|
|
Home
>
Articles on Health
>
Stomach Pains
Stomach Pains
As we age, we may encounter more digestive problems.
This often has to do with one thing: less digestive
power.
As we age, if we could pinpoint one thing that
leads to digestive problems, what would it be? Some would say
not eating enough, or eating too much of the wrong foods.
Others might worry about getting enough water, or increasing
incidences of indigestion.
But perhaps the most common
thing that goes wrong with our digestion as we age—and the
root of many digestive problems—is a condition known as
hypochlorhydria. This is very simply the underproduction of
hydrochloric acid, or stomach acid.
Hypochlorhydria is
quite common and becomes more prevalent with age. It occurs in
about 15 percent of the population. Among people who are
worried enough about symptoms to see a doctor, 50 percent are
diagnosed with it. By age 40, 40 percent of the population is
affected, and by age 60, 50 percent. A person over age 40 who
visits a doctor’s office has about a 90 percent probability of
having hypochlorhydria.
HCL and what it does
If the stomach were not
protected by mucus, hydrochloric acid (HCL) would burn the
stomach lining. This powerful acid protects us from harmful
bacteria—what we may ingest with foods is fried by this strong
acid. HCL also helps keep the three pounds of bacteria found
in the colon from moving up into the small intestine. If this
happens, “bad” bacteria and yeast can establish a foothold in
the intestine, resulting in less than optimum absorption of
nutrients and inflamed intestines.
HCL is paramount in
our digestive process. It begins the digestion of protein and
stimulates the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes and bile.
Without enough of these two substances, we cannot adequately
digest or absorb carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. When we
don’t digest foods well, there may be three results:
1)
We don’t get the nutrition we need.
2) Badly digested
foods continue through the digestive tract. Some of the larger
molecules flow through the intestine into the bloodstream.
(The inflamed intestines noted above make this easier.) These
larger molecules are seen as invaders by the immune system and
are attacked. The result is food allergies. It is estimated
that 80 percent of patients with food allergies suffer from
some degree of impaired hydrochloric acid secretion in the
stomach.
3) Foods linger for much longer than they
should in the digestive system, resulting in an overgrowth of
unfriendly bacteria in the small intestine and colon. When
these bad bacteria begin to outnumber the good bacteria, a
condition known as dysbiosis exists. According to Elizabeth
Lipski, M.S., C.C.N., in her book, Digestive Wellness,
dysbiosis may result in such diverse conditions as arthritis,
autoimmune disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic fatigue
syndrome, eczema, food allergies and food sensitivities,
inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel
syndrome.
In other words, a shortage of HCL can have
dire consequences.
What to do It seems simple to overcome—simply get
more HCL. Unfortunately, one of the difficulties associated
with hypochlorhydria is that it is often misdiagnosed as the
opposite—as having too much stomach acid. This is because both
conditions share the same symptoms—bloating, belching,
burning, flatulence, indigestion, and gassiness—and, perhaps,
because there is an easy “remedy” for too much stomach acid:
antacids. However, antacids can be a large part of the
problem.
Antacids
buffer the stomach from the HCL, which also blocks it from
doing its part in the digestive process. Thus, someone who has
too little HCL and who takes antacids will have even less HCL
available to do its digestive job. Antacids also change the
stomach’s pH, which can adversely affect the “good” bacteria.
Taking antacids, then, can make the problem of hypochlorhydria
even worse.
As mentioned, hypochlorhydria can be
difficult to diagnose, and many health practitioners treat
this condition as too much stomach acid. The best way to
pinpoint hypochlorhydria is to ask your health practitioner
for a Heidelberg test. This test accurately measures how much
HCL the stomach is producing, and if your problem is not
hypochlorhydria, this test will help your health practitioner
accurately diagnose your problem.
When looking for ways
to support HCL, the first and simplest solution is to take
something that will help you digest foods well. Doing so will
ensure that you get the nutrition you need and lessen the
possibility of foods rotting in your intestines, leading to
the onset of dysbiosis.
An easy way to aid digestion is
to take digestive enzymes. These help the enzymes created
naturally by the pancreas; thus, foods are digested more
quickly and more completely. When choosing a digestive enzyme,
choose one that contains a wide spectrum of enzymes. This is
important because the macronutrients found in foods are
“enzyme-specific”—a specific enzyme works on a specific
macronutrient. For example, any formula you take should
include lipase to digest fats, protease to digest protein, and
amylase to digest carbohydrates. It would also do well to
include cellulase to digest fiber, sucrase to digest white
sugar, and maltase to digest malt sugar.
You may also
try a home remedy to supplement HCL. Mix one teaspoon of
vinegar with water and drink this with each meal. You may
gradually increase the vinegar up to 10 teaspoons in water. If
you experience burning, immediately neutralize it with a glass
of milk or a teaspoon of baking soda in water.
As
always, if hypochlorhydria problems persist, see a health
practitioner.
|
AIM Product Suggestions:
|
AIM PrepZymes
A combination of digestive enzymes, helps our body break down foods so we get more nutrients per meal.
Retail:
$35.00
Your price:
$21.00
|
|
AIM FloraFood
AIM Flora Food is a unique and potent probiotic with 3 friendly bacteria to aid digestion.
Retail:
$41.50
Your price:
$26.00
|
|
|
|
|
AIM Herbal Fiberblend
Powder: A combination of the soluble fiber psyllium and cleansing herbs - helps maintain bowel regularity and other benefits.
Retail:
$37.00
Your price:
$31.00
|
 |
AIM Herbal Fiberblend
Capsules: For the most convenience in cleansing and detoxification.
Retail:
$42.00
Your price:
$35.00
|
|
|
|
|
If you have any questions, please call us at
1-800-627-4689 or send an email to
info@aimthisway.com
AIM This Way
19 Pemberton Street
Cambridge, MA
02140
Product prices and charges are subject to change without notice.
AIM products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, mitigate or prevent a disease or illness. Results may vary per person.
|
|
