Acid suppressing treatments cause more harm than good

Traditionally the medical profession thought that peptic ulcers were caused by stress, and that suppressing stomach acid would cure ulcers.  As a result, antacids became big business.

Dr Barry Marshall stunned the scientific world by proving that peptic ulcers were not caused by stress. Rather, he claimed stomach and duodenal ulcers were triggered by a spiral-shaped bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. And that just as you can catch a cold you can catch an ulcer!

How the stomach digests

While the stomach produces gastric acid (consisting mainly of hydrochloric acid which acidifies the stomach content to a pH of 1 to 2.)  a thick mucus layer coats the mucosa and helps keep the acidic digestive juice from dissolving the tissue of the stomach itself. In most people, the stomach mucosa is able to resist the juice.

An important element of the conventional medical treatment of peptic ulcer disease is H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors, which are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, and there was ENORMOUS resistance from the drug companies for physicians to accept Dr. Marshall’s finding.

Dr. Mercola strongly believes that virtually all of these acid suppressing regimens are unnecessary and actually harm people. He feels that it was a major tragedy that these drugs became available over-the-counter in the ‘90s.

Your body was not designed to have its acid level suppressed. If that occurs, then the enzymes you need to digest are not activated, and your body will not be able to fully utilize the food you eat.

Dr. Mercola further states, “If you or anyone you know are still taking medications like Zantac, Pepcid, Tagamet or similar medications, it would be wise to stop them immediately.”

Natural water treatment plus probiotics

We like Dr. Marshall’s thinking when it comes to medical treatment versus a natural inexpensive one.

The answer is not antibiotics to treat the H. pylori infection. Dr. Mercola used to do that from 1985 to 1993 and it frequently worked. However, he found that the infection is really just a symptom.  It it is NOT the true cause.

Dr. Mercola adds:  “Assuming one is not taking anti inflammatory medication like Advil or Motrin then most all of the cause is related to an imbalance of the proper bacterial growth in the intestinal system.

Recreating a proper balance of bacteria in the intestines can be repaired with the use of 12 glasses of filtered or bottled water per day. One should also stop all milk, juice and coffee.

Additionally, acidophilus powder (a probiotic found in most health food stores) one teaspoon two to three times a day will also help.

His experience is that 95% of people respond favorably to this strategy if they can also stop all sugar and restrict all their fluids to water only.”

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