick as time passes.This approach makes no sense, but the drug manufacturers are reporting record profits from drug sales.

Protection From Invaders

Normal stomach acid is strong enough to kill bacteria that enter our gut through our esophagus. The stomach is a first line of defense against these germs. The stomach is where invaders are supposed to be stopped, and it is the stomach acid that stops them.

Without normal stomach acid to defeat them, these bacteria and other invaders have an open door into our bodies.

Destruction of Normal, Helpful Bacteria

Interfering with the normal digestive functions removes many of the 'good-guy' bacteria that are supposed to be in the gut. This can lead to constipation and other problems.

H2 blockers do not function as an antacid, and are more dangerous

Antacids such as Alka-Seltzer or Tums neutralize the acid that has been created, bringing relief to the symptoms. And while antacids disrupt the normal digestive process as well, the effects are not as long-lasting.

Although some doctors are telling their patients to take 1 or 2 Tums with every meal as a 'calcium supplement' to prevent osteoporosis, the antacid prevents calcium from being absorbed. This has an affect similar to taking H2 blockers every day, and leads to the same kind of malnutrition.

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GERD Guidelines: Alternative To H2 Blockers

I have read about esophageal sphincter surgery for GERD. Surgery complications can create a beginning, not the end, of the problem.

The best alternative medicine for GERD is probably no medicine at all. These drugs are not 'GERD cures', they only help with symptoms, and the side-effects are potentially dangerous.

Try the simple home remedies for GERD. Natural treatments - and relief from GERD - begins before and during your meal.

Try to plan a 'GERD diet'. Foods to avoid? You probably know already what they are.

Slow down, chew your food, drink water instead of any other beverage, smaller meals, less fat.

Symptoms of GERD and gastritis would not require medicine or an alternative to medicine if the problem could be prevented.

Common H2 Blocker

H2 blockers are available over-the-counter (OTC) or by prescription. Familiar names include Zantac, Pepcid, Tagamet, Aciphex, and Axid.

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