Hypochloridria - Low Hydrochloric Acid In The stomach

Hypochloridria - a fancy term, yet easy to explain. It literally means not enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach. In other words your stomach is not producing enough hydrochloric acid (Hcl) to digest food. This is contrary to a common held belief that we have too much stomach acids.

This health issue has implications in a number of conditions including polymyalgia, osteo arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic muscle aches and pains, lower back pains, psoriasis and eczema, chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, digestive disturbance and pre-senile dementia.

Causes Of Hypochloridria

The causes of this condition are:

1) Zinc deficiency. The acid forming cells (parietal cells) in the lining of your stomach are very zinc dependent. So, in the case of zinc deficiency (which is very common), the number of parietal cells in the lining of the stomach will be reduced, leading to less acid released into the stomach for digestion.

2) Poor dietary habits over many years leading to an overload on the digestion system and then a 'fatiguing' of these parietal cells.

3) Wrong food combinations i.e. eating proteins with starches at the same meal.

4) Emotional stress.This leads to poor circulation in the abdominal organs due to the need to have the muscle system oxygenated in readiness for flight or fight response. The chronic poor circulation to the stomach leads to 'atrophy' of these parietal cells.

5) Over use of antacids (e.g. Gaviscon). A common held belief is that we have too much stomach acid. This is not the case in the vast majority of 'heart burn' sufferers. Usually 'heartburn' or reflux is due to the stomach acids escaping out of the stomach and into the lower end of the oesophagus.The oesophageal lining is not protected from these stomach acids hence it 'burns' the lining. The proper management of this condition is to correct the hypotonic (weak) oesophageal sphincter (round muscle) so the stomach contents will remain in the stomach and not regurgitate through the weakened sphincter. There would be no need to neutralise the Hcl digestive acids. This is a classic example of a mis-diagnosed ailment and its treatment leading to a new dis-ease/condition - hypochloridria. Also a good example of over the counter medicines being over used.

How Hypochloridria Lies At The Root Of Many Health Problems

So, what is the outcome of hypochloridria on the body. This condition is a good example of a 'hidden' problem insidiously worsening over a number of years and contributing to a whole host of bodily disfuctions and distress, and it often goes undiagnosed!!

Here's how. And this is very, very important as hypochloridria is at the root of a whole host of illnesses and is very rarely  diagnosed given its prevalence in the general population. 

When you eat a piece of meat e.g. chicken, the tongue tastes and scans this and sends the information via the nervous system to the brain.The message is "this is protein" the brain then instructs the parietal cells in the stomach to release copious amounts of Hcl and another type of cell - 'chief cells' to release pepsin. They both then digest this protein for approximately 3 1/2 hours into long and short chain amino acids. The stomach then moves it onto the small intestine where it is met by a huge bicarbonate (alkaline) response.These long and short chain amino acids (building blocks) are then absorbed across the wall of the small intestine into the blood stream.They are then carried in the blood stream to wherever the body needs these building blocks.

And here the most important bit.  THESE AMINO ACIDS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL ENZYME FUNCTIONS IN THE BODY!!! AND THE PROTEINS THAT MAKE UP OUR MUSCLES, JOINT SURFACES,TENDONS, LIGAMENTS AND SKIN TISSUE!!!

Can you see where I'm going with this... poor protein digestion due to a lack of Hcl digestive enzymes leading to amino acids that are too large to cross the cell wall of the small intestine means a deficiency in healthy long and short chain amino acids. The result is the body has a limited use of these amino acids to rebuild its muscles, tendons, ligaments, joint surfaces, skin tissue and every enzyme in the body!!

So, hypochloridria leads to polymyalgia, osteo arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic muscle aches and pains, lower back pains and psoriasis and eczema.

It is implicated in chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, any form of digestive disturbance. Even if the immune system is compromised, hypochloridria plays its part.

With anyone who has long standing chronic health problems I would look to Hcl deficiency as a major but 'hidden' health problem. I've yet to see anyone with pre-senile dementia who does not have chronic and severe hypochloridria (also, these folks have a severe zinc deficiency!! see the tie in?).

Treatment Of Hypochloridria 

To help these folks with hypochloridria return to good health its very important that they are given a digestive enzyme supplement with Hcl and Pepsin in it. Also, a good quality zinc preparation, usually 2 or 3 types of zinc preparations are needed.

They must go onto the food combining diet/'Hay diet' to maximise their digestion of proteins and not have it interfered with by taking carbohydrates at the same meal.THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!

There is usually a noticeable improvement very quickly but bear in mind we will then have to look at the consequences of long term Hcl/zinc deficiency, however, this is usually easy to do.
      

Food Allergies, A Holistic Approach

This is a complicated subject but i will try to keep it brief.

From my perspective, an untreated and undiagnosed (hidden) allergy can cause havoc in all three sides of the triad of health (structure, biochemistry and emotions). The two main dietary allergies are wheat and dairy. The gluten in wheat and the lactose in dairy are the two main proteins that people are allergic to.

50% of us are born without the capability to make the enzyme that breaks down the fats in milk! This is a huge number. Much of this goes undiagnosed.

