One night I had a dream that terrified me. I woke up in a cold sweat not believing what had just happened. I was greatly relieved that it was just a dream. The dream was about a treatment that would relieve patients’ symptoms, but in so doing would actually worsen the root problem. The good part of my dream was that I was making money ‘hand over fist’ using this wrong treatment AND I was unaware of what was the root cause. Phew…what a nightmare.
Sound far out? It’s really not a nightmare. It happens all the time when people take acid reflux medications like Prilosec, Zantac, Prevacid, Pepsid, Nexium or other proton pump inhibitors.
First of all, let’s get one thing clear. The stomach must be acidic! Unlike the majority of our bodies which requires and prefers a more alkaline environment, our stomach pH needs to be around 2 on a 1-14 scale with 7 being neutral and 14 being the extreme alkaline. As we age and consume the SAD (Standard American Diet), our stomach becomes less acidic. The result is that we never fully digest our food, don’t kill parasites, break down proteins, or ultimately get the GOOD out of our food.
How reflux works
Our esophagus is the path which food takes from our mouths to our stomachs. A valve at the bottom of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) must open for food to enter the stomach. It also must close to keep food and stomach acids from washing up into the esophagus. When it doesn’t close properly, stomach acids wash up into the esophagus and create heartburn (otherwise known as acid reflux or GERD -gastro-esophageal reflux disease). This valve is pH driven. It will not close properly unless the stomach is sufficiently acidic. An antacid doesn’t stop contents from washing up into the esophagus, it just makes everything less acidic so it doesn’t hurt!
How would you like a plumber to wipe up your kitchen floor without fixing the leaky pipe? He would proceed to tell you that as long as you repeated this mopping regimen once a day, everything would be fine!
Dr. Wayne’s Treatment Protocol
1. Correcting acidity usually involves taking a product such as Zypan from Standard Process (not just a food enzyme) for a period of time.
2. “Pulling down” a hiatal hernia when the stomach has actually started to invaginate up into the esophagus. (above the LES)
3. Nutritional counseling to avoid foods that lower stomach acidity like simple carbs, processed foods etc.
Do-it-Yourself Remedies
1. If you’re overweight, losing weight helps immensely. (Stay tuned for future posts on weight loss)
2. If you have issues at night after lying down, try elevating the head of your bed several inches.
3. Avoid eating right before you go to bed as this puts more pressure against the valve, forcing it open.
4. Refrain from drinking liquids with meals. We often tend to “wash down” food with liquid instead of properly chewing food. Also, too much liquid with meals dilutes the necessary stomach acids.
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