We have talked about the Connection between the "Gut" and how it can effect the rest of your body. Gut issues are very common and at times complicated. Many times the hardest part is knowing where to start. In this article, we are going to tackle heart burn, simplify what may be occurring, and give you our alternative supplemental protocol for "Beating the Burn."
Inflammation and the Gut
For this article, when thinking about the Gut we think of the Stomach, Small Intestines, Large Intestines, and Liver. The goal of these organs are to break down and absorb our nutrients.
However, chronic inflammation of the gut can make it difficult for absorption to occur. As shown in the picture, when chronic inflammation occurs, it destroys the structure of the villa, decreasing the surface area of the villa to grab onto nutrients.
When this happens, this can alter the movement of food through the gut, leading to the potential of increased gas due to "rotting" food. In many cases, people who have had a history of Ulcers or Rheumatic Diseases can relate to these symptoms.
The first step for success is fixing the tissue of the gut. By restoring the tissue of the Stomach, Small and Large Intestines this should help reduce some inflammation and better restore absorption and motility of the food. We use the supplement Gastrazyme to achieve this goal.
The Source of the Burn: Stomach
Once we get the lining of the stomach and small intestines healthy, we need to help the stomach learn how to restore the acid of the stomach. The acid of the stomach is very important for breaking down your food for absorption, especially minerals. A common thought with heartburn is there is "too much" acid in the stomach, causing heartburn.
Although over-eating is a very common reason for heartburn symptoms, many times the lack of acid can cause heartburn.
One of the functions of the stomach is its ability to expand and store food. It plays a role to break down that food. When there is not enough acid to break down the food, it will sit in the stomach and "rot", causing gases to collect and give the sensation of a burn going up the esophagus.
Regulating Stomach Acid
We take a two step approach to try and cover as many causes of heartburn as possible.
Chiropractic:
From a functional standpoint, we use Chiropractic Intervention to help regulate vagal stimulation. Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve), comes right off the brainstem and can be stimulated/manipulated in the upper neck. This is important as it is the direct link to the Enteric Nervous System (ENS), as we discussed in our article "Gut Health and Chronic Pain - What's the Connection?"
Supplementation:
To better regulate the acidity of the stomach on a local level, we choose to use Hydro-Zyme. Many times, when people have heartburn issues, people will experience more "floating" fecal waste (yes we are talking about poop, because it matters). To keep intestinal inflammation to a minimum, we need to make sure we are breaking down fats well. For this, we use Beta-TCP.
We have put this program together, because we try to weigh the pros and cons of over-the-counter medications. However, we encourage you to always talk to your medical provider before taking OTC medication or supplements, to ensure it is safe. This article was written for educational purposes. Feel free to give us a call for more information on our programs.
References:
1. Exploring the Villa: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6040026/
Stenzel Chiropractic Clinic Information:
Mapleton Office: (507) 524-4000
www.stenzelchiropracticclinic.com
support@stenzelchiropracticclinic.com
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