Heartburn and Indigestion: Is Too Much Stomach Acid the Cause?

Have you ever experienced the discomfort of heartburn or indigestion? Most people would assume that gastric acid is the cause and immediately resort to antacids, but this may not be the right thing to do.
To understand the cause of your heartburn or discomfort, it's important to know what is happening within your stomach. Gastric juice is secreted from tiny glands lining your stomach's walls. The main component of this gastric juice is hydrochloric acid (HCl) that fulfills two important roles:
1. HCl acts as the first line of defense against food-borne pathogens (e.g. bacteria, fungi, and parasites), and
2. It activates pepsin, the enzyme responsible for breaking down food proteins into peptides.
Your gastric juices normally have a pH of at least 1 to 2. These juices are very acidic (the pH scale is from 0 to 14), but your gastric fluid needs to be this acidic so as to destroy food and water-borne bacteria and other harmful pathogens, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).
It should be noted that most peptic ulcer disease is attributable to H. pylori, a common stomach bug that thrives in less acidic environments.
Other components of your gastric juices also play an important role when it comes to the protection of your stomach and your health in general. For example, pepsin works in conjunction with HCl to ward off infections (including H. pylori and E. coli).
In order for you to attain optimal stomach health, you need to strive for a gastric juice pH of below 2.5. This will give you maximum protection against common threats posed by pathogenic (disease causing) micro-organisms that can make you ill.
The antacid industry is booming. Most people start popping antacids when they get heartburn or indigestion. But is this the right thing to do? Prolonged use of antacids could have serious implication for your stomach health. Antacids neutralize the acid in your stomach and this will affect your levels of HCl and pepsin, both of which are essential to your health. Clearly, antacids are not the solution to the problem.
Most people do not know this, but very often the heartburn and indigestion you have is the result of dehydration. Quite often, the pain you experience is your body's cry for help. It needs water. You should be drinking water on a regular basis throughout the day.
If your increased water intake is not the solution to the cause of your heartburn or indigestion problem, then you should consider taking natural supplements that will help optimize the pH of your stomach. Talk to your local health store to see what they recommend.
But remember this: Many of the digestive problems that you have do not stem from an excess of HCl, but rather a deficiency of HCl. Popping more antacids is not the solution to your heartburn and indigestion problems, and you do not want to unnecessarily be adding any more toxins to your body.
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Bernard Brown has written a healthy living book called Healthy Living: Twelve Steps to Guaranteed Better Health. He is passionate about health and wellness, and is determined to help others improve their quality of life. Visit his website to find ways to improve your health and to discover the benefits of healthy living: <a href="http://www.healthy-living-book.com">http://www.healthy-living-book.com</a>

Health benefits of licorice

What Is Licorice?

The licorice plant is a perennial herb and a member of the pea family. Native to southern Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean, it is extensively cultivated in Russia, Spain, Iran, and India. The plant is prized for its roots, which contain glycyrrhizic acid. This acid, which is extracted from the roots, is fifty times sweeter than sugar. Licorice extract is used as a flavoring in food, tobacco, alcohol, cosmetics, and, of course, in licorice candy

How Licorice Is Made

There are two ways to produce licorice candy: the cornstarch molding process and the rope extrusion process.
In the starch molding process a tray with long rows of molds is filled with cornstarch to keep the licorice from sticking. Next, hot syrup containing
licorice is poured into the molds and cooled. How the syrup is cooked determines if the candy is tough, chewy or soft. After the cooling process, the licorice is dumped onto a packaging table and given a glaze.

Did You Know?

• The licorice plant, a shrub, is officially a weed. It is about four feet tall with purplish flowers and grows in hot, dry places.
• Licorice root is one of the most popular herbs in the world. Its botanical name comes from the Greek words meaning "sweet root."
• The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, and Hindus recognized the natural medicinal qualities of licorice.
• Licorice helps relieve the pains that accompany certain types of ulcers, and it is good for the adrenal glands.
• Carbenoxolone, a compound derived from licorice root, may help slow the effects of aging on the brain.
• Licorice root is a botanical ingredient in modern Chinese medicines used to manage cancers. Current research conducted at Rutgers, the
  State University of New Jersey, supports the use of licorice in the treatment of prostate and breast cancer.
• In the United States, anise seed is a popular substitute flavoring for licorice. Although the anise seed has an unmistakable licorice flavor, it is not related to the European plant whose roots are the source of true licorice.

The licorice rope extrusion process is another way to make licorice candy. It starts with boiling a mix containing licorice root extract to an exact temperature. Next, flavorings and colorings are added and the mix is slowly cooked until it is a dough-like consistency. Afterwards, it is placed in an extruder that resembles a meat processor. The mix is forced out of tiny holes making it into a rope. The rope is sometimes twisted to give a more interesting form.

The History of Licorice

Licorice is not a recent discovery. The ancient Egyptians used it as a pharmaceutical, and copious supplies were found in King Tut’s tomb.Egyptian hieroglyphics record the use of licorice as a popular beverage among the men of the time.
Manuscripts from 360 A.D. talk of licorice helping eye ailments, skin diseases, coughs, and loss of hair. Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar are on record as endorsing the benefits of eating licorice. Since the 14th century, it has been used to soothe coughs, colds, and bronchitis.
Napoleon Bonaparte found licorice soothing during battle; he allegedly ate so much of it that his teeth turned black. (Don’t worry. The amount of licorice found in most of today’s licorice candy will not discolor your teeth.)
Modern licorice candy dates from 17th century Holland. At the time, Holland was one of the world’s most powerful countries. Her intrepid sailors spread this wonderful delicacy to other European nations. Today, licorice candy is manufactured throughout Europe, America, and Australia.

The Health Benefits of Licorice

Licorice is especially useful in fighting bronchitis, upper respiratory catarrh, and coughs. It stimulates mucus production and helps to loosen sticky phlegm. It also contains a chemical that has cough-suppressant properties.
Licorice also helps reduce stomach acid and increases mucus secretion in the gastric tract, soothing irritation and inflammation. It can be used to fight heartburn, indigestion, and gastric and duodenal ulcers. It may also shorten the healing time of mouth ulcers.
Small amounts of licorice, such as those found in candies, do not pose a risk. However, licorice is a powerful drug, and serious health problems can result from taking it at medicinal levels for long periods of time. People who have high blood pressure, glaucoma, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, as well as anyone who is taking digitalis or who has had a stroke or heart attack should limit their licorice intake
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