Heartburn Theory
I have a new theory about heartburn that I want to share. I personally think I am really on to something here and probably need to find a biological scientist or even a doctor who want to collaborate and head up the research on the project. I am basing this hunch of a theory on the fact that for the past three years I have on two occasions greatly reduced my intake of food in an attempt to lose weight (yeah, I know there have been more than those two cases, but those two have been the long sustained ones that really got serious). My conclusion regarding that most horrid condition known as heartburn is that it is the bodies general defense mechanism against overeating.
So yes, I said overeating is the primary cause of that uncomfortable bloated feeling that often leads to gas and certainly gets worse when acid begins leaking out of the stomach into the esophagus. Clearly all of those conditions are general traits generally associated with heartburn but that last one is the case where you just want to hang your head with the overall miserable feeling it causes and certainly the burning and tight feeling though out the center of your chest is where it the condition gets its name from in general.
Why do I think the condition is the bodies reaction and hence defense to overeating? Both time that I have gotten really serious about changing my diet and actually been loosing weight there are two primary actions that I have used. The first, is the obvious exercise, but honestly, I do get exercise in pretty good amounts all the time between the various activities in which I involve myself. No, I am not kidding myself and I do not plan on running any marathons anytime soon, as stamina is especially where I lack. The other big difference maker for me is limited my total calorie intake to at least under 2000 per day. No, I know some of you are thinking that is a bit high to be on a diet, but keep in mind, at my size putting in slow metabolic rates, which I think I have, I burn something like 3800 calories just living. And I should I said at least under 2000 with a typical daily target much closer to 1200-1600.
So what? Why do I think this has anything to do with heartburn? Here is why. My typical diet, which I am said to admit probably averaged 5000 calories a day and often approached days with 7000 calories almost always had me with indigestion that was usually if not a full on heartburn case was at least approaching it based on my bodies feelings and knowing it (my body that is). The kicker is this would usually occur in the 2500-3500 calorie intake range.
And what would I do? You got it, I would take some of anti-acid or other kind of heartburn relief. And by so doing, I silenced my bodies own alarm system that was, while making me uncomfortable really trying to tell me to slow down on the day with my love affair with good food. By silencing the alarm, it was then easy to proceed with a few more 1000 calories consumed and then followed up with more relief medication again. Compare to my current diet goal of under 2000 calories. I have gone almost three weeks without any need for heartburn relief. However, and this got me to thinking about this theory, I have had three days in the last five where I went over that limit, two pretty significantly and I had, you guessed it, a mild case of heartburn all three times.
I will take it step farther (and this is where I really need help from a more scientific specialist). Food that are clearly worse for you from a health perspective, like those typically higher in fats and oils, or even just what I like to call empty or nutritionally weak carbs tend to lead to my personal worse cases of heartburn. If on the other hand I can eat the amount of calories to get anywhere close to 2500 in more healthy food choices like predominately salads I almost never get heartburn.
Any thoughts on this? Is there science out there that already supports this specifically? Anyone know?
** – Image from printactivities.com, a color page activity site?
