What is stomach acidity? How to maintain and improve stomach acidity?

Your stomach acid is called gastric acid and is made up of two chemicals – hydrochloric acid (HCl) and hydroxychloric acid (HClO). Both chemicals have strong acidic properties and this acid is what makes our food taste good.

The acidity (pH) of your stomach acid is measured in units of pH and it varies from 0 to 14. Foods that have a pH above 7.0, are called protonated (resistent) foods. Protonated foods tend to be very strong in taste and can be digested quickly. Some people have such strong stomach acid that they don't tolerate anything below 5.5.

If your stomach is acidic, it will produce enzymes that allow it to digest your food and help keep your body in good health. This acidity will generally have the effect of raising your blood acidity levels to protect your system from bacterial and fungal infection.

Your blood acidity will increase depending on the amount of food you eat, and your diet.

Irritable bowel movements

The inner lining of your digestive tract (stomach, small intestine, and large intestine) becomes inflamed and damaged due to a diet high in acidic foods like red meats, fruit, and dairy products.

Factors affecting the acidity of stomach

The acidity of our stomachs is affected by many factors including:

genetics

your diet

your body's acid-base balance

how often you eat

the amount of exercise you do

Some lifestyle factors may affect the acidity of your stomach acid. These include:

dietary foods

stress

being dehydrated

using antacids or proton pump inhibitors to manage heartburn

What is the relationship between stomach acidity and pH?

The acidity of your stomach acid is an indication of the strength of your acid-base balance. Your stomach acid is very sensitive to changes in the pH of your body. One cause of acid-base imbalance is when too many acids are produced by your stomach acid.

Because this acidity helps to break down the food we eat, if the pH is too acidic it can make eating food uncomfortable. An acid-base imbalance is considered to be acid-base hypo-homeostasis or deficiency.

This could mean you're not eating enough acid-forming foods, or that you're not eating enough anti-acid foods, which help to balance your acid-base.

How to maintain and improve acidity?

While it's important to maintain your acid-base balance to stay healthy, this may not be easy if you're struggling to keep your diet balanced.

Diets high in fat and protein are good at keeping your stomach acid strong. These foods help to keep acid production low, and this reduces your risk of developing an acid-base imbalance.

Research suggests that losing weight can help to keep stomach acid in balance. Your metabolism is affected by your weight, so losing weight can reduce your acid-base imbalance.

Staying hydrated is also important. Drinking more water than usual will help to increase stomach acid production. Water helps to neutralise stomach acid, which means it is less acidic, which can lower the risk of an acid-base imbalance.

It's also important to regularly follow up on your diet to make sure it's balanced, but also to get some support from a registered dietitian to keep your diet balanced if you can't.

If you've tried and tried to find the right balance, it may be a good idea to see your GP to see if medication can help. Your doctor can assess you and decide whether medication is a good option for you.

A pharmacist can provide an accurate calculation of the dose to take for you. Taking a daily proton pump inhibitor medication is usually safe for most people. But it's a good idea to check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting the medication.

Do I need to follow a special diet?

It's not necessary for most people to follow a particular diet or type of food to maintain or improve stomach acidity.

However, some people find it helpful to add certain foods to their diet. Some foods that might help to improve stomach acidity include:

fermented foods, like sauerkraut and pickles

foods with high vitamin C, like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and papaya

healthy fats, like avocados, nuts, and oily fish

The acidity of your stomach also improves if you reduce the amount of time you eat certain foods. Instead of eating a large meal at a single sitting, you might eat several smaller meals spread out over a longer period of time. This reduces your stomach acid production, making your stomach feel less acidic.

You may also be able to improve the acidity of your stomach by eating breakfast. Consuming a meal between 8 and 10 hours before you go to bed reduces acid production and can help to improve your acid-base balance.

Summary

Dietary acidity plays a role in many bodily functions, including gut health and the development of many types of illness. Acidity is a key indicator of your overall health and risk of a range of serious diseases.

Changes in diet, particularly when dietary fats are high, are often a key driver of this. A balanced diet is the best way to keep your stomach acids healthy.

Many people have a problem with stomach acid production, which causes a range of symptoms. Acid reflux and acid-base imbalances can be a symptom of, or cause, many serious illnesses.

However, with some dietary and lifestyle changes, your stomach acid can be properly balanced and your symptoms can be effectively managed.

What else can I do to help reduce acid reflux symptoms?

The following home remedies and dietary changes may help to manage your acid reflux symptoms and may help you to improve your health:

Make sure you drink at least 2–3 liters (liters) of water a day. If you are feeling thirsty, you're probably already consuming enough fluids. In particular, you need to drink enough water if you have a strict diet. Don't eat after 8:00pm.

Try to stick to your eating schedule, which means you shouldn't have food and drink after 8:00pm. This helps your body to get used to digesting food at its normal time, so it won't delay the stomach acid production. Reduce your intake of red meat.

An animal-based diet, which is high in saturated fat, is known to increase the production of stomach acid. Saturated fat also inhibits the body's ability to absorb certain nutrients, including zinc and B vitamins. Try to keep yourself away from the foods with a high glycemic index.

Foods with a high glycemic load can cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which can lead to more acidic, heartburn-type symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. High glycemic load foods include items with high glycemic index, such as white bread, white rice, and other high-protein foods.

Cut down on sugar. The more sugar you eat, the more acidic your stomach will be. Remember that sugar is a carbohydrate, so your body has to break down the carbohydrates to produce energy.

Too much of this type of carbohydrate will also cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which can lead to more acidic symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.