How To Find Out If You Have Wheat Or Dairy Allergy

Almost anyone who has any kind of digestive disturbance will have a wheat or dairy allergy. Here is a simple procedure to test yourself to find out if you have one or both allergies.

On an empty tummy, first thing in the morning, eat two thick slices of white bread and then observe the results.

Then at a later date, on an empty stomach, drink a glass of full fat milk and observe the results.

Any digestive problems like bloating, cramps, discomfort, gas or reflux is a sure indication that you have an allergy.

Another way of assessing if you have a wheat or dairy allergy is if as a result of the test outlined above you have a flare up of eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, asthma or bronchitis.

Conditions Commonly Associated With Wheat Or Dairy Allergies

It is my experience that all patients with psoriasis/eczema or rheumatoid/osteo-arthritis will have wheat/dairy allergies. Chronic respiratory problems i.e. asthma/bronchitis will have an allergy to airborne mites/dust/pollen as well as wheat and dairy. Just removing these two major foods from your diet will have a profound affect on your well being.

I said earlier that allergies are complicated so the next step is to dynamically treat the longstanding and chronic affects of the allergy on all the major systems of the body, as well as treating the allergic problem itself.

An unknown or “hidden” allergy can be chronically debilitating and make these patient's lives a misery. In nearly everyone I’ve treated with any of the major illnesses or just chronic ‘un-wellness‘ there is a hidden allergy creating havoc with their immune systems.

A Brief look At The Treatment Of Allergies

Total avoidance of wheat/dairy for 6 months is necessary so  that the bodies immunoglobulins are not being repeatedly aggravated. It takes a least 3 months for the body to reduce its immunoglobulin levels to the acceptable limits.

Specifically tailored nutrition to you as a unique individual to repair the chronically damaged immune system/skin tissue/joints/digestive tract. As we are all unique individuals this does vary from person to person but there are overlaps.

Most people with chronic allergies will need a good quality omega 3 fish oil, a zinc supplement tailored to your bodies requirements ( I use 8 different types of zinc preparation), a buffered (non - acid) vitamin C, selenium, vitamin B6 and B12 and many other preparations of vitamins and minerals that you uniquely require.

I put everyone on the Hay diet/food combining diet and supplement this with digestive enzymes if needed.

Severe Food Allergies

Allergies to foods such as citrus fruit/strawberries/nuts are generally very obvious to the client and have usually been identified already, although the after affects will most probably need treating.

Severe nut allergies can be very debilitating and and indeed life threatening. Again patients usually have this diagnosed before they consult me (but this doesn’t mean there is no light at the end of the tunnel).

A Story About How Emotions Can Affect Allergies

A good example of the emotional component  to allergies is an event that took place some years ago at a birthday party for one of my kids. We made a wheat free cake for all the kids and a wheat based cake for the adults. One of the kids had a severe wheat allergy that had put him into hospital with anaphylactic shock on at least two occasions so the mother warned me of this and gave me an epi-pen in case of emergency.

Well you know what happened next... the kid eats a huge piece of the wheat cake for the adults! With no affect whatsoever!! Why? The kid was happy and had all the lovely “happy” hormones flying around his body and he was away from his worried mother.

This is not to say that she was a 'bad parent' (nor is it intended to encourage such risky behaviour in severe allergy sufferers!) but rather to illustrate that issues such as anxiety in the home environment can manifest in physical ailments such as allergies, even those as severe as this young person's.

Help For Those Who Have Had Limited Success Treating Their Allergies

Have you tried all of the above with limited success? If so it is likely that you have hidden problems that have thus far not been diagnosed. I have the skill sets to uncover and treat these type of issues.

For example, you may be taking a zinc formula that your body is not utilizing therefore your zinc levels still remain low.

Or your gut wall has not been fully repaired.

Or your body is not producing enough of its own digestive enzymes.

Or, most important of all is that all of the correct treatment is in place but somewhere in your neural net the nervous system is not “recording” the treatment and thus not implementing the necessary changes.This is very important for me to seek out and diagnose.

Or there can be a deep rooted emotional problem needing to be brought to the surface.

To Conclude

This Article is a brief summary of these major dietary allergies to wheat and dairy. There is so much more i could go into so please feel free to contact me for further information (starfieldsholistichealth@gmail.com)

Suffice to know that those with these conditions will greatly benefit from appropriate targeted treatment specific to the presenting health issues and sufferers can look forward to a return to wellbeing.

Airborne Allergies and Hay Fever

We all know of the classic hayfever symptoms to dust/pollen/dust mite/air borne particles such as a blocked/runny nose, sneezing, itchy skin and watery itchy eyes.

If I was to take anyone in full robust health and place them in a field of wheat/lavender/rapeseed, they would likely develop some of these symptoms, as even an immune system that is well would become overloaded in this situation. 

However, most people who react badly to a high pollen count have an immune system that is already compromised, they are therefore over sensitised to airborne allergens and have more extreme symptoms.

