This single health factor is more important than what you eat

Nutrition is not just about what you eat.

It's also about what you absorb.

You can have the healthiest diet in the world, but if you are not absorbing the nutrients you consume from it, it doesn't matter that much.

Common causes of malabsorption can include

• Low stomach acid

• Pernicious anemia

• Bile salt insufficiency

• Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency

• Malabsorptive disorders like celiac disease

• Inflammatory bowel diseases

I wrote an article for Rupa Health recently that educates people about low stomach acid, how to diagnose it, and how to treat it.

Stomach acid is a vital part of digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune defense. Not having enough of it can lead to a host of problems like GI discomfort, anemia, fatigue, infections, and even bone loss if left untreated for a significant amount of time. Roughly 2-12% of the population is deficient in stomach acid, with older adults being affected at much higher rates than younger people. Thankfully, a functional medicine approach to treating low stomach acid can be a safe and effective way to get your digestion back on track.

In this article we cover

• What is Hypochlorhydria?

• What causes low stomach acid?

• Atrophic gastritis and alcoholism

• Surgeries

• Autoimmune conditions

• Infections

• Medications like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can reduce stomach acid.

• Medical disorders like hypothyroidism

• Low stomach acid symptoms

• Stomach aches

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Heartburn

• Nausea