Acid Reflux: The Rest of the Story

The general public has been told only about half the story when it comes to acid reflux. 

Your body actually requires acid in your stomach to digest your food.  Your body actually produces hydrochloric acid to digest your food.  When the system is working properly, your food is quickly digested by this acid in the stomach and then the food moves on within about 20 minutes to 2 hours into the small intestines.  Meats require more time to digest than fruit and veggies.

When your stomach acid is too low, your food sits in your stomach longer than it should and it actually begins to ferment.  This fermentation process actually forms another acid.  This is the culprit acid in most cases of acid reflux.  Your food and the acid continue to sit in your stomach and then are more likely to come back up, or reflux.

Acid neutralizers, like Tums, can make the reflux not hurt but does nothing to fix the underlying issue.  Acid suppressors, like Prevacid and Protonics, actually suppress your natural hydrochloric acid production.  While this again will make a person more comfortable by lowering overall acid, it again does nothing to fix the underlying issue.  In actuality, both end up making the problem worse.  (Side note:  Tums is NOT a good supply of calcium as it is almost impossible to digest this calcium in a low acid environment.)

There must be sufficient acid in the stomach for the body to be able to absorb both iron and vitamin B12.  If a person has low stomach acid the likelihood of anemia increases.  If a person is anemic, and any ‘leaks’ have been ruled out the next item to consider is low stomach acid and the regular use of acid suppressors or acid neutralizers.

If there is not enough stomach acid to digest food the problems will continue to the rest of the digestion process.  This could lead to constipation, diarrhea, or alternating between the two.  It can cause inflammation in the intestines which might lead to diverticulitis or colitis.  It can also cause ‘leaky gut’ which makes a person more prone to food intolerances.

It is important to find out if low stomach acid is the culprit.  An easy self test would be to try an over-the-counter supplement called Apple Cider Vinegar tablets which will increase stomach acid.  If taken and acid reflux improves, continue taking the vinegar tablets.

If nothing changes, there may still be a low acid condition that the vinegar tablets are not strong enough to help with.  If so, please speak to Dr. Call and she will test to see if you need a stronger, but still natural, supplement. 

If your stomach hurts more after the vinegar tablets, this means that you have an irritation in the stomach that needs to be healed first.  This irritation started because of the fermentation of the food and once the irritation is healed, the low acid condition must be addressed.  Dr. Call can help you find out how to heal this stomach irritation.

Healthy Tip

We see numerous ads for drugs that will help relieve acid reflux pain.   While eating slower can be helpful for some, too little acid, as opposed to too much, is often the real problem for many.  If you can’t digest your food quick enough, it rots.  This rotting causes reflux!  Excessive soft drink intake can make reflux worse.

Why Chiropractic?

What do you think of when you think of chiropractic?  Back pain and neck pain are often the first issues that come to mind that chiropractic care can help with.  I wanted to take this month to let you know what other issues chiropractic care has been able to help with.

Because chiropractic care addresses the nervous system, it has the potential to affect the entire body.  The brain has nerves that go down the spinal cord and out to every organ and cell of your body.  If there is a problem at the spine where these nerves go through, it can cause a “road block” and result in decreased function at the other end of that nerve and sometimes results in pain as well.

Here are some issues that chiropractic has been shown to help, starting with some of the more ‘traditional’ problems.

• Lower back pain/Sciatica
• Hip pain
• Mid and upper back pain
• Neck pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Knee pain
• Herniated disc
• Foot and ankle pain including heel spurs and plantar fasciitis
• Shoulder and arm pain
• Elbow, wrist and hand pain
• Jaw pain (TMJ) and biting tongue/cheeks on accident
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Chest pain
• Digestive complaints (IBS, etc)
• Strengthening immune system
• Balance
• Fibromyalgia
• Comfort during pregnancy
• Colic
• Children (growing pains, etc)
• Wellness care for whole family

Remember that many of these issues are multifactorial and while chiropractic can be part of the treatment plan, there may be other underlying issues that need to be addressed for optimum health.  The body must have 3 areas of stressed addressed: physical stress (i.e. chiropractic misalignments, proper restorative sleep), emotional/spiritual stress, and chemical stress (nutrition).

Remember that health is not merely the absence of pain or symptoms.  Many times these “road blocks” at the spine may not cause any immediate problems, but if left unaddressed, can progress to major problems later.  Just as it is recommended to have your teeth and eyes checked regularly it is also recommended to get your spine checked and adjusted regularly to address these small problems before they have the chance to become big ones.

Consider chiropractic care for helping the whole family stay well and before trying more invasive options such as drugs and surgeries (which should be a last resort).

