Physicians think it is ok to use drugs for stomach issues, acid reflux, or gastroesophageal disease.  Medication for these conditions should be used sparingly and should be watched closely for side effect by the doctor.  Drugs should be used only to give the patient time to heal any tissue damage caused by stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus.  Natural remedies can be used at the same time drugs are used since natural remedies can also heal tissue damage in the esophagus and cure heartburn.

Most drugstore remedies are designed to alter or reduce acid strength or to stop the stomach lining from producing more acid.  The stomach automatically releases acid as it strength decrease while digesting food or when over the counter products and pharmaceuticals are used. The reduction of stomach acid can cause a major impact in your overall health.   Stomach acid needs to be around 1.2 to 2.5 pH to do the hundreds of reactions that the stomach needs to do.  When these reactions do not occur, a cascade of unhealthy conditions begins.  You won't see the detrimental health effect by using drugs short term but you will in long term use.

Here is one condition that happens when your stomach acid is reduced by over the counter drugstore products or by the numerous popular pharmaceutical drugs - anemia.

Anemia is a deficiency of iron in your body.  Iron is the center of the hemoglobin, red blood cell, molecule.  This molecule delivers oxygen to all of your cells as it travels through your blood system.  The lack of iron in your body results in the lack of oxygen for your body and this condition is called anemia.  When you lack iron, your body becomes weak and tired.  Muscles lose strength and you can become disoriented.

In clinical tests, people that had low stomach acid were found to be anemic.  In order for iron to be absorbed into your blood it needs to be in liquid form and not precipitated, a solid, and not attached to another nutrient or fiber.

There are to types of iron - heme iron and non-heme iron.  Heme iron comes from meat.  When your stomach is deficient in acid, high pH, meat heme iron will remain in as a liquid and not precipate, so there is no problem with meat heme iron and low stomach acid.  The only problem with eating excess meat is that it is not an ideal diet for good health.

But, with non-heme iron, which comes from grains, vegetables, and fortified foods, stomach pH is important.  When stomach acid is diminished, like when drugs and other drugstore products are used, iron obtained from produce and grains is also diminished.  Stomach acid must separate the iron from produce and grain fibers and dissolve it so it becomes more absorbable.

If you have low iron count, are anemic, or suffer from feeling tired and in addition suffer from acid reflux or heartburn, stay away from acid reflux drugs and drugstore products.  Try natural remedies to solve your heartburn symptoms. 

Natural remedies maintain your natural stomach pH and allow you to digest and absorb the iron you need to produce oxygen.

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