Tea reaction
In my previous post, I mentioned that to increase stomach acid level naturally, I’m taking Ginger-Lemon-Salt-Black Pepper tea three times a day and I can feel a little heartburn. Well, things went awry after that. The heartburn kept on getting worse. It was aggravated so badly that my throat started hurting from burps. When I would be empty stomach I would get mild but painful burn. If I would eat something, things would be quiet for while but would get really ugly soon. This went on for three days. I immediately stopped having tea. I found that stomach lining may get inflamed due to excess acid. To aid that, I took turmeric paste (that’s a tablespoon of turmeric with a little water). I also had to eat bananas to protect the stomach lining. Baking soda solution and drinking lot of water helped. Fennel seeds helped as well. I was really worried in the beginning. I thought the excess acid is going to burn an ulcer in my stomach. My BMs too went bad and I experienced severe indigestion.
Remission
But it started subsiding day by day. The heartburn was less the second day and today, the third I had only a warm feeling in the morning, which is gone now. I regret that I wasted three days of my recovery period because of excess black pepper and went through a terrible phase of heartburn. However, this episode has a bright side as well.
The bright side
Now, at least I know that I don’t have Achlorhyrida, total lack of stomach acid and lack of stomach acid production. A certain autoimmune disease, atrophic gastritis causes the immune system to attack the parietal cells and destroy it completely. These cells are responsible for secreting gastric acid (HCL) and creating intrinsic factor, which in turn is responsible for the absorption of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 plays a major role in making the stomach produce acid too. In short, if the parietal cells are damaged, a person can’t produce stomach acid ever. Hence I know the parietal cells inside my stomach aren’t destroyed yet. This is because black pepper stimulates parietal cells and asks it to produce more acid. I had black pepper in excess. My active and hopefully healthy parietal cells produced a lot of stomach acid as a response and I got terrible heartburn. And why is stomach acid production so important for me? It’s because I’m suffering from Hypochlorhydria which resulted in Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth which caused, bloating, belching, indigestion, nutrients mal-absorption and weight loss. If my stomach starts producing enough acid. The bacteria will stay where they belong and I will be able to digest the food properly.
Where from here…
But its a long journey ahead. I learnt that just by making the stomach produce lot of acid is not going to solve the problem. I need to take some steps for proper recovery:
1. Get more digestive enzymes: I found that if the stomach produces acid but the body has little or no digestive enzyme, it’ll result in indigestion and heartburn.
2. Get more nutrients: Vitamin B-Complex, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium are responsible for stomach acid production. Triggering stomach with black pepper is very painful and unhealthy.
3. Reinstate proper gut flora: Good bacteria help absorbing vitamins, releasing bile and absorbing nutrients. Due to SCD, the bacteria population in my intestine is really low. I need to reinstate the healthy balance again for digestion to start working again.
My Struggle With SIBO 
I have so much to learn about stomach acid production. I believe mine to be low and supplement with NOW Betaine HCL which is SCD legal. I am still researching to find the best SCD legal digestive enzyme for my body. I take the Kirkman Acidophilus from Digestive Wellness as my probiotic. I am sad to learn of your struggles and pray God will give you wisdom for each step in the healing process. His grace is sufficient for us. His Word is True. I rest in that. You are not alone! Praying for you!
Thanks for your prayers Beth. Prayer is what keeps me going.
Now I wish I hadn’t tried black pepper because I still have that warm feeling after eating. May be my stomach is producing adequate acid but I lack digestive enzymes and other nutrients. I realized a lot of things should be in place before even attempting to restore stomach acid production.
GBY.
Hi, Varun!
I’ve come over here from BTVC (Breaking the Vicious Cycle, a Yahoo group on the Specific Carbohydrate diet).
You had asked there about cures from SIBO. I’m not cured, but my symptoms (especially GERD, Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease) suggest that I have SIBO. I understand that SCD is a recognized approach to that problem.
