Some Hard Facts About Hyper-Acidity!

Almost every one of us experiences acidity orintake. So many known and unknown symptoms can
heartburn some times or the other. Blame it on faultybe relieved just by increasing water intake. Almost all
diet or lack of exercise, hyperacidity is one of themy prescriptions contain a bottom line- drink at least
commonest conditions we observe in medical8 to 10 glasses of water per day, irrespective of the
practice. The condition gives rise to heartburntype of disease I am treating. This free ingredient in
(burning in chest), loss of appetite, vomitingour body is thankfully available free of cost (I m not
sensation, nausea, vague discomfort or pain in uppertalking of bottled water) and we can nullify or
abdomen, and at times frank vomiting. Today medicalprevent the upcoming maladies just by drinking more
community is worried about recurrent acid refluxwater. If you fail to keep track of how much water
disease, as it may be the sign of early cardiac maladyyou are drinking, fill in a container with 10 glasses of
or esophageal adenocarcinoma too. No doubt, insteadwater. You can go beyond it but not short of it. Acid
of gulping antacid tablets, one must consult physicianis diluted with water intake when in excess. That's
if he or she is experiencing such spells recurrently.why ancient sciences recommend drinking water in
We all know that hyperacidity results due to varietybetween the meals but not immediately after meals
of causes. But in day to day clinical practice, I havethat may cause indigestion due to dilution of acid
observed some causes those slip our mind whileneeded for digestion.
counting the causes of acid reflux disease. Let's see-(5) Late night meals: In ancient Hindu literature, meals
(1) Irregular meals: In almost one third of myare prohibited after 12 midnight. Going against the
patients, I observe this as an important cause. Blamebody's circadian rhythm will make you suffer with
it on packed schedules or just laziness to have timelysymptoms like acidity and/or migraine. As mentioned
meals, but this is one of the chief causes ofabove, after late night meal, one tends to sleep
hyperacidity. You skip meals and the conditionimmediately, which is also one of the causes for
worsens. Explanation for a layman is simple. Tell meacidity.
where should all that acid go that is created for(6) Junk food: When I see children eating bags of
digesting your food go? According to ancient healthkurkure every day and their parents worrying about
sciences, it is known that there are certain timestheir lack of appetite and nausea, I wonder! Why
during the day when the acid (digestive acid or bile)can't we stop the habit of such nasty practices?
production is at its peak. It is also observed that it isWhen our children are young and impressionable, you
produced maximally around 11am to 1 pm. If you dogive them such junk food, they grow with that habit,
not have your meals during this time, that acid is notand when they reach knowledgeable age, you want
given any task of digestion and it sets out to troublethem to get rid of the habit. Is it sensible? It does
you. That's why diet-experts ask us to steer clear ofnot mean deprive them of the food that they love.
fasting and stuff alike. When I asked my patients toBut putting strings to the frequency of eating is in
follow stricter meal times, surprisingly 90% of themthe hands of parents. Such things lead to acidity in
reported betterment in their acidity symptoms.future. Also we can try to give them better food
(2) Post-meal nap: Today we all agree with the factalternatives those are equally tasty but healthy. If
that power-nap enhances work efficiency. But whenyou do not want to cater blames of your young
should we have power nap? Immediately after food?ones of suffering from horrendous acidity spells later
No! In my clinical practice, I have seen many patientsin life, do something now! It might be late tomorrow!
who say the post-meal dozing is must for them. And(7) Lack of physical activity: Well, the last but the
they tend to lie down immediately after meals. Imost important points. When I studied the female
studied the patients of acidity those used to sleeppatients of acidity those were housewives and were
immediately after food. Around 70% of patientsspending time in sedentary recreational activities like
reported increase in their acidity immediately afterwatching TV for many hours in a day, the findings
getting up from sleep. Those without a tendency ofwere astonishing. Despite leading a luxury life, these
acidity too developed discomfort in stomach whenwere the women who were the victims of acidity
they slept immediately after food. When I told themand migraines more than others. To be precise, 70%
to leave a gap of about 1 and ½ hours or the leastof women reported acidity at least twice or thrice a
1 hour after food, they tend to develop fewer acidicmonth. Same results were observed in people like us;
spells. Further it also helped them to lessen their fatI mean sedentary office workers. Around 60% of
absorption and thus reduce weight to some extent,so-called brainy people suffer from acidity quite
as sleeping immediately after food is also one of thefrequently. Intensity-wise, the acidic spells in these
causes of obesity.people were found to be more intense than the
(3) Taking antacid tablets recurrently: This I would likeabove mentioned house-wives (making us think if
to explain on the basis of principles of homeopathy.stress is also a contributing factor). On the contrary,
More you suppress the expression of innerwhen I studied working-class women (those who
disharmony, more it will emerge to deteriorate thework in fields and earn livelihood by strenuous work
system further. Similarly, the antacid tablets try towhole day), the acidity was found in less than 15%
suppress the acidity and this suppression leads laterof cases. Nothing more need be said! Exercise and
to exaggerated acidity and heartburn. Reduce theyou will steer clear of hyperacidity!
dosage of antacid tablets and opt for some naturalWell, no doubt, there are tendencies to acidity in
acidity reliever like homeopathic medicine and thesome people. Genetic factors may play a role too.
acidity is gone.However, by following certain rules given in above
(4) Drinking less water: In the clinical practice, I havepoints, we can modify those nasty tendencies. And
seen that if you want to point your finger to awhen this is followed by apt homeopathic treatment,
causative factor that leads to largest number ofone can get totally cured of hyperacidity; something
diseases, I will point it to lack of adequate waterwe all wish for!