In the UK people suffer with acid build up in their stomachs causing burning in their throats, and upper abdomen.This is known as heartburn, and it can be very uncomfortable. There are many triggers to set off an acid attack. Pregnancy is a common one, when the baby pushes up into the stomach area as it grows. Being overweight, suffering with constipation, eating the wrong food (this can vary from person to person), stress and anxiety, over eating, eating at the desk at work, eating too late at night, lack of water and so on.
The list can go on and on, as can the so called cures. At one time a person could chew their way through a whole tube of Rennies to try and damp down the burning sensation, or gulp down a bottle of Gaviscon. This sometimes gave light relief, but often causes other issues.
At one time Gaviscon contained aluminium, which is not the best thing to consume as it’s a heavy metal and toxic and has been known to cause skin conditions and has been linked to dementia. Modern medicines are proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications intended to fight heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux have a bad press due to study results announced there was a link between this class of drug and the incidence of dementia in elder patients. JAMA Neurology published the conclusions of a German study that examined the effect of PPI medication on 73,000 senior citizens aged 75 and older, participants who did use PPIs were 44% more likely to suffer from dementia.
According to some nutritional experts, acidic stomach can be the cause of too little HCL (hydrochloric acid) in the stomach. We need stomach acid to break down proteins, but it does many other roles in our body. Lack of vital nutrients, stress, certain medicines, processed diet, ice cold drinks, age – can all affect our production of acid. We need stomach acid. Hydrochloric acid is the primary digestive acid and has several roles in digestion. The acid prevents harmful bacteria from entering your system by sterilising it. Another function of hydrochloric acid is to trigger the release of pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down proteins. You need hydrochloric acid to absorb minerals like magnesium, sodium and iron. Gastric acid is so strong that it could digest the stomach if there was not a mucus lining protecting it.
When you visit a Kinesiologist, you may be tested for digestive enzymes and probiotics, as well as other nutrients. However even if you have a good diet, you may not be absorbing the nutrients in your food, due to a lack of digestive enzymes. They are vital to our overall health. As we get older our enzyme production can slow down, so taking a supplement can help replenish and restore balance. You take one enzyme table before you eat a normal meal.
Sometimes just taking a course of enzymes and probiotics can make a huge difference to your health. One very useful product is by Quest called Enzyme Digest and is available HERE. This contains various enzymes for the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. *If you wish to order - then use my name (Miranda Welton) as this is a prescription website.
If you have had antibiotics in the past, the taking a good quality probiotic can really help your digestive system. OptiBac Probiotics do a special probiotic formula for those who have taken antibiotics. LINK HERE They do formulas for babies right through to ones for high cholesterol. There has been a great deal of research on this products. *see above.
Heartburn can be very unpleasant and occasionally mask other issues, so please ensure you get checked out by your doctor if your symptoms persist. Most people reach for the over the counter products to relieve symptoms. Its worth knowing what the ingredients are for your own knowledge. In Britain’s favourite Heartburn Medicine Gaviscon Advance Peppermint Flavour Oral Suspension contains in each 10 ml dose, sodium alginate 1000 mg and potassium hydrogen carbonate 200 mg. 1 ml contains sodium alginate 100 mg and potassium hydrogen carbonate 20.0 mg.
Ingredients:
Calcium carbonate - Calcium carbonate is one of the most useful and versatile materials known to man. Many of us encounter calcium carbonate for the first time in the school classroom, where we use blackboard chalk. Chalk has been used as a writing tool for over 10,000 years and is a fine, microcrystalline material. As limestone, calcium carbonate is a biogenic rock, and is more compacted than chalk.
Carbomer 974P - for use in oral and mucosal contact applications such as oral liquids, bioadhesive formulations, oral care formulations and extended release tablets. Additionally, Carbopol 974P NF polymer can be used to formulate viscous gels, emulsions and suspensions.
Methyl parahydroxybenzoate E218 - Benzoic acid and benzoates are used as preservatives against both yeasts and fungi. They are not very effective against bacteria. Activity does not depend on acidity. Benzoic acid esters are poorly soluble, which limits application. Side effects include: Allergy, Asthma, Cancer, Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Urticaria.
Propyl parahydroxybenzoate E216 - it is manufactured synthetically for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and foods. it is a preservative typically found in many water-based cosmetics, such as creams, lotions, shampoos and bath products.
Saccharin sodium - Sodium saccharin was first developed in 1878. It is the salt form of saccharin, an artificial sweetener. Like many other salts, it dissociates into its component parts when dissolved in water. The words "sodium saccharin" and "saccharin" are used interchangeably because saccharin is the component that has the sweet taste. Both names are easier to use than the true chemical name, which is 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one,1,1-dioxide. Sodium saccharin has 300 times the sweetening power of sugar. Saccharin sodium contains no caloric value and is not absorbed by your intestines. However, the sweet taste of saccharin may stimulate an endocrinological response, such as insulin production from your pancreas. The main effect of insulin is to transport sugar in the blood stream to various body tissues that can use it for energy. Without any sugar entering the bloodstream after ingesting an artificial sweetener like saccharin sodium, insulin has nothing to bind on to. This may decrease your insulin sensitivity, which may increase your risk for developing diabetes. When these calories do not come, your body may become resistant to this response, which can promote fat storage and weight gain. Studies have also found possible cancer links and allergies.
Peppermint flavour - Peppermint flavour is used in medicine to mask or impart taste to medications. A flavour, as used in the pharmaceutical industry for inactive ingredients, refers to natural or artificial tastes, which may include fragrances and colours of the flavouring. Flavours are used for orally consumed products such as syrups, chewable tablets, suspensions, or gums that impart beneficial therapeutic effect, as well. Peppermint is a common and popular flavour used in medications.
Sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment - The task of any pH adjustment system is to adjust the pH of the process stream into the defined acceptable discharge range. In the case of an acid neutralization, caustic (NaOH) is added to the effluent stream to pH Neutralize the solution. This neutralization, or titration can be expressed as follows: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O.
Purified water - To meet the legal definition of “purified water”, water impurities must be removed or reduced to extremely low levels. The impurity load of dissolved solids in Purified Water cannot exceed 10 parts per million and water which meets this threshold is inherently of a higher purity than spring water, tap water or filtered water.
Natural enzymes can be found in food such as pineapple, so make sure you eat fresh fruit as often as possible.