Healthy Tip

While back and neck pains come to mind most when thinking of chiropractic care, because chiropractic addresses the nervous system, it has the potential to affect the entire body.  From asthma, arthritis, chest pain, balance, fibromyalgia to colic, chiropractic care is for the whole family.  Chiropractic care is a great way to help your children grow strong and healthy and help keep you healthy as well.

Arthritis, Aging, and Allergies

Do you have discomfort and pains that you just can’t explain by your activities?  Too often these pains are simply written off or labeled as “arthritis.”  If you didn’t have to live with these pains would it be worth it?

Here are some examples of what of what I often hear: 

“Doc, why do my feet hurt so much on Tuesday that it hurt to walk and the rest of the week they are fine?  I didn’t do anything more at work than usual and I didn’t do anything different at home?  I don’t understand why they do this.”

“My lower back is out again.  I didn’t do anything to hurt it; I just woke up one morning with it hurting bad.”

“I feel like I literally fell apart this week!  I didn’t do anything different though.”

As stated above, these pains are often labeled as “arthritis” by both patients and doctors as well as written off as “just getting older.”  The term ‘arthritis’ actually means inflammation in the joint.  There are a number of things that can cause inflammation in a joint. 

One source of inflammation that is often overlooked or downplayed is food intolerance (also called food allergies).  Your diet consists of the food you put in your body.  If it includes foods that your body does not run well on, you will have problems.  This includes foods that you are sensitive to.  These foods are not necessarily bad for everyone and may be considered ‘healthy’ by many.  For example, some patients cannot tolerate eggs and many cannot tolerate wheat.  Avoiding nutritionally void foods such as sugary foods and processed foods is also important for your body to function at its best.

As a chiropractor, I see people with back pain, neck pain and headaches all the time.  I have learned over the years that the way a patient responds to an adjustment tells a lot about what is really going on.  Food intolerances can keep a person from holding an adjustment like expected.

If an adjustment only helps for an hour or so even after multiple adjustments in the past there is likely something else keeping the body from healing completely.  Back pain that does better right after a person gets up off the table and then is hurting just like nothing was ever done within an hour is a sure sign something else is going on. 

Often times the ‘something going on’ is food intolerance.  They can be hard to find because one or more foods are involved and are often laced through a person’s diet to the extent they cannot tell what food is causing the problem.  The most common offenders are grains, sugars (which can include fruit sugars), dairy, and eggs.  While wheat is the most common grain (and allergen), corn and soy are also in the grains group and often overlooked as culprits.

Using a technique such as Nutrition Response Testing can help quickly find food intolerance and help direct which food(s) to start eliminating first to see if that unexplained problem can finally be resolved.

Healthy Tip

“I hurt but I didn’t do anything different.”  Have you ever had pain that you just couldn’t explain?  If you sometimes have those problems that just don’t seem to make sense, it may be an indication of a food intolerance.  Not maintaining improvement for very long following massage, chiropractic adjustments, or physical therapy is also common.  Find that underlying problem and get better!

Liver Anyone?

When is the last time you thought about the health of your liver?  If you are like most people, this probably isn’t something you ponder often.

There are many other things many do think of on a very regular basis.  Some of these include:

• Sinus congestion
• Constipation or diarrhea or alternating between the two
• Gall bladder attacks or aftermath of removal of the Gall bladder
• Dry skin
• Bad breath

Your liver is vital for literally hundreds of processes in your body.  It is involved in carbohydrate, protein, and lipid (fat) metabolism, the latter of which is required for synthesis and breakdown of cholesterol.  The liver is also involved with forming bile that is used to help digest fat and when not used immediately is stored in the gall bladder.  The liver also functions as a storage organ for glucose (as glycogen), vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids and minerals.

A few other functions of the liver include converting T4 to T3 (which is required for healthy thyroid function), making high amounts of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and Vitamin D metabolism.

Another major function of the liver is detoxification.  The liver is responsible for breaking down any chemicals and other toxins that make it into your body.  This includes any drugs that are taken.  The body does not make a difference between over the counter drugs, prescription drugs, or ‘recreational’ drugs.  These drugs put an incredible strain on the liver.  For example, Acetaminophen (Tylenol type products) is the number one cause of acute liver failure even at recommended doses over a short period of time.

Now that you have a little bit better idea of why the liver is important, you need to learn how to help it function as close to 100% as possible.  What you decide to eat and not eat will effect your liver and thus the rest of your health.

