When I used to suffer from IBS symptoms many many moons ago, Tums, Rolaids, Alka Seltzer and Maalox were my best friends…so I thought. Knowing what I know now, they were a HUGE mistake. In fact, taking antacids like that was probably a terrible idea that lead me to even more years of suffering when I didn’t have to.

I checked out the hashtag “TUMS” the other day on Instagram and literally got sick to my stomach. People pop these things like candy, especially pregnant women, like it’s no big deal at all!  Well, I’m here to tell you that it is a big deal and a pretty serious problem.

Why does heartburn or indigestion occur?

Being acidic is the natural state of the stomach, so there is no such thing as excess of acid buildup in the stomach. Even though it may not feel like it, most stomach disorders are caused by a LACK of acid – not too much! When the stomach is lacking acid, it must churn violently to make the best use of its limited acid…resulting in cramping and/or back-flow into the esophagus. Not fun.

Why antacids go against what you’re trying to achieve and cause more problems down the road:

While antacids seem to work in the moment, the last thing that we need is something that will further reduce the acidity of our stomach, we need to replenish it with the acid that it needs to thrive. Low stomach acid eventually leads to being protein deficient and mineral deficient, resulting in raised cortisol levels (stress hormones!), thereby raising blood sugar levels. A true cycle for disaster. Yikes!!! Beyond heartburn and indigestion, low stomach acid can also lead to other digestive problems such as bloating, gas and constipation. (Cue that catchy (and hysterical) Pepto Bismol commercial: “Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea, YAY Pepto Bismol!”)

How to increase stomach acid:

If you’re suffering from low stomach acid, you really want to focus on healing your stomach lining. One delicious way to do this is to purchase some RAW honey from a local beekeeper. (Never purchase honey from the supermarket!) My favorite is Manuka honey – I find it very therapeutic for my belly. Enjoy 1 teaspoon of raw honey twice a day to start off healing your gut, then reduce to one.

A natural remedy to try instead of harmful over the counter antacids:

The next time that you have heartburn or indigestion problems, try this: Take a tablespoon of Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar, and chase it with a glass of water. (I only recommend Bragg’s because it’s in it’s raw state)  I actually am used to the taste and enjoy my tablespoon of Bragg’s in a mug half-filled with warm water, I will stir in my honey with it, too! Hopefully all stomach churning and pain should subside within minutes (unless the problem is ulcers).

Don’t expect to read about this in the mainstream media…no pharmaceutical company will make billions from a simple home remedy.