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Health
The ABC of Acidity
It starts as a simple problem but has the potential to get out of hand.
The good news, writes Dr Prasanna Shah, is that acidity can be dealt with easily
It often starts with an unfamiliar feeling of glands in the stomach produce hydrochloric
burning discomfort moving from the stomach acid, a strong acid that helps break down and
to the chest, eventually creeping to the throat. digest the food we eat. It activates important
Many people experience a sour tasting acid in enzymes and hormones, and protects against
the mouth (reflux), nausea, belching and heavi- bacterial overgrowth in the gut. The lining of
ness every time they have a meal. We’re talking the stomach is specially adapted to protect it
about acidity, a growing problem so common from this powerful acid, but the oesophagus
that everyone has experienced one or more of is not protected. You experience symptoms of
these symptoms at some point of time or the acidity when there is an excess production of
other. Harvard Medical School has acknowl- acid by the gastric glands of the stomach—the
edged acid reflux as the most common digestive acid and undigested food flows back into the
malady. But in India, you can blame it on your oesophagus and mouth, irritating the food pipe,
spicy, oily, unhealthy yet impossible-to-say-no- causing heartburn. This can also cause ulcers
to delicious Indian food or simply attribute it and cancer in the long run.
to bad lifestyle and habits. It starts as a simple Watch out
problem but has the potential to get out of hand. If you think you suffer from acidity, watch
The good news is that acidity can be dealt with out for these symptoms. Burning sensation or
easily. heaviness after every meal, sour belching or
What is acidity? regurgitation, where you can taste the
There are tonnes of digestive health problems. sour-bitter tasting acid in your mouth, indiges-
But Acidity, Bloating and Constipation, con- tion, discomfort moving from the stomach to the
stitute the ABC of digestive problems, making chest and throat. While it is easy to temporarily
acidity the most common issue. The gastric quell acidity by popping an antacid, remember,
SENIORS TODAY | Volume 1 | Issue 1
