The Importance of Stomach Acid

After food is chewed it enters the stomach. The stomach's job is to release hydrochloric acid and other digestive enzymes to break down food further before entering the small intestine.

HCL:

Hydrochloric (HCL) acid is important to break down dense proteins and dissolve/kill bacteria, mold, fungus and parasites that may have been ingested.

HCL acid must maintain a certain balance with respect to volume and pH. Unfortunately, many people do not produce optimal levels of HCL acid. As a result, digestion at the stomach level becomes impaired.

Chronic stress and regular use of antacids and some medications are big factors for disrupting this balance of stomach acid. This leads to food leaving the stomach semi solid and burdening the small intestine and impairing our digestive health.

Lifestyle Tips to Improve Stomach Acid:

Aside from stress management techniques it is important to not dilute your stomach acid during a meal. That means, when it is meal time, focus on the food and not drinking at the same time.

When eating, try not to drink water except to clear the palette or to take pills/supplements. Drinking too much water at meals will dilute stomach acid and will prevent the stomach from properly digesting food. 

Think Feed and Flush

Outside of meals is the time to flush (hydrate) while meal time is for feeding. Keep these two things separate to optimize HCL acid and digestion at the stomach level.

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