Put down the proton pump inhibitor!!

About five years ago I began having severe acid reflux, to the point that even water was causing significant discomfort. Sleeping upright, eating antacids like they were candy, complete misery! Sound familiar? Well, it's amazing how many people I know are taking “the little purple pill”. Okay I will admit, I too have been guilty!

Shortly after I began taking this medication I started getting a very annoying cough, particularly while I was eating. I didn't correlate at the time that the medication had anything to do with it, after all “it's just the little purple pill”, and thankfully it gets rid of the BURRRN!If you have taken proton pump inhibitors long enough you will notice that maybe they aren't working quite as well as you wish they would. Or maybe they are working for you but the problem is you are not treating the causative factor only the symptom. I developed this nasty cough according to one doctor because I was lacking stomach acid from the medication I was taking. The real problem with acid reflux, aka GERD, is not too much stomach acid but a lack of enzymes in our food supply.

Let me say before I go any further, that I am not a doctor. In fact to be perfectly honest I am just a young woman who had acid reflux and found a natural cure that thankfully, works! I want anyone out there suffering from a case of “The burn” to be as fortunate as I have been to get rid of this problem once and for all with no side effects.

Our food, meats, vegi's, fruits, grains, should all contain digestive enzymes. That is the way God created them to be but when we cook them or eat processed food all of the enzymes are either destroyed or just not there. Our body will make enzymes but if we aren't helping our bodies by ingesting and replenishing these enzymes our body becomes depleted. Enzymes are responsible for not only digesting foods but purifying the blood, getting rid of waste, giving us energy ect. Imagine how hard our bodies are working to keep us healthy but if we don't give it the nutrients that it needs then it starts to fall apart.

I no longer take a proton pump inhibitor! I buy digestive enzymes. Here is an excerpt from HerbalRemedies.com just to give you more of an individualized idea.

“Enzymes are very useful in treating various illnesses. They are absorbed by the body as intact molecules and are distributed to the body through the bloodstream as needed supporting the body's needs against the disease process.

Bromelain: found in pineapple is used to decrease inflammation in arthritis, rheumatism and muscular-skeletal injury. It is proven to be more effective than commonly prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and has no toxic side effects. It is best to use fresh pineapple in small amounts or diluted in water or juice, as the canned or bottled has been heated and lost its enzymes. Cystic fibrosis is a disease in which the pancreas cannot secrete enough enzymes. This usually accompanies other glandular disorders affecting the thyroid, adrenals, spleen and other glands. It also toxifies the liver and can be related to bowel problems, sleep disorders, hormonal estrogen imbalance and loss of energy.

Protease: is an enzyme shown to slow metastasis and contribute to tumor shrinkage while protease reduces pain of cancer.

Lipase & Amylase: Recent evidence shows that rich lipase and amylase levels in the blood lead to a decrease in arteriosclerotic plaques, thus making enzyme therapy useful against coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis.

Aging and Enzymes: Enzymes have proven to give elderly patients more energy, a sense of well being, better nutrient assimilation, and resistance to disease. Aging reduces the ability to produce enzymes and assimilate nutrients, thus slowing our ability to heal.

Enzyme Deficiencies: Deficiencies in enzymes are often associated with gastrointestinal disease, digestive disturbances, periodic gas and bloating. Meals that seem to remain in the stomach for hours or days may be a sign of illness. An evaluation by your physician is needed to determine the cause. Herbal enzyme therapy may be the cure.”

You can purchase these enzymes at your local health food store. The particular brand I take has all of the above included in each capsule. When I began taking these enzymes I had to give up the proton pump inhibitor and for the enzymes to do you any good at all, you will have to as well. It takes a few days for the enzymes to start to work. I started off taking one before, during, or even after every meal for a couple of weeks. If I ate a large meaty meal, particularly steak which is harder to digest I would take two. After two weeks I began taking an enzyme once a day and eventually I was able to reduce down to taking only two or three a week.I no longer have acid reflux, I no longer have a horrible cough, not to mention I don't have to take a prescription. I can take a natural enzyme that benefits me in more ways than one.