Table of contents:
- The benefits of stomach acid for the smoothness of the body's digestive system
- Symptoms of low stomach acid, and what are the dangers?
- Tips for maintaining stomach acid balance
- 1. Watch your meal times
- 2. Avoid snacking between meals
- 3. Make sure you chew food properly
- 4. Avoid drinking too much water when eating
- 5. Limit caffeine intake
When you hear stomach acid, you may be more familiar with an ulcer that occurs due to inflammation or injury to the stomach. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people think that stomach acid will only have a bad effect on the body. But did you know that stomach acid is beneficial for your body's digestive system?
There are two things that can happen if you don't balance your stomach acid levels properly. Symptoms of stomach acid that rise too high often cause stomach heartburn and a burning sensation in the esophagus, which is called acid reflux, aka heartburn. An increase in stomach acid that is too high can also cause ulcers and other digestive disorders. Meanwhile, be aware of the symptoms of low stomach acid, even though not many people realize it. The impact of low stomach acid is just as dangerous for the health of your body.
The benefits of stomach acid for the smoothness of the body's digestive system
Your digestive system works to digest and process the food you eat into small molecules. Later, the body uses these small molecules to make new cells and create energy for your activities.
Gastric acid is an enzyme in the stomach that functions to help the process of digesting food in the body. Gastric acid (HCL) has four main jobs, namely:
- Proteolysis, the process of breaking down protein so that it can be digested by the body
- Activation of pepsin which is an enzyme necessary for protein digestion
- As a chemical signal that indicates that food can move from the stomach to the small intestine and warns the pancreas to secrete enzymes; and
- Inhibits the growth of bacteria contained in the food you eat so that it can prevent infection.
In general, the presence of stomach acid can make it easier for the food you eat to be digested and crushed in the stomach. Stomach acid will also kill bacteria or fungi in the food you eat. The food will later be converted into liquid and circulated throughout the body to be absorbed. That is why it is very important for you to maintain stomach acid balance.
Symptoms of low stomach acid, and what are the dangers?
One of the causes of low stomach acid in the body is the high levels of sugar you consume. Eating too much sugar can increase the development of bad bacteria in the body which can block the absorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients into the body. In addition, poor diet or stress also causes low stomach acid in the body.
Pay attention to any symptoms of low stomach acid you may be experiencing. This indicates that your body is deficient in acid. As a result, the food you eat will not be absorbed properly. Lack of stomach acid content also makes you lose your defenses against bad bacteria contained in food, which can have a bad impact on your digestive system. Apart from that, the inability of the stomach to process food can also adversely affect mental health problems, such as depression, feelings of lethargy, acne, hair loss in women, osteoporosis, diarrhea, constipation, chronic fatigue, dry skin, etc.
Tips for maintaining stomach acid balance
Therefore, here are some tips for maintaining the balance of stomach acid in your body:
1. Watch your meal times
The number of activities that must be done sometimes makes you late or forget to eat. In fact, one of the causes of high stomach acid is due to a regular diet. Therefore, it is important for you to pay attention to the timing of your meals. In addition, you are also advised to avoid eating two hours before bed because this can trigger symptoms of stomach acid.
2. Avoid snacking between meals
This can give your body enough time to better digest the food.
3. Make sure you chew food properly
Chewing food properly is important so that the body can help digestive enzymes process and digest food more easily.
4. Avoid drinking too much water when eating
Drinking too much water between meals can dilute stomach acid and make the food you eat more difficult to digest.
5. Limit caffeine intake
The high acid content in coffee can reduce the opportunity for the esophageal sphincter muscles to relax and allow stomach acid to rise up into the mouth. This can cause stomach acid reflux. And just like coffee, tea (caffeinated or not) can also worsen ulcer symptoms.
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