A couple things I’ve picked up from your writing: You have a wonderful Indian name and use spices as medicine with the expertness of an Indian. Are you familiar with or have a basic understanding of Ayurveda? You mention anxiety and that you’re encountering underweight. These are also my case. My ayurvedic constitution is vata-predominant. Considerations of this constitutional type are that thoughts and feelings have a particularly powerful effect on the body, and knowing that Christ gives one dominion over fear is very useful.
As you, my condition impels me into a lot of experimentation, and I think it’s helpful to have faith in the basic integrity of the body, and that a dietary trend or other experiment is not going to do major damage. I tend to play pretty hard with my own body and I can get pretty strong feedback if what I’m doing is not appropriate for my present condition. But also, there is always the chance that a particular intervention I’ve fashioned could feel bad, but actually be resulting in progress. I try to combine my intuition with the best health principles I can glean from various sources as they apply to my condition. An early Heidelberg test suggested that I had Achlorhydria, although I think that has normalized somewhat. At one stage, I went big with Betaine HCl because I suspected the stomach was overpopulated with bacteria, and in my case it seemed to have helped.
My main focus right now is on milk fermented by whole kefir cultures, and I’m suspending judgment on a feeling of slow transit or heaviness in the gut. I’m counting on the huge amount of friendly bacteria and yeasts in the kefir to displace what I believe to be a large contingent of bad yeasts and bacteria in my present gut flora. A big sign of progress is that I’ve gone from not being able to gain weight for about 25 years to now having to watch out for gaining too much weight. I also sense a better condition upon arising from sleep, and this time has for many years revealed problems with the GERD.
Best Wishes to you for continued progress both physically and in your walk with the Lord.
Cam
Hi Cam,
Thanks for replying. I too had GERD for sometime. It was the onset of SIBO but I ignored it. My own inference is that when we eat certain foods, overgrown bacterial population causes lot of gas feeding on it. We tend to expel it by burping. Too much burping causes acid from stomach to rise up and cross the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). SCD eliminates such foods and hence curbs GERD. I’ve been on this diet for 2 months now and I don’t have GERD anymore.
Yes, lately I have become a strong supporter of treating health problems naturally. In my case, going to doctors and taking their medicines only delayed the diagnosis. I won’t be surprised if I come to know that pharmaceutical companies pay the doctors to prescribe medicines which only treat the symptoms and not the underlying cause. This will make sure that we stay ill and keep taking their medicines. So I have started looking into natural ways to maintain body’s integrity.
I came to know about Ayurveda only recently. I am not a big fan of it since it’s medicines contain high levels of heavy metals. However surprisingly, of all the doctors I visited only Ayurveda doctor stated my condition correctly. Ayurveda stresses on the role of diet in healing. The diet I was suggested by them was very close to SCD.
Betaine HCL will kill the bacteria that comes with food into the stomach. If your problem is SIBO, chances are your stomach acid production is low. But it can be temporary. I too tried Betaine HCL thinking my stomach acid was low. But taking a dose higher than minimum gave me severe heartburn and indigestion. For about a month I took the minimum dosage (1/2 tablet). I decided to stop it because I had started feeling slight heartburn even with minimum dosage. Also, the brand I was using had other enzymes (like pancreatin). I’ve read at places that taking pancreatin for a long time may make you dependent on it forever. So I stopped taking it.
In patients suffering from SIBO, the small intestinal wall is damaged. The lining when healthy, secretes enzymes to digest food. Damaged lining is not able to secrete enough enzymes. Hence, we find taking Betaine HCL+enzymes helpful. I’m doing good without it though. The only supplement I’m taking now is L-Glutamine. I’ve just started it and I’m hopeful it’ll speed-up the process of recovery.
I’d suggest taking SCD yogurt instead of Kefir if you’re not healed enough. SCD yogurt has only Lactobacillus bacteria which is transient. Kefir has Bifidobacteria as well which tends to overgrow.
I pray Jesus gives you the strength and guidance and heals you completely from all your health problems.
GBY
Dear Varun:
Thanks for your very interesting reply.
I agree with your inferences about SIBO and gas.
