Fermented foods are becoming very popular these days as people become more aware of acid reflux and gut health.
Acid reflux can cause heartburn when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) doesn’t close all the way or if it opens too often. If symptoms happen more than twice a week, you may have acid reflux diseas, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Focus on Balancing Gut Bacteria
Poor and/or inefficient digestion leads to low stomach acid and is the main cause of many ailments. Here is a list of complications associated with low stomach acid:
- Damage to gut lining
- Inflammation of gut lining
- Malabsorption of nutrients
- Compromised immune system
- Accumulation of toxins and liver damage
- Brain damage that may lead to lack of self-control
- Impaired coordination
- Aggression
- Memory loss
- Muscle weakness and/or damage
- Pancreatic degeneration
- Food allergies
- Slow digestion
Does Excess Acid Cause Acid Reflux?
Some people assume acid reflux is normal and not the serious issue it truly is. A healthy gut is actually very acidic and it’s people with low levels of stomach acid that often have compromised immune systems.
Why? It’s because low acid levels promote the growth of sugar and other bad bacteria in your gut. This interferes with your body’s ability to digest efficiently.
So even if you eat whole organic foods, thinking you’re being healthy, you may not be addressing the real problem. Low stomach acid turns any fruit you eat into sugar and feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.
Unfortunately, this makes your body crave carbohydrates and more sugar causing even more damage. It’s a vicious cycle that causes much harm to your body. Acid reflux is really a sign of poor digestion and may lead to malnutrition!
Eating fermented foods improves digestion, supplies live enzymes and adds good bacteria to support digestive health and reduces acid reflux.
Nearly 50% of the US population is affected by acid reflux.
These estimates show a lot of over-the-counter and prescription medicine being sold. But does this medication heal the gut.
Dr. Mercola suggests that replenishing your good gut bacteria with fermented foods is one of the first steps to take in healing acid reflux. Many people believe that eating yogurt will help, but he cautions against eating store bought processed yogurt as it is high in sugar and low in live probiotic cultures.
Any dairy causes inflammation, so yogurt is not as effective. Dr. Mercola states that there may be very few instances where medication is needed on a short-term basis. Unfortunately, many people stay on medication for years. Consuming acid reflux medication over a long period of time increases your chance of:
- Pneumonia
- Bone loss
- Hip fractures
- Infection with Clostridium difficile (a harmful intestinal bacteria)
- Bleeding ulcers
- Infection with the ulcer-causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (a rare condition that causes your stomach to produce excess acid)
- Severe acid reflux (an endoscopy is needed confirmed that your esophagus is damaged)
Acid Reflux is more than heartburn and doesn’t stop at the stomach.
Did you know that there is a connection between acid reflux and the colon?
A study comparing people diagnosed with acid reflux and those diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) showed that 34% of the acid reflux patients also had IBS.
Interestingly, 64% of those first diagnosed with IBS also had acid reflux. There is a definite overlap between the two diseases.
Researchers are still trying to figure out which causes which but does it really matter? Both acid reflux and IBS are painful diseases that can be healed with the help of fermented probiotic foods! We need to balance our gut bacteria and replenish live enzymes and amino acids to help our digestion and our health.
A Healthy GUT Starts with the Balance of Good vs. Bad Bacteria!
Heal your gut; heal your body. Heal your gut; heal your brain. Heal your gut; heal your life!
heal your gut and you heal your blood, skin, heart and the list goes on and on!
When you don’t catch it early enough, much damage may occur.
Fermented Foods Help
Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso and tempeh all help to replenish gut health.
Fermented beverages like kefir and kombucha are becoming more and more popular.
These foods and beverages are a rich source of probiotics that help add good bacteria to the gut.
Do your research and learn about the real causes of acid reflux and the importance of replenishing live enzymes, amino acids and good gut bacteria. How are you going to get your life and the lives of your loved ones on the road to health? From the inside out, it all centers on your gut bacteria!
To learn more about natural health and how to heal your gut, join the Herbal Collective newsletter or get a personal consultation.
