What You Need to Know About Your Stomach and Acid Reflux

Your stomach was made to be an acid chamber, so it could digest protein. It was designed to keep its pH 3.0 or less.

When your stomach's pH moves above 3.0, it automatically produces more acid to bring the pH down below 3.0.

Your stomach is happy and working like it should when its pH is 3.0 or less because it can do the job it was intended to:

* break protein into its individual amino acids
* prepare vitamins and minerals to be absorbed in the intestines
* destroy incoming bacteria and pathogens
* reduce chances of coming down with stomach cancer
* keep stomach content acidic so when it goes into the duodenum, it triggers pancreas digestive juices.
* reduces the chances of having allergies, skin disease, asthma, depression, lupus, grave's disease, osteoporosis, accelerated aging, and other conditions.

What is heartburn or acid reflux?

Acid reflux or heartburn is a condition where your stomach acid has gone to areas where it does not belong. Specifically it has moved into your esophagus, which is the long tube that comes from your throat to your stomach. There, this acid will burn and destroy tissue lining.

If you have heartburn or acid reflux, you will feel a burning or painful sensation coming up your chest. Stomach acid has push back up into your esophagus through a valve that is between your esophagus and upper stomach.

Acid reflux is the movement of your stomach acidic contents moving into your esophagus. Heartburn is the result of the stomach content in your esophagus - the pain or burning sensation you feel in your chest.