I consider the Ayurveda reference to heavy metals to point to a small minority of medications. I’m aware that certain formulas called for mercury which is rightly considered dangerous, however traditional methods of preparation were said to render it non-toxic. I remember reading some studies wherein heavy metals were found and the corresponding medicines were banned in the USA. Note that certain elements, such as arsenic, can elevate simply through the soil in which the botanicals (herbs, etc.) are grown. In such cases, the Ayurveda recipes weren’t intentionally (or explicitly) including toxins.
Good comments on HCl and Enzymes, I’m beginning to taper these. L-Glutamine is a good suggestion and I have some around, so I’ll take it.
Lactobacillus isn’t “transient” (that is, merely passing though the gut). It does colonize, and I consider it to be the lynchpin in a good balance of gut organisms. In my view, bifidus is OK as long as it’s not at the top of the hierarchy (that position should be occupied by L. Acidophilus). This view comes from Natasha Campbell-MacBride (who has carried SCD into the field of Autism, etc.) and two other popular authors on gut issues, Jini Patel Thompson and Jordan Rubin (these are former sufferers of intense GI issues who healed themselves. Note that I learned of the two latter individuals from the BTVC (SCD) yahoo group, but they are not in compliance with Elaine Gottschall’s principles). What I value from these two individuals is that they were able to completely set aside their restrictive diets, and one factor in their healing was admitting a broad diversity of friendly organisms to their guts. I totally support Elaine Gottschall’s position that it’s very important not to do this too soon. I’ve now been on SCD for over two years.
As far as kefir is concerned, the effects have been unbelievably powerful. There have been sensations which might frighten one (of course, the effects would totally depend on the gut balance of the individual). What impresses me most are the positive effects. Clearly, mind-fog and uneven energy (tendency of fatigue) are diminishing!
Best wishes to you, it looks like the path you’re on is working well for you.
Cam
I have similar issues with my stomach but every time I tell my doctor about it he says there’s not much he can do and it will go away on its own. I have been dealing with it for 4 years. What kind of Dr did u see to help u figure this out?
I visited two gastroenterologists. First one was really clueless about my problem and kept saying chewing the food properly will help. Then I found SCD and started it. After a year or so when I was fine but not eating certain foods my family insisted I visit another doc. She was more open minded and told my family that they should let me eat what I am able to digest. And she told me that I should keep trying to add more foods to my diet. She diagnosed me as post-medication IBS.
Do I need to be reffered to a gastrointestinal Dr or can I just call
You can find out a good gastro doc in your area and setup an appointment right away
Dear Varun, SIBO is very sensitive to diet you eat, google it. There is only certain food you can eat, find out on the web. Wrong food feeds SIBO and you will never get ready of it. I got ready of Candida and now trying to beat SIBO. Not easy task…still looking for best solution, each person is different and SIBO is very hard to get ready off. For my low acid problem I take two tablespoon Bragg apple cider vinegar/with mother, in my 24oz water and sip it all day. Drink plenty of water, google it how much you need. After you eat do not drink anything after 1-3 hours. Drink before you eat. When you drink with the food, you diluting acid and you get acid reflux as your stomach trying to make up the acidity you diluted with water. Bubbles of acid. I am still trying to figure SIBO and I take only natural remedies. Now is Nigella Sativa oil, turmeric, and more……before. No black pepper ever. No garlic and onion only green. Hot peppers great. Ginger excellent. And so on. Good luck to you all. Sorry for my English, I am originally from Europe.
Hi Alice,
Thanks for suggesting these things and sorry to hear about your problems. Back in 2013 when I wrote this post I had a very bad case of SIBO and I was experimenting with natural cures. I thought my stomach acid was low and that was causing SIBO. I also took Betaine HCL. Along with that I was following SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet).
SCD helped me a lot. I don’t have SIBO now. I can now digest things I couldn’t back then. Everyone gets better with SCD. But how much depends on other things like how long you’ve had SIBO and how old are you. I suggest you give it a try. You can look into my other posts for details on how it worked in my case.
I hope you recover from SIBO one day.