If you've ever popped an antacid like it's a piece of candy, thinking it will cure your burning chest and sour stomach, you're not alone. But here's a bitter pill to swallow: the very thing you're trying to fix might not be what you think. In fact, your stomach might be crying out not for less acid, but for more! Before you reach for that chalky tablet, let's dig a little deeper into the real cause of your discomfort-and how you can truly make it better, says Functional Nutritionist Kiiran Patel

Your stomach is a finely tuned cauldron, meant to boil down everything you eat into a nourishing soup of nutrients. Now, what happens if the fire under that cauldron is too low? The soup doesn’t cook properly-it just sits there, half-done, bubbling over with gas, and making a mess. That’s exactly what happens when your stomach doesn’t produce enough acid. The food lingers, ferments, and the result? That uncomfortable burn you feel isn’t from too much acid, but rather from food that’s gone rogue.