Digestive Health

Ulcers were historically attributed to excess stomach acid, but the article describes their actual cause as bacterial overgrowth in the gut. Adequate stomach acid controls the ulcer-causing bacterium; therefore ulcers result from insufficient acid rather than excess acid. A bacterium living in the stomach is described as the actual cause of ulcers; it overgrows and erodes the stomach lining. The stress response downshifts digestive activity to redirect energy and blood flow toward survival functions. Acid-reducing treatments relieve ulcer pain but can worsen the underlying condition by enabling further bacterial growth and impairing nutrient absorption. Chronic stress can lead to constipation because reduced gut motility persists beyond the acute stressor.