Digestive Ailments 43
as sick as she was, she had no symptoms of indigestion from her food
allergies and therefore no clue as to why she was so ill. Mary’s experi-
ence shows that the role of diet in initiating an illness should be the fi rst
consideration even when there are no symptoms of indigestion.
I would probably have missed this connection myself if years ago
when I began having symptoms of acid indigestion I hadn’t been teach-
ing the basic 101 course in chemistry for the fi rst time. The timing was
fortuitous. Along with my students, I learned that a balance of acidic
particles (positively charged protons) and alkaline particles (negatively
charged electrons) make up the basic structure of the elements—prin-
cipally, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen—out of which all the
tissues in the body are made. (Neutrons in the nucleus of atoms have
no charge.) When a compound contains more electrons than protons,
it is negatively charged (hydroxyl ions, OH-), and when it contains
more protons than electrons, it is positively charged (hydrogen ions,
H+). This made me realize the full implications of having acid indiges-
tion. If it caused an imbalance in the acid-alkaline ratios of the blood
and other fl uids in the body, any or all of my organ systems could mal-
function and deteriorate.The Real Cause of Acid Refl ux
Doctors have tried to cure acid refl ux through surgery, repairing the
valve between the stomach and esophagus to keep it from opening up
and letting stomach acids pour into the esophagus. In view of the fact
that the results of this operation have been disappointing, there has to
be another explanation for acid refl ux. The most likely one is that acidic
waste gas molecules in the stomach open the valve that closes off the
stomach from the esophagus by causing it to go into a spasm. (This
valve should remain closed except when we eat.) Acidic waste fl ows
through this opening, infl aming the esophagus. Chronic infl ammation
wears away the esophageal tissues.
Effi cient digestion depends on the alternating actions of acid and
alkaline digestive juices. The alkaline enzyme ptyalin in the mouth
breaks down starch; hydrochloric acid and acidic gastric juices, such as
pepsin, break up protein in the stomach; in the small intestine alkaline
pancreatic enzymes complete the digestion of protein, and alkaline bile