Sugar, especially fructose, is tough on the liver.  Fructose is converted to fat by the liver and is by far the biggest culprit of obesity in our country.  A major source of fructose is soda.  Cutting soda from your diet will take incredible stress off of your liver and can make it much easier to lose any extra weight you may be carrying.  Even if you are not ‘overweight’, many people have too much body fat surrounding internal organs which is not healthy.  Reducing other sugars from the diet will also be easier on the liver and rest of the body.

Foods to add include the cruciferous veggies.  These include:  Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, turnip, cabbage, kale, watercress, kohlrabi, broccoli, horseradish, cauliflower, and Bok Choy.  Beets are also very healthy for the liver and help keep the bowels moving.

Eating liver itself is also great for liver health.  While the liver filters toxins, it neutralizes them and then the toxins are eliminated; the liver does not store toxins.  If you can’t stand the thought of eating liver, supplementing your diet with whole food supplements that contain liver is an excellent alternative.  (This is what I do!)

Healthy Tip

It’s been said that the liver does 500 things in the body we know and 500 we don’t know.  The liver is the major detox organ of the body and does the conversion of T4 to T3 for the thyroid.  It’s involved in fat metabolism and is always in need of support if there is, or has been, gall bladder trouble.  Beets are wonderful for cleansing the liver as are cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. 

Food for Thought

We just got back from a seminar this past weekend.  We got to tour Standard Process’s farm and facility which was absolutely amazing.  We also had additional education.  Some of what we learned was not new information to me but when I was reminded of it, I thought I should remind patients of it as well.

When I talked about fat in foods, two patients in a row said that this was new information to them.  This is a good time to go over some of this “new information.”

Here is the reminder I gave to the patients today:  Fat is actually good for you!  Whole milk and real butter are good for you.  Your heart actually prefers saturated fat for fuel despite what we have been told for years.  The truth is that saturated fat does NOT make you fat.  It is actually all the supposedly “healthy” polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils) that contribute to the health conditions that plague our country.

A couple of quick notes:  raw milk is best because of all the beneficial bacteria (the good guys!) and enzymes but, if you do not have access to raw milk (find nearest by visiting realmilk.com) or are not convinced of its safety yet, the next best is full-fat pasteurized milk.  This is the regular milk you can find at your local grocery.  The same goes for butter.  When it comes to yogurt, aim for plain, full-fat yogurt and add your own fruit to sweeten it.  Smoothies are a great treat!  If you like, you can also try Kefir, which I had described to me as “yogurt on steroids!”  Coconut oil is also on this healthy list of real saturated fat that helps fuel your body.

For more on dairy and fat and general nutrition, visit The Weston A. Price Foundation at http://www.westonaprice.org/.

Healthy Tip

Vitamin K is actually a part of the vitamin C complex and is involved with blood clotting and capillary integrity.  Vitamin K is fat soluble which means that fat is necessary in the diet to absorb it.  Dark green, leafy veggies such as broccoli, kale, spinach, and beet greens are high in Vitamin K.  Make sure to combine these with healthy fats such as whole milk, real butter, or cold water fatty fish so you can absorb Vit. K.

Independence­--A Fine Line

The month of July always gets me thinking about independence.  In America, we are very proud of our independence and there is nothing wrong with having pride in our country and the freedom and independence that comes from living in the United States of America.

I wonder, though, if we realize that sometimes we misplace our independence.  We have a tendency to pull away from people and decide we can do it all on our own.  We have a 2 year old mentality sometimes:  "I do it I self!"

I think we have become fractured and don't realize how interdependent we really are.  We rely on others for our food, our clothes, and shelter.  Even the most self-reliant person is dependent on someone else.

This month, look for ways that you are interdependent with others and seek to build these relationships.  Don't forget about God, as His is the most important relationship of all.  We were created to be dependent.  These relationships are vital to your health and wellbeing.

We are individuals that together make something wonderful as a whole that could never be accomplished by ourselves.

Healthy Tip

The whole complex of B vitamins is vital in maintaining both the nervous system and heart.  B vitamins are quickly depleted when eating a diet high in processed foods and consuming alcohol.  To keep numbness, tingling, nerve pain, and many of the problems with the heart away, significantly decrease processed foods and alcohol.  A whole food Vitamin B complex may also be helpful.

Don’t Let Them Amuse You to Death

I read a quote by Voltaire today:  “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while Nature cures the disease.”

At first I thought it was funny, but true.  When I started thinking about it more I thought it would be a great topic to write on.

People go to the doctor for “fill in the blank” problem.  A symptom has gotten bothersome enough and they want it fixed.  Often a medical doctor will then prescribe some sort of medication that will make the symptom go away.

