Arthur Webster   Just plain honesty
Hi, jeszika,

Lay man to lay man..............

Hyperacidity is one of those conditions that is very difficult to understand because there are so many different ways that it can manifest.

The human body secretes highly caustic acids and enzymes for the digestion and breakdown of food that has been ingested. The digestive tract is protected from self digestion by a very efficient mucus membrane which keeps the caustic contents away from body parts by ensuring that they are coated with sufficient mucus.

Some people who are considered hyperacidic will turn out to be mucus defficient and the pains associated with the condition will not be because of too much acid but because of localised deficiences of mucus. Ulcers immediately spring to mind.

Others who are considered hyperacidic actually have a poorly controlled regurgitation impulse causing the familiar burning and nasty taste at the back of the throat as you try to swallow back what is threatening to escape.

Very few people (I have come across none) are truly hyperacidic. The human body produces more than enough mucus to protect itself and a constant exposure to acids would soon debilitate (if not kill) the strongest person.

You need to keep a record of foods and activities that give rise to your symptoms - often cutting out the cause will fix the problem. Look at the types of food you are eating. How much is naturally acidic in nature? Is the acidic nature of the food creating your symptoms? If you do not eat sufficient alkaloids to balance out any excess acidity created by the food you consume, try drinking milk or eating a natural yoghhurt with each meal.

Once you know the cause of the symptoms, you will have a better idea of the diagnosis.
Dec 20th 2007 10:38   

Eric Smith   Online Professional
I would disagree with the milk, and say to drink a glass of water with every meal and increase water intake to a litre during non-meal times.

Also avoid heavy meals - eat 5 or 6 "snack size" meals instead of 2 or 3 "Main meals" a day.
Dec 20th 2007 13:54   

Arthur Webster   Just plain honesty
Hi, Eric,

Certainly water with a meal is a good idea but in the case of an excess of acidity it would make sense to try to neutralise it until you know the cause.

As someone who is supposed to drink at least eight litres of water a day to counteract the water loss I suffer as a result of not having a water scavanging large intestine, I can understand why many people cannot drink water in sufficient quantities. As long as there is a sufficient fluid intake, the form is really of academic interest.

Snacking is certainly an excellent idea if the cause is the inability of the digestive sytem to handle the quantity of food ingested but, again, it would be better to identify a cause rather than suppress the symptoms.

I don't know if snacking and grazing are the same thing but I do know that people with a poorly controlled reflux action are considerably helped if they adopt a grazing life style.

I will stress, though, that there is no point in trying to self diagnose something that is, potentially, so serious and it is important to identify the cause before trying to find a remedy.
Dec 21st 2007 10:33   

Eric Smith   Online Professional
Yeah, totally agree Arthure, about self diagnosing. Its important to get it checked out.

The reason i disagree about milk is the fat content but Soy and Oat milk would be good alternatives.
Dec 21st 2007 13:36   

Karen Weir  Local Internet Advertising Consultant
My husband suffered from acid reflux for years. We sought out the care of a natural doctor on another matter, and as a result learned much about pH balance in the body. I actually market a product designed to increase alkalinity of drinking water, simply and easily, however the same can be accomplished by adding a lemon wedge to your drinking water. A pinch of sea salt in the drinking water can also add electolytes. Since we have been drinking healthy water, in adequate amounts, my husband's reflux has disappeared. Sad situation for Tums, Rolaids, and Bromo... he should have had shares in those companies!

Dehydration is a huge problem in every country. We all need to ensure that we are drinking enough water and that the water we drink is not contributing to our health issues by being too acidic or otherwise toxic (chlorine, flouride etc).

Best of luck to you jeszica!
Dec 26th 2007 12:27