Stomach acid is very essential to the human body. The food that is consumed is acted upon in the stomach by an acid called gastric acid. It is broken down and digested to be absorbed by the body. At times, this gastric acid may cause problems leading to digestive disorders. If the level of gastric acid is more, it will result in gastric ulcers or heartburn. People begin to experience some discomfort in the chest region which may subside after taking antacids. It is a burning sensation that occurs periodically.

Proton Pump Inhibitors are designed to cut off the acid production in your stomach which reduces stomach pressure, and therefore you experience less reflux and the resulting heartburn. The problem with this course of treatment is the drug actually stops your body from absorbing calcium from the foods you consume, in order for your body to function properly.

Your body needs calcium and if it can't get the required amount from food to function properly, your body will leach the calcium it requires from your teeth and bones. Several different medical studies have proven that lack of calcium leads to osteoporosis, a condition where your bones become porous and brittle and you could suffer a fracture.

Besides that horrible side effect, the drugs stop our digestive system from digesting our foods in a timely fashion, and the longer your food stays in your stomach the more stomach pressure and problems you will have. Although there are many different conditions that can cause stomach acid problems the most common cause is being overly acidic.

Certain foods are known to cause gastric problems. They are spicy foodstuffs, alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc. People should avoid junk food and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables which are rich in proteins and vitamins and help to maintain good health. They build strength and increase resistance to diseases.

The first place you should start when trying to stop stomach acid is to check your pH levels. This can be accomplished by purchasing some "litmus paper" at the health food store and doing a test at home which will tell you your acidic levels. Even though the test is very easy to do, doctors for some reason never do it.

The final test result should be around a value of 7.3 to 7.4 which is slightly alkaline. The suitable timings of tests are in the mornings and evenings.