Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
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What is GERD (acid reflux)?
This is what the
medical establishment says about the situation:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, or acid
reflux, is a condition in which the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates
(backs up, or refluxes) into the esophagus. The liquid can inflame and damage
the lining of the esophagus although this occurs in a minority of patients. The
regurgitated liquid usually contains acid and pepsin that are produced by the
stomach. (Pepsin is an enzyme that begins the digestion of proteins in the
stomach.) The refluxed liquid also may contain bile that has backed-up into the
stomach from the duodenum. (The duodenum is the first part of the small
intestine that attaches to the stomach.) Acid is believed to be the most
injurious component of the refluxed liquid. Pepsin and bile also may injure the
esophagus, but their role in the production of esophageal inflammation and
damage (esophagitis) is not as clear as the role of acid.
GERD is a chronic condition. Once it begins, it usually is life-long. If
there is injury to the lining of the esophagus (esophagitis), this also is a
chronic condition. Moreover, after the esophagus has healed with treatment and
treatment is stopped, the injury will return in most patients within a few
months. Once treatment for GERD is begun, therefore, it usually will need to be
continued indefinitely.
Actually, the reflux of the stomach's liquid contents into the esophagus
occurs in most normal individuals. In fact, one study found that reflux occurs
as frequently in normal individuals as in patients with GERD. In patients with
GERD, however, the refluxed liquid contains acid more often, and the acid
remains in the esophagus longer.
As is often the case, the body has ways (mechanisms) to protect itself from
the harmful effects of reflux and acid. For example, most reflux occurs during
the day when individuals are upright. In the upright position, the refluxed
liquid is more likely to flow back down into the stomach due to the effect of
gravity. In addition, while individuals are awake, they repeatedly swallow,
whether or not there is reflux. Each swallow carries any refluxed liquid back
into the stomach. Finally, the salivary glands in the mouth produce saliva,
which contains bicarbonate. With each swallow, bicarbonate-containing saliva
travels down the esophagus. The bicarbonate neutralizes the small amount of acid
that remains in the esophagus after gravity and swallowing have removed most of
the liquid.
Gravity, swallowing, and saliva are important protective mechanisms for the
esophagus, but they are effective only when individuals are in the upright
position. At night while sleeping, gravity is not in effect, swallowing stops,
and the secretion of saliva is reduced. Therefore, reflux that occurs at night
is more likely to result in acid remaining in the esophagus longer and causing
greater damage to the esophagus.
Certain conditions make a person susceptible to GERD. For example, GERD can
be a serious problem during pregnancy. The elevated hormone levels of
pregnancy probably cause reflux by lowering the pressure in the lower
esophageal sphincter (see below). At the same time, the growing fetus
increases the pressure in the abdomen. Both of these effects would be
expected to increase reflux. Also, patients with diseases that weaken
the esophageal muscles (see below), such as
scleroderma or mixed connective tissue diseases, are more prone
to develop GERD.
But we disagree:
Digestive Enzymes, pH and What Happens When It?s Off
The keys to good health are an abundance of digestive enzymes and the proper
digestive pH for them to perform complete digestion. Here?s how the system
works:
The food goes into the mouth and gets mixed with enzymes that begin the process
of carbohydrate pre-digestion in the mouth (this is why it?s so important to
chew your food well.) The food travels to the upper stomach, where it sits for
one hour in a relatively high pH, pre-digesting and getting ready for the more
acidic pH of the lower stomach, where hydrochloric acid will begin protein
breakdown and fat emulsification. Then the food enters the duodenum where
pancreatic juices are supposed to raise the pH so that the pancreatic enzymes
can finish the job of digestion, breaking the food down to the point that the
body can use it for repair, protection, and maintenance. If the food is not
fully broken down, the body will not be able to use it. If this situation
continues over a period of time, chronic illness will set in. When the digestion
process is complete, the small intestine will allow the food to pass through
into the body where it is used to make blood, bone, muscle, hormones, enzymes,
neurons, and everything else it needs. Incompletely digested food may pass
through the intestinal lumen, but the body cannot use it.
Say we have an over-production of hydrochloric acid in the lower stomach that
pours into the duodenum. This calls for an extra rich supply of sodium,
potassium and bicarbonate ions in the pancreatic juice to raise the pH enough so
that digestion can be successful. However, what if our diet is chronically acid,
what if we are under a lot of emotional stress, or what if we take certain
medications (such as anti-depressants, blood pressure medicine, or diuretics.)
