Seniors Need A Different Heartburn Cure

Are you looking for a new heartburn cure? Many seniors are beginning to recognize that they are going through a change in their daily diet. This is a growing segment of the population, with 15 to 20 million, in all, searching for a cure that will alleviate their heartburn. If you know of someone who is complaining that their heartburn treatment isn’t doing the job then here is some advice that may help.

As puzzling as it may be may be to wake up one morning and find that the antacid that once worked so well is now not doing the job, there is an explanation for why this treatment is failing. It can happen to anyone but is a natural event more related to aging. It happens when body begins to produce less stomach acid, often causing a strong heartburn symptoms, because the stomach is not digesting food properly. This condition is referred to as Stomach Acid Deficiency.

The usual symptoms are there, such are pain behind the breastbone, that very uncomfortable feeling, even heartburn symptoms at odd times. The obvious clue that something is amiss is a lack of relief from the usual heartburn treatments - these are acid neutralizing medications. Another clues could be a sour or bitter taste in the mouth, caused by the food remaining in the stomach too long.

The way it normally works is for the stomach to secrete hydrochloric acid and an enzyme called pepsin to digest food. This raises the acid level significantly. What was once perhaps an over production of acid that could be remedied by a dose of antacid is now the reverse. And currently there is no way for the stomach to counteract this condition.

Stomach acid deficiency can be improved, however. The first step to remedy this condition is to adjust the diet. Hard to digest foods should be reduced to make it easier for the stomach to do its job. Heavy animal protein and fat should be restricted. The smart way to start off would be to reduce the daily diet to very basic, bland foods, those that are alkaline based. These include vegetables, fruits and melons. Protein from vegetables can replace meat. Then you can try to reintroduce more foods to find a workable balance that doesn’t trigger heartburn.

You can also aid digestion by eating smaller meals. Smaller meals of fruits and steamed vegetables call for less stomach acid to process. A few more helpful hints that you can try are to chew food thoroughly before swallowing and drinking less liquids during and right after meals so as not to dilute stomach acid. If this doesn’t work well enough then there are acid supplements that help boost digestion.

To sum up. Avoid meat and dairy products. Fish, legumes and soy products are good sources of protein. Limit diet to identify problem foods. Look to a health food store for acid supplements that may bolster lagging acid production. Visit your doctor to confirm this condition and gain more information.

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