Stomach Acidity

Many women experience uncomfortable upper abdominal bloating 30-45 minutes after eating as excess acid reacts with the bile and mucus is secreted by the small intestines, producing a lot of gas. Ingestion, heartburn, stomach ulcers and other digestive complaints are not the only problems caused by acidity!

Why does excess stomach acidity cause so many problems:
The digestive system is a fine balance of acid or alkaline media: the saliva in the mouth is alkaline, the gastric juices in the stomach are acidic and are then neutralized by bile, which is alkaline, in the small intestine. Bile is produced by the liver, but only in a limited amount each day. This is enough to cope with a regular balanced diet, but if what we eat and drink is extra-acidic, or if the stomach secretes excess acid, it will require a greater quantity of bile to neutralize it. This means that partly digested, highly acidic food can slow the digestive process and irritate the stomach walls, while waiting for the liver to produce more bile.

Stomach acid is the main stimulant of appetite, so it can be a contributory factor to weight problems. Acidity affects collagen in the tendons, making them more prone to sports injuries and repetitive strain injuries, as well as making all sorts of everyday physical activities, from lifting babies to running upstairs, and so on.

Chronic acidity can cause discolouration of the lips and mouth area, resulting in over-pink lips and the area around the mouth becoming pale and patchy. Excess acid in the body can have a spermicidal effect, contributing to infertility too.

For centuries, traditional physicians have considered citric and sour products bad for the body as they have been observed to increase the likelihood of

• aches and pains around the body (see my photo below)
  
• bruising
• skin rashes
• hair thinning
• teeth and gum problems, sour taste in the mouth, mouth ulcers, and cuts and abrasions on the side of the tongue
• a slow-down in the healing process
• irritability
• bad breath and body odour
• stinging urine

Other acid-producing factors include:

• eating too fast. Food that is not chewed properly means more work for the stomach, which means it will have to produce more acidic gastric juice.
• smoking and recreational drugs
• stress, which can lead to stomach ulcers and acidity.
• medicinal drugs when used over a prolonged period, for example, anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, steroids.
• bacterial infection, in particular Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium thrives in the stomach lining causing inflammation (gastritis) and ulcers.
  

To prevent stomach acidity, avoid citrus fruit and juices such as orange, lemon and grapefruit. Sour fruits and vegetables, vinegar, white wine and other acidic drinks should be avoided too. Other stomach irritants include chilli, rich curries, nuts and seeds that have not been finely chewed or crushed, and overly hot beverages.


The photo above shows a meal at Kenny Roger. This is a perfect meal for me. I felt so good and satisfied with this meal, including chicken soup and muffin (not shown in the photo).

Nutrition is not simply a matter of following a list of dos and don'ts. Eating should be a positive part of life, not a guilty pleasure or a reluctant adherence to rules you are constantly longing to break either. At restaurants, home or anywhere -- any restaurants london, let all your senses enjoy the food you eat: how it looks, how it smells, how it feels on the tongue. Learn to discern different flavours. Eating slowly will allow you to savour food to the full and also put a natural brake on eating too much -- stop when you think that another mouthful will fill you up.

"London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London bridge is falling down, my fair lady!" This is one of the nursery rhyme that I sang to little Isaac everyday. As I sang the song, I have the imagery of Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge is one of London's best-known landmarks. This fanciful feat of Victorian engineering was completed in 1894, and opened with great ceremony. At London, a place I must visit is St Paul's Cathedral, the capital's grandest building. Everyday, I am very busy with my little 4 months old Isaac. I am so busy until I have no time-off, despite having numerous aches and pains.


This is my left hand. I have wrist pain now due to over work.

Ever since Isaac came into our family, I have stomach acidity problem. Having a baby at home, and with no other helpers around, I have to look after Isaac round the clock. At times when I need to go toilet or need 'time-off' for cooking and doing the laundry, I have to ask Richard to 'babysit' for a while. Looking after baby is such a tiring task, requiring lots of energy. Having stomach acidity means that I am 'hungry' all the time -- despite eating a full meal, I would get hungry in half an hour time later. How I wish that I can have a rest at any of the pubs london -- just to take a rest, have someone to serve me a cup of beverage and a nice meal...