Gut Pilot February 1, 2024

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“Never settle for that which is easy and comfortable or the necessity of seeking that which is difficult and uncomfortable.” — Frederick Lenz​

Colonic brake final polling results- 0% of you said you have previously or presently reside in the camp of needing to shed some poundage! If that's true, I have a deal for you on this waterfront property in North Dakota.

But you must be pre-approved and since I'm a residential mortgage guy by trade, call me today.

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We have talked about some pretty fascinating stuff in this space related to how the gut microbiome operates and rest assured, there will be plenty more topics to come.

But in this case, the concept of heartburn, acid reflux and GERD is pretty straightforward.

The contents in your stomach are supposed to travel one way.

DOWN.

When that doesn't happen, acid from your stomach comes back up into your esophagus, throat or worse. The street term for this is heartburn. Perhaps you ate a spicy Diablo Burger for lunch. (I think the most famous guy to ever eat a Diablo burger was Sheriff Buford T. Justice)

Your stomach probably is surely not equipped for this level of spice like the Sheriff in Smokey and the Bandit. (Quick sidenote, my uncle was friends with Mike Henry. "Junior" was the Sheriff's son in the movie. They played football together for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1960's)

Squirrel!

Anyway, the medical term for heartburn is acid reflux. Diablo burger or not, I feel certain everyone reading this has had acid reflux. Occasional acid reflux is not pleasant, but it's not a disease.

But chronic acid reflux?

Now we need some adult supervision.

This is referred to as GERD, which stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Most guidelines consider acid reflux to be chronic if you have it twice a week for several weeks.

Stomach acid is some powerful stuff. Continual exposure to tissue outside of the stomach can cause big problems.

GERD is more than just an occasional Diablo Burger. This indicates we have a mechanical problem with the "trap door" or flap that stays shut preventing stomach acid from coming back up. GERD is estimated in 20% of adults.

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There are many tools to help with acid reflux, ranging from over the counter (OTC) medications to surgery. Consulting a physician is important to explore your options.

But for our discussion, I only want to focus on the medication options, specifically antacids and the stronger acid blocker, Omeprazole. This is a strong and very effective Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI). I'll explain here in a second.

Antacids are designed to neutralize the acid in your stomach when the reflux happens. A quick tablet to chew on will lessen the "burn" from the stomach acid.

It doesn't address the problem, but it can provide some short-term relief from the acid. You can see why habitual reliance on antacids could become problematic while the root cause of reflux rages on.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI's) are designed to alter and irreversibly block a final stage in the production of gastric acid in the stomach. So instead of just neutralizing the effect of the acid, this tool actually blocks the formation of acid itself.

Omeprazole, Prilosec, and a host of other trade names might be a few examples you've used or seen before.

These PPIs are incredibly effective at eliminating acid reflux.

And by no means am I a PPI "hater". Sy Sperling, the founder of Hair Club for Men, coined the once-ubiquitous tagline "I'm not only the Hair Club president but I'm also a client”.

When it comes to PPI's, I'm an Omeprozole prescription holder. So I'm not just talking about it, I'm a former regular user. After diving into the deep end of the gut health pool, I've turned myself into a very occasional user.

Here's why.

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When I was considerably heavier and considerably less aware that my habits were more the cause of my acid reflux than the acid itself, I used Omeprazole, and it was very effective.

Two things jumped out at me the more I learned about gut health and the inner workings of the digestive tract.

First, stomach acid is there for a reason. It's a pivotal part of the digestion process as it breaks down food so our bodies can absorb the nutrients.

That seemed mildly important to me.

So, while PPIs are effective at curbing the "burn", they can set up some downstream problems as food leaves the stomach less digested than desired.

And through my gut health lens, it just felt like I was kicking the can down the road. I (and hopefully you by now) am taking great steps to get my gut tuned up so I can reap the benefits of overall health. Reducing stomach acid stresses other parts of the assembly (or disassembly) line breaking down food.

This sets the stage for less nutrient absorption in the small intestine and ultimately reduced effectiveness when the gut bacteria get what's passed along.

Second and a little more troublesome in my mind is how and for how long the effect lasts when taking an Omeprazole. The effect of the medication can work pretty quickly, as in the first couple hours of taking a dose. So I can crush a Diablo burger on Friday night, get relief from my heartburn, and everything is back to normal Saturday morning.

Not so fast.

The reduction in stomach acid can last for up to a few days after you stop taking the medication. So now, in my mind, I'm interrupting my gut from operating in a normal fashion for much longer than the heartburn from my Diablo burger. I'm having a hangover effect in my gut for days beyond the problem I solved a few nights ago.

In my mind, and to quote the Dude in The Big Lebowski, "This aggression will not stand, Man"

Before I continue, let me reiterate, under proper prescription from a physician, PPIs are a wonderful tool to address acid reflux, especially chronic reflux or GERD. But I decided to get uncomfortable and see if I could address my acid reflux on my own.

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I may have born at night, but it wasn't last night. I keep Omeprozole on hand for the times I stumble. But it is on a very, and I mean very rare occasion that I need to reach for an Omeprazole after implementing some basic rules.

I'll start at the scene of the crime- in bed. Now I don't know if you've ever experienced this but awakening to the sheer terror of acid backing up into your esophagus, mouth, and possibly out your nose is something you never forget.

I went from dreaming about galivanting across a meadow on a Swedish countryside to being awakened to a scene out of The Exorcist in a split second and it was no fun!

My number one tip is to elevate your head and sleep position, so gravity works to your advantage. Remember, stomach contents go down. A little bit of elevation goes a long way here.

Next, I've conditioned myself to sleep on my left side. Remember the "flap" or valve at the bottom of your esophagus that is designed to keep your stomach acid in your stomach?

Sleeping on your left side keeps this valve above your stomach contents like your head out of the water in a swimming pool. Laying on your back or right side submerges the valve. (terror awaits)

The other things I implemented revolve around eating and the time of eating. I try to stop eating a few hours before bed at a minimum.

And along these lines, I try not to have a gargantuan meal ever, really not for the last meal, and especially not close to bedtime. (or IN bed)

Does it work 100% of the time? Nothing ever does. But it works most of the time and this has easily been a crucial part of lessening the need for PPI's.

Lastly, alcohol. Having alcohol close to bedtime is a surefire way to increase your chances of seeing the Exorcist instead of skipping with the sheep across the meadows in your dreams. Beware!

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PPI's have been a wonderful solution to acid reflux, a problem that affects some 20% of the adult population. And I'm an infrequent user but a big fan of using them sparingly and under the supervision of a physician. The health effects of unchecked, chronic acid reflux are serious business.

But that doesn't mean you have to blindly fall in line and make them a part of your everyday routine. They can present some real problems with gut health and negate a lot of your gains by working on the other aspects of tuning up your gut.

Like everything else, take some agency in your own health and try to address the problem of why acid reflux is happening instead of using PPI's as a crutch.

This list of preventative measures has worked well for me.

Don't settle, get uncomfortable and figure out the problem on your own.

Your gut thanks you in advance.

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Next Week- the subscriber wins are stacking up. I'll highlight some feedback I've received that shows this gut health stuff that has worked for me is working for others.

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Thanks for reading!

Jeff

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