Digestion is a chain reaction.
When one link breaks, the whole system falls apart.
Four things must work together.
Each one depends on the others. Mess up one, and the rest start failing.
Stomach Acid
Breaks down protein. Kills bacteria. Triggers everything downstream.
Bile
Breaks down fats. Without it, you can't absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
Bicarbonate
Neutralizes stomach acid so enzymes can work. No bicarbonate = no enzyme function.
Enzymes
Break food into absorbable nutrients. Useless if the pH is wrong.
Here's how the chain works.
Stomach acid breaks down food and signals the next steps.
Acidic food hits the small intestine and triggers bicarbonate release.
Fats trigger bile release from the gallbladder.
Bicarbonate creates the right pH for enzymes to work.
Everything gets absorbed. We get the nutrients.
Low stomach acid breaks everything.
No acid = no signal to release bicarbonate.
No bicarbonate = wrong pH for enzymes.
Wrong pH = food doesn't get broken down properly.
Undigested food sits there. Bacteria feast on it. This is how SIBO starts.
The numbers are brutal.
of people on acid blockers develop SIBO
fewer gut cleansing waves with SIBO
less fat absorption in SIBO patients
of H. pylori patients have SIBO
H. pylori is often the root cause.
This bacteria survives by neutralizing stomach acid.
It damages the cells that produce acid. The longer it stays, the worse it gets.
What H. pylori does:
- -Reduces stomach acid by 100-1000x
- -Breaks the signal for bile and enzyme release
- -Opens the door for SIBO
- -Can trigger autoimmune attacks on the pancreas
Rebuild in the right order.
Kill H. pylori first
Nothing else works while it's there. Mastic gum + berberine, or conventional treatment if needed.
Restore stomach acid
Betaine HCl with meals. Digestive bitters 15 min before. This restarts the whole chain.
Support bile flow
TUDCA or ox bile with fatty meals. Phosphatidylcholine for long-term support.
Add enzymes
Take at the START of meals, not after. Needs lipase, protease, and amylase.
Keep things moving
Prokinetics (ginger + artichoke) prevent bacteria from coming back. Continue 3-6 months.
Simple rules that matter.
3-4 hours between meals. Your gut needs time to clean itself.
12-14 hour overnight fast. Extended cleaning time while you sleep.
No snacking. Every time you eat, the cleaning stops.
Chew your food. Digestion starts in the mouth.
Expect it to take time.
25-50% symptom improvement
Normalized test results
Full recovery + prevention
Want the deep dive?
The research version has all the studies, protocols, and specific dosages.
Digestion for Beginners
A comprehensive guide to rebuilding digestion through Whole30, bile flow, and circadian alignment.