MYTH:  Indigestion, Heartburn or acid reflux is caused by too much acid in the gut.

THE TRUTH:  It is actually an acid deficiency – specifically HCL – hydrochloric acid. That’s right. Hard to absorb? (no pun intended) The True reason behind that uncomfortable, painful, burning sensation you have been experiencing is that the body should be producing hydrochloric acid, and lots of it, make no mistake…    

Lactic acid is a by-product or waste product produced either by muscles working hard – OR – and in this case –  by fermenting rotting food. So when you reach for that anti-acid remedy…  it does one thing… it kills the lactic acid. Yay! (hence anti-acid.) But it also kills HCL. And that’s a disaster waiting to happen.

If the pain or discomfort temporarily goes away, BUT keeps coming back, that’s when you know you’re not really addressing the issue.

So what stops or slows down HCL production then if it so important?                                                                            

a) Aging. (once we hit 30 most of us start to produce less of this acid.)

b) Stress – how much and how we deal with it can deplete our HCL reserves

The result is: we simply can’t fully digest food, and wait for it…

Rotting food that sits around in our gut causes lactic acid

The TRUTH is…Fix the root cause and the symptoms will disappear.

Ok so that’s important to know.  But why is HCL so crucial for YOU?

FACT: It breaks proteins down into the essential amino acids needed for smooth digestion.

How does knowing this help YOU?

Ever heard of or suffered from digestive issues such as:

• Leaky gut
• IBS
• Diverticulitus
• Gastroenteritis

Well, these conditions can all stem from the SAME root problem. Protein molecules are large and NEED to be converted (in the stomach) into amino acids which are smaller and perfect to digest. It’s as simple as that. Left undigested in the stomach, these large molecules will enter the colon and can cause havoc. Because they cannot be broken down here, they will “leak” into the blood stream, and are seen by the body as ‘foreign.’ So… you must have enough HCL in your stomach to break down the -protein molecules into amino acids.

FACT: It’s a spring cleaning system for your gut, killing bacteria that enters the stomach, before the food moves down through the body into the intestines.

FACT: It’s a co-factor for mineral absorption. Sometimes the question isn’t “are we ingesting enough minerals,” but rather – “are we absorbing them?”

So HOW do we increase hydrochloric acid in the tummy? *

You can start by increasing your acid reserves gently and naturally…

Upon rising and on an empty tummy drink a glass of room temperature water with a large squirt of real lemon juice. Or… start with a shot of organic, raw, ACV (apple cider vinegar.)

You may need more support if for example you are experiencing bloating, especially if you are eating a lot of cooked food, you may find it beneficial to take some digestive enzymes which have a small amount of HCL in them.*

• Digestive health – Take digestive enzymes when eating cooked food as the enzymes are impaired or destroyed by heat. People who incorporate a lot of raw fruits and vegetables into their diets are keeping those invaluable digestive enzymes intact.

In some instances, you may find you need pure HCL/betaine pepsin. But always check with a health provider first. *

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Indigestion is ultimately caused by an acid deficiency, specifically HCL.

We need good amounts of stomach acid to kill bacteria, and to break down molecules into amino acids for easy digestion.

When we are not producing enough HCL, food will simply rot in the gut and produce the by-product lactic acid in the oesophagus/esophagus which causes that uncomfortable feeling called heartburn, acid reflux or indigestion.

we can increase it in 4 ways:

1. By drinking plenty of lemon juice in water
2. Taking regular shots of raw, organic apple cider vinegar.
3.  Increasing digestive enzymes by eating more raw foods and/or supplementing with Cyto Zyme, which contains a little HCL.
4. Supplement with Betaine and Pepsin or HCL.**

Email me at: michelle@truehealthnutrition.com with any questions you may have.                                            

DON”T FORGET! Use my DISCOUNT CODE to receive substantial savings at checkout when you order.

Click here to learn more and to purchase digestive enzymes.

Digestive health – take digestive enzymes as needed when eating  cooked food

Click HERE to buy betaine and pepsin to add HCL into the stomach *