Treating Airborne Allergies With Nutrition

The main organ associated with hay fever is the spleen which will be very deficient in vitamin B12. At this level it sounds very simple, supplement with B12 and you’ll feel an improvement. Not so. Vitamin B12 is notoriously difficult to get into the body as it gets broken down very easily during the digestive process.

Allopathic medicine (medicine as we know it) came up with vitB12 injections. However, holistic healthcare came up with something more effective - sublingual (under the tongue) vitamin B12 in the form of a spray or lozenge. I use four different types of B12 preparation tailored to your specific needs.

Chronic hayfever sufferers are also ‘ill’, in other words their whole being is unwell. This is because to fight the chronic pollen/dust/dust mite allergy the body steals vital nutrition from other body systems. So, it is also necessary to treat the longstanding affects on other major systems of the body by replenishing lost nutrients.

I also give a digestive product called HCL-Betaine to acidify the lymphatic fluid which has become too alkali. If you can imagine a room full of balloons to represent the cells in your body (eg: the upper respiratory tract), then the spaces in between are filled with a fluid -lymphatic fluid. This fluid helps lubricate your body cells - if it is too alkali then the cells become too ‘sticky’ and this limits their ability to function. Patients with any and all allergies have this problem.

Please don’t just ‘put up with‘ your symptoms. They are treatable using a more holistic and natural approach and remember that as a chronic sufferer your immune system is unhealthily compromised.

Please feel free to contact me for further advice.  

Learning Difficulties In Children, A Holistic Approach

         

These two pictures pretty much say it all! Very much recognisable to any parents of children who have the spectrum of learning difficulties.

All is not lost though, there is a holistic approach at hand that will have a significant and profound affect on your child’s well being.

The first child clearly has an emotional significator to the way he takes in and processes new information. He is a good example of the ADHD spectrum of learning difficulties.

The second child’s handwriting indicates a neurological issue with processing new information then translating that using his fine motor skills which show a clear disturbance. The spelling indicates an auditory/visual disturbance in his brain synaptic connections yet he is of a happy disposition. This child shows signs of dysgraphia/dyslexic side to the spectrum of learning difficulties.

Learning Difficulties And Birth Trauma

I’ve come to the conclusion after working with these children for over 30 years that birth trauma is a major cause of their learning difficulties and health problems. By birth trauma i mean physical trauma to the neonates cranium and upper cervicals (the stomatognathic system) caused by the human birth process.

My approach to Learning Difficulties

From my perspective, these children’s learning difficulties can be considerably improved by correcting the physical birth trauma to the cranium, TMJ (jaw) and the upper cervical vertebra (especially cervicals  1,2,3,4,5).
       
Use of special exercises called cross-crawl exercises developed by the AK (Applied Kinesiology) profession can also help.
    
Nutrition maybe given to correct any imbalances in the neurotransmitters of the brain. I would also look for any “hidden” allergies that can contribute to a minuscule swelling of the brain and aggravate the emotional centres of the brain and diminish the levels of the neurotransmitters.
    
In more severe cases, the gut would show signs of “leaky” gut syndrome and that would have to be addressed quickly as this would be a major hindrance in a return to well being.

ADHD - How You Can Help A Child

I know this is an emotive subject and some parents may be offended by what I have to say here, but I’ve talked to hundreds of parents in these circumstances and it is worth pointing out that ADHD children need a big hug when they are in that mode of ‘attention seeking’. They are ‘deficit’ in ‘attention’. Both parents may be high achieving working parents or struggling in some other way to keep up with the demands of modern life - their son (ADHD is almost exclusively seen in male children) is usually exceptionally bright and energetic and..... bored. 

He will need a healthy physical outlet for his naturally high energy e.g. football, judo, karate and a father who spends quality time with him doing these sports and hobbies together.

He will need hobbies and school activities that will challenge and stimulate him intellectually. Remember, he has above average intelligence, is bright and inquisitive and gets bored easily. For these reasons he requires lots of variety.

No game boys/playstations - these are the curse of all these children.
     
Lots of tactile cuddles and hugs from mum and dad and grandparents too.
      
Lots of quality one to one time and assurances that he is loved and wanted and you are there for him.

     
I’ve seen remarkable changes to whole families when these changes are adopted... plus, plus all around!!

A Holistic Approach To Severe Learning Difficulties

Children with more severe learning difficulties and special needs will also benefit from my approach.

I’ve treated a number of children with Downs Syndrome and they are a pure joy to work with and respond to natural healthcare so well. The cranial work, the upper cervical work, nutrition, diet and exercises all have profound affect on these children’s immune systems, neurology and over all well being.      

Learning Difficulties Today

This is a vast subject and there are many good books out there for you to inform yourselves more. In my early days of practice we were definitely laying down the ground work to highlight these children’s dilemma and presently its much more in the public domain and accepted by teachers and the healthcare professions alike.
    
Yet the connection to physical birth trauma has only been recognised by a few. Also, the imbalance to the neurotransmitters has not really been looked at, let alone a treatment approach highlighted.
    
But not all is lost. I’ve been working with these kids for 30 years now and have seen remarkable changes in all cases.
    
Please feel free to contact me no matter how small the inquiry, you're not alone in this and proper treatment gives excellent results.