Do you ever wonder why so many people these days have problems with acid reflux, heartburn and digestive problems? The older one gets, the more likely it is they will have problems.
Stomach acid is both necessary and normal. When people have problems like reflux we often make the mistake of turning off the stomach acid in an effort to stop the problem.
Most of the enzymes we need for proper digestion are naturally present in our food. In fact, enzymes make fruit and vegetables ripen. However, food processors discovered they could greatly prolong the shelf life of food by destroying these necessary enzymes that we need. Since these enzymes have been eliminated there has been a great increase in acid reflux and other digestive problems. That is no coincidence.
Because the enzymes are lacking, digesting food properly becomes more difficult, and as a result the acid can start to reflux towards the chest .
Some things to avoid that can cause or aggrevate acid reflux include coffee, chocolate, vinegar, and any obviously acidy things like tomato sauces and so on.
It’s also recommended that you drink warm, or room temperature liquids as cold temperatures will further inactivate the enzymes. If you like really cold drinks it’s best to have them between meals and not during them.
Finally, plant based digestive enzymes taken just before eating will help you digest your food and avoid reflux. The most effective enzymes are the plant based ones rather than animal sourced. I take two of them before the supper meal, and occassionally before lunch, depending on what I am having. People with more severe cases may need to take the enzymes before every meal. You will find what works best for you.
The digestive enzymes have allowed me to completely avoid taking antacids or other over the counter medications. They are really just replacing the enzymes that were in the food originally before food processors had them removed.
