If you have heartburn or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), when you take an antacid and your pain goes away, does this mean your stomach is functioning properly?
No…You may feel better but you are indeed hurting yourself. In many cases the problem is not too much stomach acid, it is TOO LITTLE.
Having too little stomach acid can be a serious problem to your health. This combined with taking an antacid (over the counter or prescribed) is simply suppressing a symptom. There is something else going on causing the acid to come up your esophagus.
Heartburn and GERD
Heartburn is the irritation of the esophagus caused by stomach acid that has come in contact with it, while GERD is just a more serious form of acid reflux. GERD is the most common digestive disorder in the United States. It is estimated that 20% of the population experience GERD symptoms weekly.
Nexium is the second most profitable prescribed drug in the United States, raking in 6.4 billion dollars according to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Infomatics. Over the counter heartburn medicine is the second highest in sales making 1.3 billion annually. This is great, except that most often antacids are not the solution!
The Truth…..
The process begins by chewing our food and swallowing it. The food then travels down the esophagus through the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) into the stomach. The LES is a valve and its purpose is to keep stomach contents in the stomach. If the LES is not functioning properly it allows acid to seep back into the esophagus leading you to experience the burning sensation. Remember ANY amount of acid will be uncomfortable so this does NOT mean that you have excess acid production.
Why we need acid in our stomachs
Stomach acid is required for good health! Yes we could survive without it, but imagine how your stomach would look. One cause of poor LES function is due to increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by a lack of stomach acid. Low acid allows bacteria to grow which in turn leads to poor digestion and fermentation of carbohydrates and protein. The gas produced by fermentation increases the internal pressure of your stomach, and then on your LES which causes acid to escape into your esophagus.
It is essential that you get to the cause of the burning sensation you feel after you eat. It is important that you have the appropriate amount of acid in your stomach for your body to be functioning at 100%. There are serious consequences of long term antacid use. You must log on to www.dynamicbalancehealth.com to schedule a FREE phone consultation to help you discover what is truly happening with your digestive system. You deserve to live a pain free and healthy life!
Crystal Shores has had such success in returning people to health because this is her passion. She does this by influencing a person’s body systems to work together, instead of manipulating just one aspect of their biochemistry. The whole body approach is what separates Crystal apart from other health care practitioners. She takes the necessary steps to evaluate what is truly happening in a person’s body, and designs a nutrition program based on their bodily function, and not a diagnosis.
While graduating at the top of her class Summa Cum Laude and completing a competitive Dietetic Internship, she followed her dream of being a business owner which gives her the opportunity successfully impact the lives of others as a Registered Dietitian. After her internship, she was introduced to Functional Medicine, and knew this was how she would realize her dream. She and her husband started what is known today as Dynamic Balance, which utilizes proven nutritional principles along with the cutting edge science of Functional Medicine to facilitate proper function within the human body.
Crystal is a dynamic and inspirational woman who has spent years educating herself and others on what true health is, and how to achieve it. She has first-hand knowledge of what it takes to make the necessary changes in a person’s life, because she has done it herself. She spent the majority of her 20’s having fun and chasing happiness through external means only to end up realizing that true joy comes from within. This realization came from experiencing pain and fear that no outside force could remove. The time came when she had to make the choice of what direction she wanted her life to take. When she stood at this fork in the road, she made the decision to go back to school to receive her second bachelor’s degree, in Dietetics. This ultimately led her to feed and nurture her body back to a healthy state. It is with this passion and dedication that she serves her clients to lead them to enjoy the health they deserve.
The road to health and well being is not always an easy one and it requires guidance and support. If it were easy, we would all be healthy. She hopes to guide others in achieving health from the inside out.
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