Heart burn got you down?
Red wine and rich food can be culprits, but if you suffer from heartburn or reflex on a regular basis then there may be something bigger going on.
Many people believe that heart burn occurs from having to much acid in the stomach, which is why it burns. But from a naturopathic perspective to much acid may not be the case. Hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) can also cause heart burn to occur.
Symptoms of low stomach acid include:
Bloating
Burping
Indigestion
Early satiety / prolonged fullness
Bad breathe
Food allergies
Nausea or nausea after taking supplements
Flatulence
Decreased appetite for protein rich foods
Poor appetite in general
Bloating, belching, heartburn, after meals
Symptoms of high stomach acid:
Heartburn
coughing,
hoarseness,
chest pain
Erosion of teeth
Burning feeling rising up from the stomach or chest towards the neck
The main cause of heart burn, regardless of whether your stomach acid is high or low, is the abnormal functioning of the lower oesophageal sphincter. This is a tightening at the bottom of your oesophagus which is responsible for preventing the food from travelling up from the stomach into the oesophagus. When this tightening is loosened then symptoms of heart burn may occur.
Because there are multiple factors when it comes to heart burn there is no quick fix for everyone. Establishing your stomach acid levels and then balancing them accordingly is important for fixing overall digestion and preventing further heartburn in the future.
Strengthening the lower oesophageal sphincter is vital to prevent the heart burn from occurring. Think of the sphincter as a muscle so increasing protein will help to do this, along with having lots of bitter foods such as your bitter greens like rocket will help to do this also.
Identifying any food allergies or intolerances is also an important thing to do to assist overall digestion and general health and wellbeing. Your health care practitioner will be able to provide more direction for identifying problematic foods.
Other simple things that you can do to prevent heart burn occurring is to do the following:
Smaller meals more often to allow proper digestion.
Don’t lie down after big meals
Avoid trigger foods like alcohol and spicy foods
Avoid drinking water with your meals
Karah is available for consultations in Ocean Grove, Geelong and Melbourne. You can keep up to date on everything health by liking her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/karahmnaturopath , following her on instagram @belyhealth , or visiting her website www.karahmclarennaturopath.com
Peninsula Family Medical Practice, Ocean Grove. Ph 03 52562001
Aura Health & Beauty, Geelong. Ph 03 52433966
A Peace of Health Clinic, Melbourne CBD. Ph 0396633665