All these are things that will leave our system poor in alkalizing elements and
we will not have enough sodium or potassium for our pancreas to put in its
juice. The pH of the duodenum will remain too low for optimal digestion. The
enzymes that complete protein and carbohydrate digestion in the pancreas, work
within a specific pH range. In the center of that range, they are at peak
performance. As the pH moves to the limits of the range, their performance
drops. So if we are right at the limit or just over the limit of the pH range
for these enzymes, we are getting incomplete digestion activity from the
enzymes.
When protein is completely broken down it becomes single amino acids, which our
body uses to make, among many other things, digestive enzymes. (Amino acids also
create the mineral carriers of the body so that the alkalizing minerals like
sodium and potassium get where they need to go in the body, thereby protecting
the pH of things like the pancreatic juice.) When protein cannot be broken down
into amino acids, our body can?t use it. So, if we are making less and less
digestive enzymes (as well as less and less of everything else our body needs)
our food is digesting less and less. Until finally we begin to experience the
symptoms of chronic illness. Fine, we say, we will take antacids to buffer our
digestive PH. No. Antacids will raise the pH in the stomach, which needs to be
low to start protein breakdown. In this scenario, inefficiently predigested fats
and proteins enter the duodenum which: 1) is not designed to do the job of the
stomach, and 2) Still doesn?t have enough enzymes to do its part of the job. In
other words: antacids compound the problem. The digestive system is so complex
that trying to control it from the outside is a losing proposition. The only way
to have success is to give the body the raw materials it needs and let the
digestive system heal itself. The basic raw materials for digestive enzymes are
amino acids. The body makes some of these itself and has a very complicated
system for keeping them in the proper balance. The amino acids that the body
does not manufacture are called essential amino acids and must be supplied from
outside sources. But if these are not supplied in the proper balance, the entire
amino acid system will reduce in efficiency. All we have to do is figure out the
essential amino acid combination that will fit into the delicate AA balance the
body demands in order to create the enzymes it needs!
Amino acids comprise the protein carriers that transport minerals, vitamins, and
fatty acids into the cells. Organic minerals such as sodium, calcium, and
potassium make up the body's absolutely necessary supply of electrolytes.
The body?s enzyme activity, blood purity and immune potential all depend upon
electrolyte activity. Electrolyte levels are reflected in the body?s pH. (One
indication of body pH is saliva pH. A healthy saliva pH is between 6.4 and 6.8.
slightly acid.) If the pH of the body becomes too acid or too alkaline, the
body?s electrolyte supply will become severely diminished, opening up the body
to disease conditions and depressing the immune system. For example, when
organic sodium levels become low our body will use stored supplies in the liver,
joints, bile, and stomach. As sodium is taken from the mucosal lining of the
stomach there is a proportional loss in the stomach's ability to produce
hydrochloric acid (stomach acid.)
This hydrochloric acid both serves in food digestion and in killing bacteria and
viruses before they enter the gut, where they can be absorbed into the system.
As sodium is taken from the bile, the pH in our gall juices lower and we now
have optimal conditions for the formation of gallstones. Organic sodium removed
from the joints leads to arthritis, osteoporosis and other joint/bone
conditions. When sodium levels fall the body begins to dump potassium to
maintain its proper correct sodium/potassium ratios. Potassium deficiency leads
to its own set of problems such as heart problems, gastritis, dry skin, eye
problems, etc.
These are just a couple of examples dealing with sodium deficiency but the same
sad story applies to all the organic minerals. Without the proper pH,
electrolyte levels fall and the cells cannot receive the necessary nutrients and
energy they need to function correctly. If the pH stays imbalanced, whole organs
begin to register disease. Mineral deficiency will cause problems in the body
and the body will be mineral deficient if it is protein deficient.
In my career as a holistic chiropractic physician (50 years +) we treated
thousands of people and many had this condition mostly incidental to their
primary complaints. We were able to clear them all of their distress. We were
able to identify the root causes which were malfunctioning nerves to the
stomach, diaphragm, and esophagus. The tests we used were standard in Applied
Kinesiology and some developed from this by me. They are primarily the BEV Tests
and the CCT Tests (Confirmatory Challenge Tests)? which enabled us to identify
diskal (spinal) lesions beyond any method known today (See US patent 6,203,820).
Supernutrient Corp. spent years researching this phenomenon and formulating a
very specific balance of pure, free form essential amino acids. Supplementation
with the proper balance of essential amino acids will help maintain the body's
supply of organic minerals and thus its PH balance and its precious supply of
electrolytes. Essential amino acids allows the body to reverse this cycle of mal
digestion so that it can heal itself and maintain that health. Taking Properly
balanced amino acids along with eating a diet that balances digestive pH levels,
will heal the body and ensure that it stays well.
Brice E. Vickery, D.C.
