Tag: nausea

Stomach acid – is it a bad thing?

Today’s post is about stomach acid, is it a bad thing?

First, what is stomach acid?

Stomach acid, or gastric acid, is a watery, colourless fluid that’s produced by the stomach’s lining.

In order to break down everything from meat to tough, fibrous plants, stomach acid has to be highly acidic.

The primary active component of gastric acid is hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is produced by cells in the gastric glands in the stomach. Alongside acid, the stomach produces a cocktail of other digestive compounds, including enzymes like lipase, which breaks down fat, and pepsin, which breaks down protein.

Together, this mixture is called gastric juice. The production of this liquid is an ongoing effort by the body and the average person produces around 1.5 litres per day.

The body is designed to handle average levels of stomach acid so that it doesn’t cause illness or health complications.

So, is it a bad thing?

The simple answer is no. In fact, stomach acid or gastric acid is needed to break down proteins from the diet. It is from these proteins that we get our amino acids and nutrients. It also destroys potentially dangerous microorganisms that may find their way into the stomach, as most bacteria don’t like acid.

You may be thinking that acid in the stomach is a bad thing because it will burn the lining of the stomach. However, the stomach is protected by a lining of mucous. It is when this mucous lining has been damaged that often creates the problems in digestion.

It’s common for the stomach acid’s pH level to fluctuate from time to time. A number of conditions, medications, and lifestyle factors can cause stomach acid levels to fluctuate. While some fluctuations are unusual, not all are.

Chronically low or high levels of acid can be problematic for your health and well-being. Seeking treatment can prevent long-term complications.

What can cause discomfort?

People who often suffer from bloating, heartburn, burping or abdominal discomfort, may think that they have high gastric acid.

This may not be the case.  Interestingly, most often the issue is actually a lack of acid rather than an excess. If the cells of the stomach that release the acid are not doing their job, it can cause the bloating, burping, heartburn, indigestion etc.

This condition is called hypochlorhydria. The complications of having chronically low levels of acid can be quite significant. The early stages of this condition can result in difficulties digesting food and absorbing the nutrients your body needs to function properly.

If left untreated, it can damage your gastrointestinal system.

People that suffer from symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, bloating, abdominal discomfort that may worsen on an empty stomach, decreased appetite or unexplained weight loss may actually have high stomach acid levels. If the level of acid in your gastric juices is too high, the mucus in your stomach may stop being effective.

One of the most common causes of high gastric acid levels is a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is actually the leading cause of stomach ulcers. This is because Helicobacter pylori likes an acidic environment and so encourages the cells to increase acid excretion. The increased acid can then start to damage the mucous lining.

Treatment options,

Seek medical attention if you’re showing signs of low or high levels of acid. Both of these can be problematic if they’re chronic and not treated properly.

A healthcare professional can review your symptoms and decide the best treatment for you.

The most common treatment for the symptoms of excess gastric acid is called a proton pump inhibitor or PPI. Unfortunately, these types of medication only treat the symptoms rather than fixing the problem and long-term use can lead to other health complications.

So, if you are on a PPI or about to begin keep in mind there should be an end date for the use discussed with your doctor.

 

So before embarking on a range of medications to reduce your stomach acid it’s a good idea to

talk to your doctor or naturopath. Ask about being tested for Helicobacter pylori or other possible underlying health issues, that could be contributing to your altered acid levels.

Either way if you are having some or all or the symptoms mentioned this is not normal and you need to get it checked out. After all, if your digestion isn’t working properly, then you are left open to all kinds of disease and conditions.

We hope you have found this information helpful.

 Till the next post,

 Live clean n Prosper

Sources – Wikipedia  – Healthline – zoe –

Some information about Hangovers

Welcome to a new year and the first post of 2023.

For many people the first day of a new year starts with a hangover. So I thought that I would explore this topic.

Now we all know that the consumption of a substantial amount of alcohol is the usual cause of a hangover. Previously I have written about how the body processes alcohol.

This time I thought I would explore what is going on in the body to cause this unpleasant after effect?

What is a ‘hangover’?

Wikipedia states – A hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects usually following the consumption of alcohol.

In addition, hangover characteristics may depend on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and the amount a person drinks. Typically, a hangover begins within several hours after the person has stopped drinking and the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is falling. Symptoms usually peak about the time BAC is zero and may continue for up to 24 hours after.

The chemical process

As previously covered, the liver processes the alcohol in 2 steps. It uses an enzyme in the liver cells – alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to break down ethanol in the blood into another compound, acetaldehyde. Which is actually toxic.

Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, which is not toxic.

