At Holistique we are committed to bringing you the most advanced and scientifically proven alternative medicine, balancing the conventional practices of Western medicine with the holistic wisdom of Eastern medicine. Heidelberg pH diagnostic is another example of our dedication.

Heidelberg, what is it?
Heidelberg is a state-of-the-art diagnostic tool for measuring pH levels and detecting digestive imbalances in the digestive tract. Holistique Medical Center is one of the very few clinics in United States to perform this highly accurate test to assess the root cause of your digestive symptoms.

Why is it important?
Heidelberg is like a window into our digestive system. It will tell us about food absorption and digestion by measuring the pH balance of our stomach. We do not absorb proteins in the form that we have eaten them. They have to be converted by enzymatic action into amino acids. In healthy patients, amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream through the wall of the small intestine. There, they are transported to cells in every part of our bodies. The amino acids are the fundamental building blocks of life; therefore, it is equally as important for your doctor to know the pH of your small intestine as well as the pH of your stomach. Mal-absorption, stomach gas, belching, bloating, flatulence and irritable bowels can be addressed more thoroughly by your doctor when the PH of both the small intestine and stomach are monitored.

The normal Stomach contains hydrochloric acid, pepsin, mucin and the intrinsic factor, which is necessary to absorb nutrients. The acid and pepsin initiate digestion and the mucin coats the wall of the stomach. Stomach acid has effects on meats, cheese, fish, and other foods. It also helps pepsin to change proteins into amino acids. A large numbers of people (more than 30%) over the age of 60 have very little or no hydrochloric acid in their stomachs. The presence of hydrochloric acid and pepsin in the stomach is essential to initiate digestion of foods that we eat. Stomach hyperacidity, delayed emptying time, with subsequent highly acid small intestines, appears to be more common than the lack of acid in all age groups. However, many who may have symptoms of hyperacidity, such as reflux, may actually have low stomach acid.

How does it work?
The Heidelberg pH Capsule is a high-frequency transmitter encapsulated within a special polyacrylate (plastic) pH Capsule covering, and it is designed to be swallowed. It will measure, and transmit the pH levels in the digestive system, and the re-acidification time of the stomach's parietal cells. You will see an accurate diagnostic performance of the challenged stomach's parietal cells displayed on a monitor. This test will accurately determine the level of food absorption and conversion of the patient and the time it takes for parietal cells to re-acidify the stomach. It is one of the most valuable tools a doctor can have for determining disorders in the first, and most important, stage of digestion.

Who will Benefit from it?
The test will accurately diagnose a patient who may have hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid), hyperchlorhydria (high stomach acid), achlorhydria (no stomach acid), pyloric insufficiency, and heavy mucus. Simply, if you are suffering from fatigue, depression, mal-nutrition, acid stomach, acid reflux, gas,  bloating, constipation, diarrhea, chest pain, neurological disorders or cancer you may be a candidate for this test.

History
This system was developed at the University of Heidelberg in the city of Heidelberg, Germany. The first publication included a 1,000 patient study emanating from the department of Gastroenterology. Well over a million capsules have been used to date. Heidelberg pH capsules are extensively used by major pharmaceutical manufacturers to measure the effectiveness of drugs once swallowed.