If you’re over the age of 50, you’ve been conditioned by a generation of TV advertising that heartburn and bloating need to be treated with some kind of over-the-counter antacid. The question, “How do you spell relief?” has been burned into your psyche. R-O-L-A-I-D-S is the answer over and over and over. But then there’s the Tums jingle: “Tum, tum, tum, tum, Tums.”
So we’ve been conditioned—got heartburn? Get an antacid. But what if that’s not true? What if the problem is low stomach acid as we get older? Not too much stomach acid, but not enough.
How do you know which you need and which is congruent with the way God designed your body to be fed? Well, there is a simple test for this, and you probably already have it in your refrigerator right now.
Understanding the Root Cause: Low Stomach Acid vs. Excess Acid
To understand this, we need to delve into the biochemistry just a little bit. When we eat food, our stomachs produce hydrochloric acid, or HCl, to begin to digest proteins, to absorb vital nutrients like B12 and iron, and to protect us from harmful bacteria. The acid kills them. When we are young, our stomach acid works really well, and we have an iron constitution that can digest pretty much anything.
But as we get older, our age, increased stress levels, poor diet, medications, or whatever of the other thousands of things that can go wrong, acid production actually declines. This leads to incomplete digestion in the stomach. Food will sit there longer, right in the stomach, producing gas and bloating that pushes contents back up the esophagus, causing burning sensations, regurgitation, and indigestion that people usually link to classic acid reflux.
Now, if you take antacids for this, you make the condition worse. You end up with impaired protein digestion, poor absorption of B12 and iron, and bacteria that survive into the small intestines. So there is a better way to deal with all of this.
The Apple Cider Vinegar Test: A Natural Way to Discern
The apple cider vinegar (ACV) test is an old traditional method to test your stomach acid levels. ACV from fermented apples isn’t as strong as stomach acid, with a pH of just 2-3. ACV is mild enough to be eaten, but strong enough to make a difference. Maybe someone found out this trick just by having salad with vinaigrette dressing on it at the beginning of their meal. Who knows? Sounds plausible at least.
Here’s how to try it:
- Dilute Your Vinegar: Stir 1-2 tablespoons of raw, organic apple cider vinegar into 8 ounces of room-temperature water. (Opt for “mother” varieties for added benefits.)
- Timing Matters: Drink this up 15-30 minutes before your main meals each day. If you have a vinaigrette dressing with your salad as your first course, you probably don’t need to add more vinegar to your meal.
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Pay Attention to How Your Body Responds:
- Relief: If you feel better with less bloating and better digestion, it suggests that you are suffering from low acid production. The vinegar’s acidity helps with the lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. And it works better that way.
- No Improvement: If you don’t feel any difference, or if you feel even worse, then you might have too much acid already in your system. So don’t keep taking vinegar, and maybe get checked out by a health professional.
To be sure you got this right, repeat it a few different times with a few different kinds of meals. Pay attention to your body because it’s trying to tell you what’s wrong inside.
Traditional Food Patterns that Support Better Digestion
Traditionally, acidic foods have been included at the beginning of a meal. Things like vinaigrette dressing with salad at the beginning of a meal, or fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or other fermented vegetables that have generated vinegar and organic acids in them. These help support gut health with the acid, but also with the probiotic cultures in them. Kids don’t need these foods so much, but older adults have gotten great benefits from these traditional food practices.
Embracing Holistic Digestive Solutions
If you get a positive result with the ACV test, take a look at these other steps that might also be helpful:
- Incorporate Bitter Foods: Dandelion greens, arugula, or herbal teas stimulate acid production.
- Mindful Eating: Chew thoroughly, eat in peace, and avoid large meals late at night.
- Supplements with Care: Betaine HCl or digestive enzymes, under guidance, can help.
Personal Stories of Relief with Vinegar
I know a few people who have benefited from drinking some vinegar diluted in water before their meal. My aunt did that for years, and still does at 91 years of age. Another person, just a bit older than me, also improved their stomach function just with vinegar. Doctors couldn’t really give her an answer for her issue with a lack of protein digestion, but the vinegar still does the trick, time after time. Pepsin doesn’t digest protein unless the pH is low enough, and vinegar can provide the necessary acidity.
You might know someone, too, who has found relief for “acid reflux” by using vinegar. If you are an older adult and you think you have acid reflux, why not first stop and try some raw, organic apple cider vinegar? It has extra benefits anyway, unlike the antacids that are usually counterproductive to long-term health.
Summary
The apple cider vinegar test isn’t medical advice. It’s just something to try at home to give you an idea of what’s going on inside you. If you truly have serious symptoms, you should get a professional evaluation done.
To learn more about how to improve your digestion, get the most out of your foods, and live a long, healthy life, check out our website for more blog articles and great recipes.