Acid Reflux (Gerds) Intensive Care Starter Package
Intensive Care
2 x PLATINUM PLUS Essential Amino Acids US Patent 6,203,820
1 x BIO-MULTI PLUS (professional grade multi vitamin mineral)
1 x HIGH GRADE OMEGA 3 & 6 (deposits calcium & fights inflammation)
PLUS:
1 x professional grade Gastrazyme or Generation Plus Digesticol
Maintenance
1 x PLATINUM PLUS Essential Amino Acids US Patent 6,203,820
1 x BIO-MULTI PLUS (professional grade multi vitamin mineral)
1 x HIGH GRADE OMEGA 3 & 6 (deposits calcium & fights inflammation)
PLUS:
1 x professional grade Gastrazyme or Generation Plus Digesticol
Here are two typical stories of people who would have responded well to our
care package:
Del Eaton:
I have severe pain. Have had it for going on 4 months. It was very severe on
the first day it started and today it is much worse. The pain is left sided in
my groin, thigh and back. I cannot put weight on my left leg so my foot has
swollen. I cannot straighten out my leg because the pain is too severe. So can't
walk. Can't sit for long because, or sleep in my bed because the pain is too
severe. I thought the pain was because of some kind of problem with my digestion
because at the same time it happened, I, all of a sudden could not eat anything
without it making the pain worse! I did not have an accident of any kind. I
finally am believing that I have 2 problems going on. I went to the ER and had
lots of x-rays and then found a doctor and he had me do a CT scan (last Fri).
Right now it is believed I have a pinched nerve. I am awaiting the results. I am
afraid they are going to tell me something awful like I need to have something
taken out! Don't know what I will do because right now my life is over until
something gets done.
Gallbladder warning. doctors were all fired up to treat my candida symptoms by
removing my gallbladder. They'd been wanting it for years. I got infinitely
worse after the surgery. And the pain killers, muscle relaxers and antacids the
surgeon put me on caused my health to crash. I was only able to make progress
using the candida diet, and I wish I'd never met the man. Also, docs like to
take out your gallbladder even if you don't have gallstones, an infection or
abnormal amylase, lipase an white blood cell count. They really just like to
take it out whenever possible because it's their bread and butter. The surgeon
really did me a disservice in refusing to let me get upper and lower GIs before
the surgery. It turned out I had diagnosable gastritis and IBS (all inflammation
related) causing the pain he tried to treat with surgery. I feel betrayed and
angry, in debt, to have been thrown off track, and have permanent scars on my
belly.
Surgeons that perform operations to "cure" chronic illness are
first and foremost business people. They are a sad group of people that somehow
continue to dupe millions of Americans every year. Gall bladder surgery is one
of the most ridicules surgeries every conceived!
The gall bladder is NOT the problem. Sure, it may be full of stones but the
real concern is: Where did the stones come from? They came from the liver!
Another good question: How did they get in the liver? Simple. The stones where
formed as a result of the processes, hydrogenated, refined, etc. "foods"
we put in our body. As we all know, Food is Our Medicine. And it can also be our poison.
The gall bladder and liver can be cleansed in the comfort of your home for
around $15 in apple juice (or food grade malic acid for Candida sufferers),
epsom salt, grapefruit juice and extra virgin olive oil - all products being
organic.
Here's the kicker - Until we get our organs clean (i.e. liver, kidneys,
colon) our Candida problem is more than likely to return. I wish food was
enough. But there are bigger things at stake here. Our organs need our help!
Wishing you Health,
Scott
Consider changing your life style: Paleo diet is based on the Ray Audette's Neanderthin
book, get it at
Amazon.
It's a study of the evolutionary growth of the human diet. How we evolved,
and what we ate as we evolved. Human beings were hunter gatherers, and about
5,000 years ago we suddenly switched to agriculture. Because we take so long to
evolve as a species, it takes us 10,000 years to adapt to dietary change. Our
bodies still want to eat what our ancestors ate. The Neanderthin book studies
what we did eat back then, and tries to mimic that diet as closely as possible
in this modern age.
Based on Simple Premises:
I. A natural diet is best
II. Nature is defined as the absence of technology
III. Absent technology, grains, beans, potatoes, milk and refined sugars are
not edible to any Primates (including Humans)
This way of eating doesn't just help you lose weight, it can help with a lot
of diseases, particularly immune system related ones. The book explains how our
bodies see technology foods as foreign invaders, and the immune system responds
by trying to attack the foods. Our immune systems get so busy trying to deal
with the food we eat, the rest of our body gets out of control. Hence we have
arthritis, psoriasis, headaches, bad skin, and on and on.
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