So whats the big deal?  High Tissue Acid = low tissue oxygen = low production of ADP

(energy) = increased bacteria and other pathogenic activity = fungal growth = tumors = Chronic Disease.

What causes acid to build up in tissues? Diet – grains like bread, pasta, sweets, etc. all increase acid.  Green leafy vegetables lower acid. (have you had your veggies today?) Chronic low grade (often undiagnosed) infections, especially in the mouth and intestines, cause higher acid levels.  A lack of good minerals in the diet will cause high acid.  High stress will cause high acid levels.

How can you find out what your pH is? First morning urine pH is the best way to test your pH at home.  Pick up some Hydrion pH paper (call 773-786-2722) and run it through the stream of your first morning urine.  Your urine pH should be between 6.4 and 7.0. 

So get some pH paper and get testing.  

One large egg contains about 7 grams of high quality protein and almost 6 grams of fat.  However, most of the good stuff is in the “evil” yolk.

Egg yolks: help to prevent blood clots…I bet you never heard that before: Cho HJ, Ham HS, Lee DS, Park HJ. Effects of proteins from hen egg yolk on human platelet aggregation and blood coagulation. Biol Pharm Bull. 2003 Oct;26(10):1388-92. 2003.

The  high levels of choline in the egg yolk balance blood fats and improve cholesterol…Hunh? Ballesteros MN, Cabrera RM, Saucedo Mdel S, Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol does not increase biomarkers for chronic disease in a pediatric population from northern Mexico. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Oct;80(4):855-61. 2004. PMID:15447890.
Choline is also good for the liver and brain.

Egg yolks are great for the eyes because they are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. Chung HY, Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ. Lutein bioavailability is higher from lutein-enriched eggs than from supplements and spinach in men. J Nutr. 2004 Aug;134(8):1887-93. 2004. PMID:15284371.

Blumberg J, Johnson E. Lutein and disease prevention. Papers presented at the annual American Dietetic Association Conference, San Antonio, TX, October 26, 2003 and at the First International Scientific Symposium On Eggs and Human Health: The Transition from Restrictions to Recommendations, USDA, Washington, DC, September 23 2003.

Eggs are good sources of vital nutrients including:
Tryptophan – helps with mood and sleep
Selenium – great for the immune system
Biotin – essential for protein synthesis, helps hair and nails grow
Iodine – needed for thyroid, skin, and several other tissues
B2 – liver function, heart function, etc.
Molybdenum – needed to detoxify several chemicals produced in the body, etc.
B12 – energy, brain function, etc.
B5 – needed for adrenal function, etc.
D- B5immune system, bone metabolism, etc
Omega-3 - good for the brain, the heart, mood and just about everything else.

I highly recommend organic free range eggs – They are not real expensive and the nutritional quality is well worth the extra cost.  In my practice I find most people who are allergic to eggs are allergic to the egg white not the yolk and many that are allergic  do fine with organic eggs.  Recently many suppliers are pasteurizing their eggs to protect from salmonella.  Salmonella is a bad deal but I still would not eat a pasteurized egg.

I also highly recommend that you cook your eggs sunny-side up in real (organic) butter.  Egg whites should be cooked through to kill salmonella and deactivate certain proteins that keep vitamins from being absorbed.  However, the nutrients and proteins in the egg yolk are more effective when the yolk is still runny.  Some clinical evaluations have demonstrated that the yolk when fully cooked is actually toxic.

Don’t throw away your egg shells!

A Dutch study showed that eating powdered eggshells can improve bone density
Br J Nutr. 2002 Mar;87(3):267-75.
Positive effects of a chicken eggshell powder-enriched vitamin-mineral supplement on femoral neck bone mineral density in healthy late post-menopausal Dutch women.

Here’s how:

1. If you see a lot of egg whites sticking to the shells, rinse them out.
2. I do not remove any remaining membrane because it has therapeutic value e.g. for arthritis.
3. Place eggshells in an open dish e.g. pie plate in a garden window or any south-facing (so it gets plenty of sun) window. Leave for a week or more until dry.  You will know this when they are brittle and crumbly to the touch.
4. When they look dry enough run through a coffee grinder for a few seconds.   Aim for the consistency of baking soda.

Mix ½ tsp of the powder in a few ounces of water and lemon juice and enjoy. ½ teaspoon will give you about 400 mg of calcium.  The membrane inside the egg shell should not be removed.   It has been used to effectively treat arthritis.

A few home remedies can also help when an inhaler is not available.
1. Take a teaspoon full of cayenne pepper in a cup of hot water. This can pull you out of an asthma attack and can be a lifesaver during a heart attack.
2. Warm up a ripe banana and mash it up with a teaspoon of black pepper…bottoms up!
3. Place a couple drops of peppermint oil on the tongue and breathe in and out several times or place the oil in a pot of hot water and breathe the fumes.
4. Chop up 1 tbs. of fresh ginger and steep in a cup of hot water for five minutes and drink. Fresh honey could be added to the tea.
5. Vigorously rub the Chapman’s reflexes for the adrenal glands for two minutes. They should be very tender and are located about one inch over from the belly button and two inches up on either side.
As always, prevention is the best remedy! Avoid known triggers: allergens, chemicals, exercise, etc.  and consider non-medical treatments as a safe and valuable option.

