Stomach Acid Indigestion - Possible Solution?

Blonks

Hi Guys,

I just have to post this information so that it may help someone somewhere.

I spent about 10 years popping antacid tablets including things like gaviscone mallox, rennie, bisodol blah etc
I literally couldn't eat any junk food during that time without serious indigestion, burping and gas - especially at night. I really did not understand what was wrong with my stomach. Processed foods, sugary foods, pastries, cakes, heavy desserts etc would all have me almost sick. I researched my problems on the web and tried many solutions and nothing worked until I found this

http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php
http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/alkaline-foods-list

Basically it describes the acid content of foods and attributes digestive problems to an over acidification of our bodies. I did not make radical inroads into the alkaline foods but I changed certain things, eating more kiwi fruit, taking a glass of lemon water with every meal and changing black tea to green tea, amongst others. The results have been remarkable and I havn't taken any indigestion tablets for over a month now. In my case just getting a balance between acid and alkaline foods has made the difference and I can eat so much more now without stomach problems. Ideally you want your food to balance the acidity in your stomach, not indigestion remedies - which is what the alkaline food does.

Please give it a try if you are constantly taking remedies for indigestion. It has been a life saver.

Thanks,

M

rubadub

I have psoriasis and read acid could be a problem. I never really needed antacids -i.e. I was never in pain or had bad reflux and I have a cast iron stomach -but since taking them I have seen improvements. I drink like a fish and it makes psoriasis much worse, I now take tablets or sips of baking soda in water. I have tried changing to alkaline foods as much as I can but the booze is still the main problem.

Antacid tablets are ridiculously overpriced, most are just calcium carbonate which is chalk, or sodium bicarbonate -baking soda. Now 500g of baking soda is about €1.20 so is the same as ~700x700mg tablets, while 24 tablets is about €2.60. 24 tablets for the same price as 1400!

Calcium carbonate can be got in homebrew shops for neutralizing acid in wine.

I am actually going to try making my own tablets, you can buy capsule fillers but I found a bottle of water which had baking soda in it and noticed little nuggets of powder, I let them dry and they were like round tablets. I have ordered a mini ice cube tray and plan on putting powder in the tray with a little water and let them dry out and form little nuggets.

ApeXaviour

OP if it comes back go see your doctor. Prolonged acid indigestion is a recipe for some nasty cancers and other ailments in later life. They'd likely prescribe you something like omeprazole (which is OTC in the US), which deals with it efficiently and isn't just "pissing about with rennies" (-my doc). Yes it's symptom treatment as opposed to cure... but it works, very very well.

billyhead

Would this be any use to the OP. I beleive you can get Ale Vara tablets to help with indigestion etc

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/aloe-vera-colon-cleansing.html

El_Dangeroso

Taking antacids actually makes GERD worse in the long run. I've met gastro-intestinal specialist consultants that don't know this.

Most people with GERD have quite weak stomach acid. That's why HCl tablets are often an effective treatment for GERD.

This is a great series on addressing the underlying causes of GERD rather than palliating the symptoms with antacids.

If you want to cut to the chase and don't care for all the scientific background:

Get Rid of Heartburn Forever in Three Simple Steps

rubadub

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Taking antacids actually makes GERD worse in the long run. I've met gastro-intestinal specialist consultants that don't know this.

I have heard some doctors want OTC antacids banned or made prescription, saying they are probably the most widely abused/overused "drug" out there. I think it is like your stomach needs acid and so will compensate if it has none, then you grow dependent on them as when you don't have them even more acid is produced. I know guys who would have antacids while drinking and then not be able to go without it and getting even worse heartburn than before. I was like this myself for a while and went cold turkey and got my cast iron stomach back.

I still think it is beneficial to myself for psoriasis while drinking, it should neutralise into salts which should help water absorption. My tray arrived today and I have thick paste setting in it. In a book I have on psoriasis one patient reported instant relief from itching after drinking a small amount of baking soda.

El_Dangeroso

rubadub wrote: »

I have heard some doctors want OTC antacids banned, saying they are probably the most widely abused "drug" out there. I think it is like your stomach needs acid and so will compensate if it has none, then you grow dependent on them as when you don't have them even more acid is produced. I know guys who would have antacids while drinking and then not be able to go without it and getting even worse heartburn than before.

I still think it is beneficial to myself for psoriasis while drinking, it should neutralise into salts which should help water absorption. My tray arrived today and I have thick paste setting in it. In a book I have on psoriasis one patient reported instant relief from itching after drinking a small amount of baking soda.

