Dehydration and Acid Reflux:
Actually, the title of this article could be “Dehydration and Digestive Problems”, since so much of the digestive and eliminative process depends on and requires tremendous amounts of water. But for the purpose of this article, we’ll confine our discussion primarily to acid reflux.
What causes acid reflux? How is it cured or relieved? To understand this, we need a little anatomy and physiology. Don’t worry; we’ll keep it simple and easy.
Your stomach is where the heavy digestion begins, utilizing a lot of water mixed with hydrochloric acid and other enzymes to break food down. This stomach acid is strongly acidic; hydrochloric acid acidifies the stomach acids to a pH of 1 to 2. This allows it to break down food products very well, but then requires a very strong base (alkaline fluid) to neutralize it. In order for the stomach to dump its highly acidic contents into the duodenum, it needs to be certain this acidic mixture will be immediately neutralized by a strong base; otherwise, it’ll burn a hole in the intestinal wall. (The stomach lining is protected by a bicarbonate mucus layer.)
It is the pancreas’ job to produce a watery bicarbonate fluid in copious amounts, to neutralize the acidic contents coming from the stomach. When there is insufficient amounts of water present (dehydration), not enough of this watery bicarbonate fluid is produced, and the stomach will wisely withhold its contents; i.e. the acidic contents are held in the stomach. In fact after a while, reverse peristalsis occurs, as the body is trying to push the acidic contents the other way. This is, in essence, acid reflux.
Many people then routinely take antacids to relieve their symptoms, which also leads to aluminum toxicity and other problems. While all along the solution was as simple as just drinking more water!
You may learn more at www.revolutionizingyourhealth.com .
Dr. Marvin Kunikiyo, author of Revolutionizing Your Health
Filed under Acid Reflux by on Apr 20th, 2010. 7 Comments. 
