Do You Think You Have Stomach Acid Imbalance? Chronic Candida, fibromyalgia +

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Do You Think You Have Stomach Acid Imbalance? for complete info: http://www.jigsawhealth.com/articles/stomach_acid_reflux.htmlYou may have a stomach acid imbalance if you are experiencing any of these symptoms: An unusual sense of “fullness” after eating Bloating, belching, burning, and flatulence immediately after meals Chronic Candida infections Hair loss Indigestion, diarrhea, and/or constipation Itching around the rectum Multiple food allergies and nausea2 Undigested food in stools2 Weak, peeled, and cracked fingernails Diagnosis The symptoms of low stomach acid (a condition known as hypochlorhydria) closely mimic those of excess stomach acid. Therefore, it’s important to know whether you’re suffering from low stomach acid, or excess stomach acid, before you begin treating any stomach symptoms. The following tests and procedures may help you find out whether you’re suffering from a stomach acid imbalance: Online Self-assessments – Self-assessments, such as the Candidiasis Self-assessment and the Magnesium Assessment, can help you determine some of the root cause(s) of your chronic conditions. Learn more about Self-assessments. Self-test – To determine if you need to supplement your body’s production of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid (HCl)), take one capsule (about 525 milligrams), not tablets, of Betaine HCl with a meal. If you feel a burning sensation in your stomach with one capsule, you don’t need it. If you do not feel a burning sensation, keep increasing the number of capsules you take at each meal until you do feel a burning sensation, and then you know to take one less. (To neutralize the burning sensation just eat a little more food.)4 Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis – Reveals undigested protein fibers in the stool which is a symptom of low stomach acid. The Heidelberg Test – A healthcare provider uses a special machine that tests the levels of stomach acid, although it’s not commonly used.4 Blood tests – Reveal Pernicious Anemia, a result of poor iron absorption caused by low stomach acid. Nutrient Deficiencies May Play a Role in Stomach Acid Imbalance If you have a stomach acid imbalance, then you are more than likely deficient in essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Without the proper amounts of these vital nutrients, your body’s ability to heal from any chronic condition is severely impaired. Natural Dietary Ingredients That May Help These may work in conjunction with conventional medications, but always consult a healthcare professional about potential interactions before incorporating any of them into the diet. For assistance in choosing a healthcare professional, visit Find a Good Doctor on our website. Fish Oil, omega-3 essential fatty acids Note: Regularly taking heart-healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids can help reduce the risk for coronary heart disease.Omega-3 essential fatty acids have also been found to help reduce the internal inflammation that leads to many chronic conditions—heart disease, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and more. Amino Acids: Alpha keto glutarate, glutamine peptides, L-5-hydroxy tryptophan (5-HTP), L-arginine, L-glycine, L-histidine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-methionine, L-theanine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, L-valine Antioxidants: Acai, blueberry, cranberry, grape seed, green tea, hesperidin, lycopene, mangosteen, pomegranate, quercitin Antimicrobial/Antifungal Herbs: Allicin (garlic), barberry, bee propolis, black walnut, cat’s claw, cinnamon, clove, coriander, fennel seed, ginger root, goldenseal, grapefruit seed, holy basil, mint leaves, neem leaves, oregano, samento, silver, thyme, turmeric Digestive Enzymes: Amylase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-glucanase, cellulase, glucoamylase, hemicellulase, lactase, lipase, peptidase, phytase, protease Probiotics: B. bifidum, B. longum, L. acidophilus DDS-1, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus Minerals: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium Trace Minerals: Boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc Vitamins: A, B-1 (thiamin), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (niacin), B-5 (pantothenic acid), B-6 (P5P), B-9 (folic acid), B-12 (methylcobalamin), choline bitartrate, d-biotin, inositol, PABA, C, D-3, E Other Ingredients: Activated charcoal, berberine sulfate, betaine HCl, colostrum, flax seed, lactoferrin, virgin coconut oil, pepsinJigsaw Health Products that May Help You Feel Better As part of the comprehensive program of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle modification, you may want to consider some of the products listed below to help support the health of your digestive system. Betaine HCl + Pepsin – Fight acid reflux, digest proteins, and kill bad bacteria to feel better. Learn more about Betaine HCL + Pepsin. Essential Blend Digestive Enzymes – Helps break down hard-to-digest foods—and ease indigestion, bloating, and gas—so you feel better. Learn more about Essential Blend Digestive Enzymes. Essential Bundle – Magnesium, Calcium, Multi Mineral, Vitamin B, Antioxidants: Start feeling better with the essentials—vitamins and minerals your body may be deficient in. Learn more about the Essential Bundle. Gastro Bundle – Probiotics, JMX-2, Ground Flax Seed, Digestive Enzymes: Choose better digestive health and promote regularity so you can start feeling better! Learn more about the Gastro Bundle. Activated Charcoal – Quickly removes toxins from your digestive tract to help you feel better fast. Learn more about Activated Charcoal. Essential Blend Probiotics – B. bifidum, L. acidophilus DDS-1: Helps balance your immune system with a minimum of 25 billion active, friendly