How well do we digest the food we eat and how well we absorb and utilise it’s ingredients plays a very important role in determining our overall health. Stomach acids are responsible for breaking down the food in the stomach. These acids are called hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid helps your body to breakdown, digest and absorb nutrients such as protein. It also eliminates bacteria and viruses in the stomach, protecting the body from infection. Low levels of hydrochloric acid can have a profound impact on the body’s ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients. Left untreated, it can cause damage to the gastrointestinal system, infections and a number of other chronic health issues. We’ll do a very basic test which you conduct at home to check your stomach acid as well
Symptoms of low stomach acid
- Bloating
- Fatigue
- Indigestion
- Gas
- Low energy
- Hair loss
- Deficiency of vitamins and minerals
Common causes for low stomach acid
- Stress
- Poor sleep pattern
- Low quality and quantity of sleep
- Aging
- Medication
- Post surgery
- Eating too much processed or refined food
- Not chewing the food properly
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Excess consumption of caffeine or alcohol
Test to see the acid levels in our stomach
- Who shouldn’t take the test
- People on antacid or if you’ve been consuming apple cider vinegar for long
- People on hydrochloric acid supplements
- Pregnant women
- Post surgery
- The test
- Do this first thing in the morning
- You need 100 ml water, 1/4 tsp baking soda and a timer
- Mix 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in water
- Drink the baking soda solution
- Set a timer and see how long it takes for you to burp
- The baking soda and stomach acid create a chemical reaction in your body
- The result of this reaction is carbon dioxide gas, which causes burping
- If you burp in 3-4 minutes means you have good amount of acid in the stomach
- Anything more than that shows the acid levels are probably low
How to increase hydrochloric acid in your stomach ?
- Work on your eating habits
- Chew your food properly and eat without any distractions
- Add probiotics to your diet (eat fermented food for good stomach bacteria)
- Start consuming apple cider vinegar
- Consume ginger post meal, include ginger herbal tea in your diet
- Cut down on processed and refined food
- Reduce stress in your life
- Try crescendo method of intermittent fasting
- Get goof quality and quantity of sleep