————————————————

I was born in August of 1963 and since then I’ve had asthma.  I was told it was a gift from my grandmother because she had asthma.  As a child my parents spent many a night at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago with the many attacks.  Growing up it was hard to play outside, participate in sports, and even just be a normal kid.  It was so hopeless and discouraging to think that I had to live with this for the rest of my life.  My inhaler was a part of my life as well.  I had to make sure I had it with me at all times.  I even remember going to a doctor as a child to get tested to see exactly what I triggered my asthma (the list was endless).  I had just about given up.

As an adult I met Dr. Mike Andreano at the church we were both members at.  I went to see him for some adjustments and during the initial visit, I told him of my asthma.  I didn’t deal with it right away but, eventually I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Dr. Mike was amazing!  His desire was to get my asthma under control where I did not have to use steroid inhalers—which I  graduated to as an adult.  I knew I was in safe hands with Dr. Mike and trusted him.  After several visits and following his instructions, my asthma is under control.  It is such a wonderful thing to be able to visit friends that have cats, dogs, and other pets and be able to breath.  I used to get asthma even when I sneezed hard; not any more.  Dr. Mike has done what no other doctor could do without prescribing me dangerous drugs.  Thank you Dr. Mike for giving me a normal life after suffering for so many years.

With kids in mind,

Angel L. Vega

In Chinese Medicine lung function is linked to bowel function. Go figure! However, every asthma case that I have ever worked with gets better, at least in part, when the bowel is addressed. It seems that medicine might be looking at the wrong end when It comes to asthma.

To strengthen the bowel you might first try stopping all dairy products. Also, probiotics (beneficial bacteria used to balance the environment of your gut) have been shown in research studies to decrease asthma.

Sure these meds will give you heartburn relief but can lead to more serious health problems down the road.

I often use the analogy where a guy drives his car down the road and suddenly the oil light comes on.  This causes him stress because he knows something is wrong with his car.  Sooner or later he pulls over and covers the light with duct tape.  No more light , no more stress.  The guy gets back in his car and drives off happy…until a few more miles down the road his engine dies a painful death.  At that point the guy wishes that instead of covering up the oil light (symptom) he actually took the time and expense to fix the oil leak.

Antacids and Acid blockers cover up symptoms and do not fix the underlying cause. Worse, these medications will actually speed up the demise of your health. Sooner or later the underlying problem is going to cause the whole body to break down!

While I can’t think of a scenario where it would be beneficial to cover up your engine oil light, there may be a place for antacids.  In some cases when you have occasional heart burn, an over the counter antacid or my favorite; 1 tbs baking soda in 12 oz water, would be appropriate.  However, if you have reflux more than a few times per year you need to find out the underlying cause and get the problem fixed.

When there is tissue damage (ulcer) to the lining of your stomach or throat short term use of antacids (my favorite over the counter is Pepto-Bismo if other natural remedies are not available)may be necessary.

Unfortunately one of the most popular and newest class of acid blocking prescription medications, PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPI), actually have been proven to cause heartburn. So you might want to think twice before starting one of these medications.

To fix a problem, you want to figure out what is causing it.

Over the past twenty years I have found that there are several  underlying causes in any given case of acid reflux. Medicine rarely addresses any of them.

Autonomic Nervous System

The stomach and the rest of your digestive tract are under the control of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

The parasympathetic nervous system increases its influence when you are at rest and encourages good digestion, sphincter muscles to close, (the muscles that close the opening into and out of your stomach) stomach acid production, etc.

The sympathetic nervous system increases its influence when you are up and moving, stressed, or scared and relaxes sphincter muscles and decreases the amount stomach acid production.

Relaxed sphincter muscles allow acid to splash up into the throat causing heart burn (reflux) pain.

Spinal miss-alignments, food allergies, chronic low-grade infections, emotional stress, etc. will cause an increase tone of the sympathetic nervous system and can result in heart burn.

Low Stomach Acid (hypo-chlorohydria)

If you are unable to make enough stomach acid the cardiac sphincter will not tightly close and and the acid in your stomach will RELUX into your throat and burn it!  If you raise acid levels in your stomach, the pyloric sphincter will close tightly and there will not be any reflux.

One the basic materials that the stomach needs to make digestive acid is sea salt and water.  Many people are on salt restricted diets (almost never a good idea)and don’t have enough salt in their body to make proper stomach acid. Athletes and people using common table salt are also at risk.

The parietal cells in your stomach need water and salt to make hydrochloric acid. Often the parietal cells get damaged due to nutritional deficiencies and can’t make enough stomach acid to support proper stomach function. The Older you are the greater chance there is that your stomach no longer has the ability to make adequate amounts of acid.

Hiatal Hernia

In almost every case of Heart Burn the muscle that separates the lungs from the gut (the diaphragm)is not able to tighten sufficiently around the esophagus (the tube that connects the stomach to the mouth)and will allow the stomach to push up into the chest cavity.  This is called a hiatal hernia and will cause heart burn and is almost never addressed in the medical treatment of reflux.