Normally, acetaldehyde is quickly converted to acetate and excreted from the body. But when lot of alcohol is consumed, the liver may not convert the acetaldehyde as quickly as usual. It may have built up enough in the body to cause the nausea, vomiting and sweating of a hangover.

There is more to the hangover, however, than just acetaldehyde. Another contributor to the hangover is methanol, another fermentation product found in alcoholic beverages, luckily in small amounts because methanol is highly toxic. Like its ethanol partner, the same enzymes metabolise methanol as ethanol. The only difference is that this time the compounds created are formaldehyde and formic acid, which are extremely toxic.

So what factors are contributing to feeling unwell?
  • Mild dehydration: Alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids. The mild dehydration that results contributes symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, and a headache.
  • Disrupted sleep: People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but their sleep is fragmented. This is because the body is rebounding from the depressive effect of alcohol, disturbing normal sleep rhythm. This contributes to fatigue, as well as lost productivity.
  • Gastrointestinal irritation: Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. This can lead to nausea, vomiting and stomach discomfort.
  • Inflammation: Alcohol increases inflammation in the body similar to when you have an infection. This then causes the feelings of nausea, headache, chills and tiredness.
Avoiding a hangover

Paying attention to the quantity and quality of alcohol consumed can have a significant effect on preventing hangover. Hangover symptoms are less likely to occur if a person drinks only small, non-intoxicating amounts.

Even among people who drink to intoxication, those who consume lower amounts of alcohol appear less likely to develop a hangover than those who drink higher amounts. Hangovers are not usually associated with drinking beverages that contain low alcohol content. And lastly, including more water between drinks can reduce the dehydration caused by the alcohol.

Because individuals are so different, it is difficult to predict how many drinks will cause a hangover. Any time people drink to intoxication, there is a chance they could have a hangover the next day.

We hope you found this information interesting and/or helpful.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – McGill University, Office for Science and Society – National Library of Medicine  – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholisA

An overview on Vertigo

Todays’ post is about dizziness and Vertigo.
My inspiration for this post comes from experiencing this condition myself last month.

It put me on the lounge for 2 days and continued to affect me for several more days. It was a genuinely horrible sensation, which on a few occasions caused me to feel close to losing consciousness.
I went to see my doctor, who diagnosed Vertigo caused by a virus. I thought I would share what I have found out about the condition.

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo or dizziness is caused by an imbalance in the vestibular system. The vestibular system is the sensory system that collects information from the eyes, inner ear and muscles to help us keep our balance and posture.

The vestibular nerve carries information from the inner ear about head movement. When one of the two vestibular nerves is infected, there is an imbalance between the two sides, and vertigo occurs.

What causes it?

The most common cause of vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV occurs when tiny crystals of calcium carbonate (also referred to as “otoliths” or “canaliths”) clump together in the part of the inner ear that helps control our balance. This affects the messages sent from the inner ear to the brain.
Other inner ear problems that involve swelling or infection of the inner ear, such as vestibular neuronitis and labyrinthitis, can cause vertigo.

Other causes include; Meniere’s disease, where there is associated tinnitus and hearing loss, head injuries, circulation problems or a tiny stroke of the vestibular nerve.
Vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis are disorders that result in inflammation of the inner ear and/or the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain. Generally caused by a viral infection such as a cold or influenza (‘the flu’), these conditions cause vertigo.

In this situation, most people feel better within a few days or weeks. Rarely is vertigo caused by serious problems such as a brain tumour or a stroke.

What are the symptoms?

A sudden onset of a constant, intense spinning sensation that is usually disabling and requires bed rest. It is often associated with nausea, vomiting, unsteadiness, imbalance, difficulty with vision and the inability to concentrate.

How is vertigo treated?

Treatment depends on the cause. In most cases vertigo goes away without treatment. Stress can increase symptoms of dizziness and nausea; therefore reducing stress can help reduce the symptoms.

Your doctor will conduct several tests and then may recommend one of several treatments.

* Medication — usually used for motion sickness, can be used to relieve some of the symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

* Canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) — this is useful if the cause is BPPV. The treatment moves calcium deposits out of the canal so they can be absorbed by the body. This stops the false signals and the debilitating symptoms they can cause.

*Vestibular rehabilitation or balance training – this is a type of physical therapy that strengthens the vestibular (balance) system.

If your symptoms don’t go away, a specialist physiotherapist can help retrain the brain to interpret balance messages from the inner ear.

My doctor prescribed anti-nausea medication, which I found to be very helpful.
I hope you don’t get to experience this condition.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital,
The New York Times, Health Direct