Acidity can be increased or decreased. Depending on the type of acidity, a diet is prescribed:

Table number 1 – is prescribed for high acidity,

Table number 2 – at low acidity. This is one of the preventive and curative measures. Therefore, the acidity of food is directly related to the pH of the stomach. Is it worth changing the acidity for a healthy person and what are the consequences.

Do healthy people need acidity control?

Stomach acidity is a constitutional concept, so everyone is different. If nothing in your stomach bothers you, then the acidity is normal and you shouldn’t worry. Sometimes you can hear that high acidity is bad, and you need to reduce it. Of course, people often feel heartburn and abdominal discomfort, and believe that excess stomach acid is to blame. A person begins to fight with it, first with a diet, and then with medicines. If there is no burning sensation behind the peritoneum, sour belching, then there is nothing to worry about. Reducing acidity is bad for your health.

Does food affect stomach acidity?

Of course, food affects acidity. There are foods that stimulate the secretion of gastric juice more intensely (spices, fried, smoked – something that has a strong smell and taste). Some foods are acidic or alkaline in nature. It is also possible to alkalize the gastric contents with the help of water: warm water will help by diluting concentrated hydrochloric acid, but it also happens that acidity only increases due to alkali. Sometimes people resort to using baking soda to eliminate heartburn, but it causes an incorrect chain in the body: seeing that there is not enough acid to digest food, it produces even more acid.

Whether to reduce acidity

If there are no manifestations of increased acidity, you should not reduce it. Conditions with low acidity occur, in which the digestion process is difficult. The low pH formula is needed to activate gastric enzymes. Pepsinogens of 1 type are activated at a pH level of up to 2 units, and of 2 types – at a pH level of up to 3.6. Lowering the pH level more than necessary leads to the development of H. pylori infection, which causes stomach ulcers. The bacteria have to neutralize the acid in order to survive in the gastric environment. If you help her with an overly alkaline diet, Helicobacter will develop faster. H. pylori atrophic gastritis destroys the glands that produce the constituents of gastric juice. This bacterium increases the risk of stomach cancer cells. 

How does the oncological process arise in the stomach?

1. The gastric contents are alkalized, thereby creating conditions for the development of H. pylori .
2. Development of asymptomatic superficial gastritis
3. The development of atrophic gastritis, a change in acidity due to a decrease in gastric secretion
4. Penetration of the intestinal epithelium in the stomach (metaplasia)
5. Dysplasia (change) of this epithelium, degeneration into malignant cells.

What to do

There is no need to fight with normal stomach acidity. The result can manifest itself years later with serious illnesses. If there is already the beginning of changes, it is necessary to suppress H. Pylori with drugs of the antibiotic group, and atrophy to treat with drugs based on rebamipide . The diet should be an auxiliary , and not the main means of dealing with pathologies of the stomach and intestines. Of course, diet is necessary to reduce symptoms, but not to cure.