What most don’t realize is that this is simply ‘amusing the patient.’  The only problem is, that once the symptom “goes away”, the underlying problem is then never addressed.  This means that nature, as Voltaire puts it, never gets the chance to heal the disease.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a definite place for medicine.  I don’t believe, however, that we should use medications like we often do.  Medications should be used in an acute situation only to give us the time to actually address the underlying imbalance.  Many people are on prescription or over-the-counter medications for chronic issues.  Most of these chronic issues are the body telling us it is out of balance and that balance needs to be restored.  Taking a medication may seem to alleviate the symptoms but the medication often results in more symptoms because of the medication itself and the original imbalance is left to grow.

Instead of relying only on medication, get to the root of the problem.  Find out what your body is trying to tell you with the presenting symptoms.  If you are already on medications for a chronic illness, it is not too late to start correcting.  I DO NOT recommend stopping any prescription medication that you are taking without doing the following:

1. Discuss your concerns with your medical doctor.
2. Make sure you are addressing the imbalance itself and beginning correction before even considering stopping a medication with your medical doctor’s supervision.  You want to make sure that your body is prepared to handle itself well before withdrawing medications.
3. If your medical doctor agrees that you can safely stop a medication, I often suggest slowly tapering off the medication to give your body time to adapt.

Time for a Bigger Pot

I’ll be the first to admit that I am no expert when it comes to plants.  We have four plants in the office, which by the grace of God, I have not yet killed!  I had a patient last week tell me that one of the plants was root bound and would thrive if it was given a bigger pot.

The plant originally came in a small black non-descript pot and, to dress it up, I placed it in a little bit larger pot without repotting it.  It served its purpose by blending in with the décor of the office and being a quick easy fix.

Last week, based on that patient’s recommendation, I purchased a larger pot and some potting soil and today went to giving the plant more room to grow.  I jokingly placed the plant, still in that small black non-descript pot, into the larger pot and proclaimed I was done.  It was humorous and we got a kick out of it, but we knew for the plant to live and thrive the plant needed that larger pot.  Then I realized that this was a great illustration of what people do in their own lives.

Too often, when it comes to health (and many other important matters), we simply put the plant with the same small pot into a larger one and proclaim the problem solved.  This is simply dressing up the problem and covering up the symptom.  In the case of my plant, it is obvious that doing that is plain ridiculous.  Have you ever stopped to think it is more ridiculous to treat your body that way?

As just one example, let’s look at heartburn: a nasty symptom that interrupts daily life and can even make a person dread eating...or not eating…or both!  In an effort to cool the burn, people often turn to acid suppressors.  This unfortunately does not fix the underlying problem.  This is the same as taking the small black non-descript pot that has the root bound plant in it and placing it in a larger pot.  It looks prettier; the burn is no longer there but the problems remain. 

In the case of the plant, the roots will continue to be bound up, the plant will starve for nutrients and, as one site put it, “suffocate itself.”  In other words, if a root bound plant is not repotted, it will eventually die.  Human beings are the same way.  If a problem is simply covered up, the body will continue to starve for the nutrients it needs and will be suppressed (suffocated) and the body will continue breaking down.

So, the moral of the story is:  Don’t simply cover your problem up.  Get to the root of the issue and fix it so that you too may thrive!  (Pun definitely intended!)

X-rays and Thyroid

I had a friend e-mail this forward and thought it was worthy to pass on.  A little bit of prevention can go a long way.

"On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer.  It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms.  He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck.  Many dentists don't bother to use it.  Also, there is something called a "thyroid guard" for use during mammograms.  By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn't routinely used. Answer: "I don't know.  You have to ask for it." Well, if I hadn't seen the show, how would I have known to ask?"

Healthy Tip: Vitamin C

Many people know that a severe vitamin C deficiency results in the disease known as scurvy.  Sub-acute (not yet scurvy) vitamin C deficiency causes easy bruising, bleeding of just about any tissue (gums, eyes, etc), and weak immune system.  Taking ascorbic acid, often called vitamin C, is not enough to fix this as it is only part of the C complex.  Take a whole food vitamin C complex to help your body be at its best and prevent those leaks!

Healthy Tip: B Vitamins and Depression

A deficiency in the B vitamins can cause anxiety and depression!  Vitamin B6 with zinc directly help maintain a healthy emotional state.  Folic acid is needed to make important brain chemicals and is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies. It is linked to depression and bipolar disorder.  Plan on eating whole foods in their natural form.  A whole food Vitamin B complex may also be very helpful.

Time to Answer Your Question

Ever notice how children ask the question, “WHY?”  They do it a lot!  Children are by nature curious and, as adults, we should still be asking the question, “why?”