bacteria including the powerful L. acidophilus DDS-1—so you start feeling better! Learn more about Essential Blend Probiotics. Essential Omega-3 Fish Oil – A pure fish oil blend with powerful, heart-healthy EPA and DHA fatty acids. Learn more about Essential Omega-3 Fish Oil. Additional Products that May Offer Further Benefits Essential Blend Amino Acid – Boosts energy and reduces muscle fatigue—with powerful essential and non-essential amino acids. Learn more about the Essential Blend Amino Acid. JMX-1™ – Bee Propolis, Black Walnut, Clove, etc. Helps build better digestive health by reducing bacterial overgrowth and enhancing your body’s natural defenses. Learn more about JMX-1. Colostrum Plus™ from Symbiotics® – Helps balance intestinal flora to boost your immune system and promote healthy digestion. Learn more about Colostrum Plus from Symbiotics.Lifestyle Modifications that May Help You Feel Better The quality of your health depends upon many pieces that not only include the health of your bodily systems, but also include a healthy diet, exercise, and spirituality. Diet. Dietary recommendations include following healthy dietary guidelines that help maintain the proper concentration of stomach acid, or hydrochloric acid (HCl). Dietary recommendations for stomach acid imbalance include: Add raw, crushed garlic to your diet to benefit from the antimicrobial properties of allicin, since low stomach acid is associated with an increase in “bad” bacteria and fungi such as Candida. Add nutrient-dense and unprocessed foods such as sprouted nuts and seeds to your diet. Increase your fiber intake by adding ground flax seed to your diet to encourage healthy bowel movements. Add virgin coconut oil to your diet to benefit from its antimicrobial properties and saturated fat. Read more about good fats. Increase your omega-3 essential fatty acids by selecting ground flax seed, wild-caught salmon, minimal-mercury albacore tuna, fish oil, avocados, and sprouted walnuts. If you’re not allergic to dairy, eat plain, unsweetened, organic unpasteurized yogurt with live, active cultures (aka, probiotics). Drink a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of purified water a day. Foods to AVOID include: All simple or refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, etc.) – Read more about good carbs and bad carbs. All alcohol – It increases stomach acid production and can cause acid reflux. Alcohol relaxes the natural valve that keeps stomach acid out of the esophagus.7 Nightshade vegetables – A small percentage of people experience a bad reaction to nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and peppers (chili, green, red). These may cause gastrointestinal upset such as heartburn and indigestion, or increased inflammation for arthritis sufferers. Avoid these foods if you have a bad reaction to them.8 Wheat and gluten (a wheat protein) – These wreak havoc on the digestive system for those who have gluten and wheat intolerances, also known as Celiac Disease. Peanuts – They are actually legumes that may contain harmful mytotoxins (mold) that can cause a severe allergic reaction in some people. Bottom crawlers, such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury. Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead. Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets. Choose wild-caught salmon instead. Excessive caffeine intake – While moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial, excessive consumption can disrupt the body’s systems, causing insomnia and digestive irregularity (constipation or diarrhea). All refined sugars and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, Splenda®, etc. – Sugar feeds Candida overgrowth. Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet instead. Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) found in many processed foods, deep-fried foods, fast food, and junk food – Read more about good fats and bad fats. Carbonated soft drinks that alter blood pH levels9Other tips for maintaining proper amounts of stomach acid: Eat small meals throughout the day, instead of three large, heavy meals. Don’t overeat – An interesting fact: A high-fat diet used to be blamed for stomach acid problems. Studies have revealed, however, that stomach acid problems are due to excess calorie consumption from a high-carb diet, not fat. Read more about good fats. Maintain an upright position 45 minutes after eating, to allow for easier digestion. Do not drink ice-cold water before, during, or after meals. Cold water slows down HCl production. If you have “silver” dental fillings, get an evaluation from a mercury-free dentist who specializes in the safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings. Mercury in the body damages the gastrointestinal system and can be a cause of stomach acid imbalance. Find a mercury-free dentist in your area now!If you need help covering the costs of getting your "silver" fillings removed safely, the Jigsaw Health Foundation may be able to assist you. Read more about the Jigsaw Health Foundation. Exercise. Walking is a perfect exercise for moving the bowels and maintaining a healthy digestive system. A daily 30-minute brisk walk, preferably outside in sunlight, is a good start of any exercise plan. Background Information When someone is affected by stomach problems such as bloating, heartburn, gas, and indigestion, the assumption is to take an antacid or other similar over-the-counter remedies to reduce the stomach acid. However, the problem may be just the opposite: there’s not enough stomach acid. Taking an antacid will actually make the problem worse by further reducing the already depleted amount of stomach acid. In a healthy digestive system, the proper concentration of stomach acid—also known as hydrochloric acid or HCl—kills the unhealthy bacteria and fungi that are normally ingested with food. If the HCl concentration is too low, a chronic condition called