Staying Youthful Longer: A Holistic Approach to Aging

Part IVA: The Chemistry of Digestion

In the previous installments of this series on aging, we learned that what speeds the aging process is also what impacts our health and vitality; it is the same recipe for both! The points that we have already covered related to this process are:

1) The Chemistry of Aging—an overview of pH balancing

2) The Chemistry of Stress—how stress affects our pH

3) The Chemistry of Oxygenation—the importance of oxygen to our body chemistry

And now for the fourth point: The Chemistry of Digestion. In this modern age, we have been duped into believing that acid reflux is due to an overabundance of stomach acid, so allopathic medicine rushes in with its solution: Prilosec! So what about Prilosec? What is really going on here? Only a very few people actually have an overacid stomach—it is quite rare, in fact. More common is deficient stomach acid, which leads to acid reflux. “How?” you may ask. Think of it this way: If you decide to make your own home brew, what happens if you put a tight lid on the container?  Yes, you get an explosion! The lid will blow off due to the gases produced by the fermentation process, and the same is true in our stomach, only it is enclosed by valves. At the top end, between our esophagus and stomach, is the esophageal sphincter. If we lack stomach acid, then our food ferments in our stomach, and the gases from all of that fermentation have to go somewhere, so they pop open that valve, and along with the gas comes partially digested food and stomach acid….leaving us with a "pleasant" burning sensation in our throat.

Now about Prilosec: it further reduces stomach acid, so do you think your food will digest better with Prilosec? Not at all! In fact, now you have under-digested food passing into your small intestine, and this leads to inflammation of your intestinal wall. Prilosec and other antacids multiply the original issue, namely deficient stomach acid which leads to intestinal inflammation, “leaky gut,” allergies, and autoimmune disorders.

“You can have the best food on the planet and have an overly acid pH if you are lacking digestive secretions….. Any food that is not properly digested produces acid waste, which produces cellular inflammation.” (Source: “Sunshine Sharing,” Vol. 13, No.2, Steve Horne & Lacreshia Laningham). This is a very important principle to remember. In spite of organic, non-GMO, grass-fed, free-range, hormone-free, raw, gluten-free, dairy-free, transfat-free, etc……if your body cannot digest these foods properly, your body chemistry will be altered, and your tissues will be damaged as a result.  

So, if Prilosec is not the answer, what is? I don’t mean to leave you dangling, but according to blogging experts, 500 words per blog is the max, and I am out of words! Stay tuned for my next Blog to learn about my natural suggestions for correcting acid reflux and optimizing your pre-pregnancy health!

In the meantime, Read More about the cons of Prilosec along with Dr. Mercola’s helpful suggestions for how to contol GERD.

Lchaim-- To Life!