Have you ever asked yourself why health is important?  We all say we want it and that we need it.  But have you asked why?  I know this may seem like a silly question but if you answer it then you may just be one huge step closer to achieving health.

Some people say they just don’t like feeling bad.  Others want to look better, wear nice clothes and even turn heads!  They want to have the question asked of them, “You’re HOW old?  You don’t look that old!”  Some want to feel good about themselves and not be depressed.  Some people want lots of energy and the ability to do what they want and need to do.  You may want to be able to golf, play tennis, Zoomba, or to be able to walk the length of the store without having to stop and rest; to be able to vacuum the house without ending up in bed the next two days in pain.  You may find that being sick costs money with lost work days and be aware that long term care is expensive as well.  You may want to see your children grow up and get married or watch your grandchildren and even great-grandchildren grow up.  You may even hate the idea of being a burden to your family and really want to maintain your independence.  You may want all of these reasons for getting and staying healthy!

Once you find your reason for health you will find it easier to actually do something about it.  I would like to share with you my answer to the question, “why health is important to me?”

All of the items listed above are good reasons for me to be healthy.  I strive to keep myself as healthy as possible so that I may serve others so they can be as healthy as possible.  I find that we are much better servants to God when we are healthy.  By helping others maintain health, they can be better witnesses for Christ and so bring spiritual health which is far more important than physical health!

So, why do you want to be healthy?

Soy Sauce Alternative

For those people that are sensitive to soy and wheat and love Asian foods:  there is an alternative to soy sauce.  It has no soy, wheat, or sugar!  It's called Coconut Aminos and makes a wonderful substitution.  It is made from coconut tree sap and has absolutely no coconut taste.  I use it to make fried rice and other Asian dishes as well as in any recipe that calls for soy sauce.  You can find it at health food stores and while it may be more expensive than soy sauce, it is a dream come true for those who can't do soy sauce!  Enjoy!

Risk Factors

The media is filled with drug ads.  Have you listened to what they are saying?  They throw the term “risk factor” around all over the place.  “PAD increases your risk for heart disease.”  “High cholesterol increases your risk for high blood pressure.”  “Diabetes increases your risk for heart disease.”

According to Collins English Dictionary, a medical risk factor is defined as “a factor, such as a habit or an environmental condition that predisposes an individual to develop a particular disease.”

I believe that the term “risk factor” has been over-used, often incorrectly.  While this may seem like just semantics to some people, I feel that the proper use of this term will shed light on what really needs to be done to regain and maintain health. 

Here are some better uses of the term “risk factor”:

• “Smoking and exposure to smoke increase your risk of developing lung cancer and emphysema.”
• “Taking certain medications will increase your risk of developing some cancers.”
• “Leading a sedentary life increases your risk for many health related issues.”
• “Poor food choices increase your risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.”

Notice that the items listed above are actually habits or environmental issues and not symptoms, which again is a better use of the term “risk factor.”  These examples are not symptoms causing another symptom.  Most of the time, symptoms are not risk factors.

Many so-called “risk factors” should be more correctly thought of as a “check-engine” light.  Just like the check engine light in your car, the body has many symptoms that signal that something is out of balance and needs to be addressed.  If the problem is not addressed it WILL get worse.  Just as a car will break down eventually without proper maintenance, so will the body.  It is just a matter of time. 

Here are some common “check-engine” light symptoms and what will occur with further breakdown:

• Heartburn—signals digestive problems that can result in just about any problem in the future because of reduced nutritional assimilation.
• Obesity—signals that diabetes and heart disease are likely to occur in the future as this is the natural progression of the body breaking down.
• High blood pressure—signals that heart disease and kidney disease are likely to occur in the future.
• Skin tags—signal that the body is having trouble dealing with sugar and diabetes is in the future if something is not changed.

I could add many more to the above list.  The point is that these symptoms are not simply “risk factors” needing a medication.  They are warnings that the body is out of balance and balance needs to be restored.  WHY the body is out of balance is the question that must be answered and then addressed.  Most of the time nutritional requirements are out of balance causing these symptoms.  In other words, there are nutritional deficiencies.  Utilize techniques such as Nutrition Response Testing to find these imbalances in the body and work at restoring normal balance.

There are no quick fixes.  There are only quick patches.  A patch is not a fix.  Medications can patch a problem until the real issue can be addressed.  Too often, however, the real problem is not addressed once the symptom is no longer a nuisance.  This is like covering or even removing the “check-engine” light bulb!  FIX the real issue for your “check-engine” light and you are much more likely to enjoy good health for years to come.  Here’s to regaining and maintaining your health this year!