Yeah, it's definitely not cut and dried, I've heard of the health benefits of drinking bicarb of soda mixed with water, something to do with reducing the risk of kidney stones, can't remember the specifics now. Either way if it allows me to justify a jameson and soda water I'm all for it..:P

rubadub

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

something to do with reducing the risk of kidney stones, can't remember the specifics now.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5616960_drink-bicarbonate-soda-health.html

There also are interesting health benefits when you drink baking soda, which is alkaline, in water. Viruses and diseases such as colds, flu, cancer and even heart disease thrive in an acidic body, but cannot survive when your body is alkaline. The 2009 Journal of the American Society of Nephrology revealed a study of 134 patients with advanced kidney disease. Taking baking soda daily dramatically slowed down the progression of kidney disease, resulting in no need for dialysis.

Read more: How to Drink Bicarbonate of Soda for Health | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5616960_drink-bicarbonate-soda-health.html#ixzz10oeOmLUN

Also found this!
Is bicarbonate of soda a performance-enhancing drug?

some experts, including Dr Deitrick, claim that its effects are so powerful that it shouldn't have a place in competitive sport. “It comes down to whether or not the athlete has a competitive advantage by taking an aid,” he says. “And in the case of sodium bicarbonate, I believe the answer is yes. It violates the spirit of fair play by artificially enhancing performance.”

CathyMoran

Just a slight aside mods if this is OK - am an oesophageal cancer survivor and was diagnosed in 2006 when I was 32 - would urge everyone to keep an eye on acid indigestion. If you have acid indigestion get it checked and keep an eye on it.

Zamboni

I had acid reflux for about 10 years and tried everything from omeprazole to stuff I cannot pronounce.
I even had to tilt my bed to try to sleep which had little effect.

Went paleo for diet reasons and lo and behold acid reflux completley ceased.
I'm not drawing any conclusions but pointing out a rather interesting coincidence...

--Kaiser--

iruses and diseases such as colds, flu, cancer and even heart disease thrive in an acidic body, but cannot survive when your body is alkaline

This is one of the biggest nutritional myths out there, complete pseudoscience, your body is held at a near constant Ph with very little deviation, having an 'acidic' body would be a serious medical condition called Acidosis.

http://www.supplecity.com/articles/diets/acidalkalinediet.htm

Blonks

Thanks for your feedback/input and suggestions guys - I particularly like the suggestion of getting my acid stomach concentration measured and the information that (surprisingly) HCL (strong acid) tablets are often effective treatment for GERD.
I used to take apple cider vinegar (which is an acid) which helped with my stomach discomfort. The alkaline diet has this vinegar marked as something which leaves behind an alkali residue when digested.
It would be interesting to take HCL tables now too see what the effect would be but Im happy at the minute sticking to my alkali diet. Its working a charm.

Transform

get in some digestive enzymes at all meals and i am fairly sure combined with a zone/paleo diet will work lots.

I use these in most meals (2-3) and they also contain HCL - http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Super-Enzymes-180-Capsules/857?at=0

they have also worked well with any client i recommended them to also (with dietary changes also)

El_Dangeroso

Transform wrote: »

get in some digestive enzymes at all meals and i am fairly sure combined with a zone/paleo diet will work lots.

I use these in most meals (2-3) and they also contain HCL - http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Super-Enzymes-180-Capsules/857?at=0

they have also worked well with any client i recommended them to also (with dietary changes also)

+1 on the Now foods digestive enzymes, absolutely magical in how effective they are, though you do feel a little 'heat' in the back of your throat after taking them. They actually encourage your own production of enzymes too so you only have to take a short course of them to get back on track.

jdivision

Wheat can be one of the main causes I find.

ApeXaviour

jdivision wrote: »

Wheat can be one of the main causes I find.

Indeed... and it's a subversive little thing too because unless you give your body a bit of a rest from it you probably don't even realise and have adapted to the damage its doing.

Last night I had some chicken enchiladas after not eating any wheat in weeks. Gut churning is all I can describe it as.

Thank god Lemon do buckwheat crepes for when I want to treat myself/be social/carb up.

Blonks

Just ordered those digestive supplements. I remember looking for digestive enzymes before but couldn't find anything recommended . Thanks.

Annasopra

Zamboni wrote: »

I had acid reflux for about 10 years and tried everything from omeprazole to stuff I cannot pronounce.
I even had to tilt my bed to try to sleep which had little effect.

Went paleo for diet reasons and lo and behold acid reflux completley ceased.
I'm not drawing any conclusions but pointing out a rather interesting coincidence...

what's paleo?

El_Dangeroso

Johnnymcg wrote: »

what's paleo?

A diet that tries to emulate what we've been eating before the dawn of agriculture.

Meat, organ meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits and nuts basically. No grains, no refined sugar, no industrially produced vegetable oil, no soy. Lots of fun exercise outdoors, good sleep and plenty of sunshine/vitamin D.

Some do dairy, some don't depending on tolerance.