Hiatal hernia can be corrected without surgery in almost every case.  It is important to fix for stomach function but will also be a major factor in anxiety attacks, many heart conditions, pressure in the chest, breathing problems, and more.

Heart Burn Program

Over the past 20 years Dr. Andreano has developed a safe, painless, non-drug treatment plan that will not only eliminate the pain and burning in your stomach for good, but restore normal function to your digestive system.

Don’t just accept the standard line.  Discover the underlying cause of your heartburn, get it fixed once and for all, and enjoy the benefits of good digestion.

“Proper stomach function is more important than eating good food, taking vitamins, or even exercise.  Partially digested food, even good food, stresses every part , poisoning the entire body”

The program will take you through several steps of neurological, nutritional, structural, biochemical, evaluations and corrections.  Each possible underlying factor of your heart burn will be covered.  Because the entire body is evaluated holistically, many health issues other than heart burn will be eliminated.  As you go through the program, pains will disappear, bloating will stop, food allergies will be identified, your immune system will strengthen, energy will increase, your memory will improve, and you will enjoy an overall greater level of health and well-being.

Many of my clients have already experienced the benefits of various aspects of the Heart Burn Program, but this is the first time we have offered all aspects of this program in one protocol directed particularly at heartburn, reflux, G.E.R.D. etc.

The program includes all in office testing and treatments needed to resolve your Heart Burn.  Nutritional products and lab testing are not included in the program.  In most cases the program can be completed in less than a month.

The Heart Burn Program is priced at $1997.00.  Financing is available through Care Credit.

]]> http://trinityholistic.com/%e2%80%9ctrinity-holistic-heart-burn-program%e2%80%9d/feed/ 0 http://trinityholistic.com/wow-but-a-small-taste-of-heaven/ http://trinityholistic.com/wow-but-a-small-taste-of-heaven/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:59:47 +0000 mike http://trinityholistic.com/?p=967 ]]>

You gotta wonder:

• Why do we need stomach acid anyway?
• If we do need stomach acid, why would it be OK to take antacids or powerful acid blocking medications?
• Why would your stomach make so much acid that it would burn the lining of our stomach and throat?

If your having heart burn, stomach acid seems like an unnecessary evil.  You want to stop the burning fast by what ever means.  But why does our stomach make acid anyway?  Stomach acid has many important functions including:

1. It starts the break down process of proteins so that they can be completely digested by digestive enzymes.
2. It signals the pancreas and gallbladder to prepare and release digestive enzymes that will continue to fully breakdown food and prepare it to be absorbed by the body.
3. Stomach acid produces an environment that enables enzymes to work.
4. Stomach acid is necessary to absorb minerals like calcium and magnesium from your food. (Osteoporosis, leg cramps, achy muscles)
5. Stomach acid signals the cardiac sphincter (the muscle that opens and closes the entrance to your stomach) to close tight so that what is in the stomach does not reflux and burn the lining of the throat.
6. Stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) is a protective barrier essential to your immune system which kills off most bacteria, fungi, parasites and foreign organisms that can enter the body through the mouth.

Without enough stomach acid proteins are not completely broken down, the gall bladder does not release enough bile to digest fats, the muscle that keeps food and acid in the stomach don’t close properly (heart burn) and bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc. that are in almost all the food you eat have free reign to invade the rest of your body.

Undigested food ferments and breaks down the mucus barrier that protects the lining of your stomach from hydrochloric acid and creates the gas that causes bloating.  It puts extra stress on the small intestines and leads to “Leaky Gut Syndrome.” When partially digested food is absorbed into the body it clogs up the liver, causes poor sleep, food allergies, rashes, runny nose, itchy anus, asthma and will decrease and compromise the immune system function.

The parasites, bacteria, etc. hiding out in most of your food that can invade your body when stomach acid is low, have been linked to disease process including: arthritis, ulcers, diabetes, clogged arteries, heart disease, and cancer.

So it looks like stomach acid has gotten a bad rap.  We need proper amounts of stomach acid.  It seems counter intuitive, but I have found that as long as your stomach lining is in good shape, supplementing with extra stomach acid will stop heart burn, G.E.R.D., etc. I have also found that many health conditions will never resolve unless you have enough stomach acid.   Too much stomach acid will not bother a healthy stomach and may even be the answer to some chronic diseases like Lyme’s.

Considering the above information, does it seem wise to continually treat the painful symptoms of heart burn and G.E.R.D with antacids or acid blocking medications?

How do you think acid blocking medications will affect your future health if you continue to use them for months, years, or for the rest of your life?

If you have heartburn more than a few times a year, there is a good chance that one of the most important foundations of your health is starting to crumble.  Antacids and acid blocking medications will stop the burn, but increase the rate in which your health degenerates and your body ages.

My next article will reveal:

• When and why you would want to use acid blocking medications
• Will expose what popular acid blocking medications have been proven to cause acid reflux.
• The causes of heart burn (that your medical doctor will probably never even consider)
• How you can fix the underlying causes of heart burn and restore healthy stomach functions.