The ulcer can cause severe pain and should be treated promptly. Nowadays, it is believed that the main cause of this ailment is a bacterium known as H. pylori and not spicy foods, stress or acid substances. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic therapy to treat the ulcer; however, you can also control symptoms and help heal the injury by eating right and making some lifestyle changes.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Foods That Help You Heal
Step 1. Eat foods rich in antioxidants
Free radicals in the stomach can damage the stomach lining, aggravating the ulcer. Antioxidants are known to eliminate free radicals - they destroy them so they can no longer do damage; for this reason, you should eat foods that contain them. Among the main ones, consider:
- Red wine;
- Pomegranate juice
- Grape juice;
- Buckwheat;
- Barley;
- Beans and lentils
- Nuts (walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.)
- Chocolate;
- Berries (blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.);
- Some spices (including cloves, allspice, cinnamon);
- Some aromatic plants (such as mint, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary);
- Tomato products (sauce, sun-dried tomatoes).
Step 2. Look for foods rich in flavonoids
These natural chemical compounds are present in many plants and are referred to as organic compounds of biological pigments. Flavonoids are also capable of fighting free radicals, thereby protecting the stomach lining just like antioxidants. Among the foods that contain large quantities are:
- Blueberries;
- Strawberries;
- Peaches;
- Apples;
- Oranges
- Tomatoes;
- Celery;
- Black beans;
- Black, green and oolong tea;
- Beer.
Step 3. Drink the cabbage juice
Although it is a rather unusual drink, it is very effective in treating ulcers. It is a food rich in nature in "good" bacteria that produce lactic acid and which are essential to fight and destroy the pathogens responsible for the lesions.
- You should drink 50ml twice a day on an empty stomach.
- You can make it at home using a blender or you can buy it ready-made at major health food stores.
Step 4. Eat cranberry products
This fruit is known to fight the H. pylori bacterium; some research has shown that its juice is very effective in preventing harmful bacteria from binding to the stomach lining.
You can choose to drink the juice, eat the fresh fruits, or even take cranberry through supplements (available in pharmacies or major supermarkets)
Step 5. Eat white sweet potatoes
Some studies have found that they contain powerful healing agents; by eating these tubers, you help reduce the ulcer. You can find them in many supermarkets and vegetable shops and you can prepare them in different ways, such as steamed or baked.
Step 6. Consume more honey
Scientific studies and traditions show that it is a powerful natural antibiotic and is therefore able to fight the bacterium H. pylori responsible for the ulcer; eat a couple of spoonfuls each day to relieve the ailment.
Step 7. Take licorice supplements
This plant has natural properties capable of fighting the "offending" bacterium and thus promoting the healing of the gastric ulcer. You can find it as an extract in many supermarkets, drugstores, health food stores, and health food stores.
Talk to your doctor before you start taking it and tell him about any other medications you are already taking; licorice supplements in combination with diuretics, corticosteroids or other medicines can reduce potassium, bringing it to dangerously low levels. Take supplements according to your doctor's directions
Step 8. Eat more bananas
Research has found that this fruit can control ulcer symptoms and help protect the stomach walls; although it cannot heal an existing ulcer, it can manage the symptoms.
Dried unripe plantains can also help, but ripe ones don't seem to have the same positive effect
Step 9. Replace butter with oil
Instead of using butter to cook eggs or vegetables, use olive oil; contains healthy fats that have been subjected to less aggressive processing than animal fats, such as butter.
Alternatively, you can also use coconut, rice bran, sesame, or safflower oil
Step 10. Follow a light diet
This type of diet focuses mainly on foods that are easily digestible and low in fiber, which are gentle on the already suffering stomach and carry less risk of irritating it. Ask your doctor whether or not such a diet is suitable for treating the ulcer and if so, how long you need to follow it for. Among the light foods you can eat consider:
- Low-fat dairy products (milk, yogurt, etc.);
- Vegetables cooked, canned or frozen and unseasoned;
- Fruit and vegetable juices;
- Apple puree;
- Breakfast cereals;
- Lean, soft meat, such as boiled chicken or baked fish, without seasonings
- Creamy peanut butter;
- Tofu.
Part 2 of 3: Avoid Stomach Irritating Foods and Drinks
Step 1. Eliminate alcohol from your diet
Although some beverages, such as wine, may offer health benefits, alcohol actually irritates the stomach lining. When you have an ulcer caused by the H. pylori bacterium, drinking alcohol can only aggravate the situation.
Step 2. Do not drink milk for the purpose of relief
This drink provides only temporary pain relief because it lines the stomach walls; however, its presence stimulates the digestive system to secrete acids, making symptoms worse in the long run.
Step 3. Avoid spicy foods
If you already have an ulcer, they can aggravate the pain, but they cannot cause it to form. If you have an ulcer or are susceptible to it, it is best to stay away from all spicy dishes (chillies, sauces and so on).
Step 4. Don't consume fatty foods
Fried foods, fast food meals, and other fat-saturated foods are not ideal for an ulcer-affected stomach; they are difficult to digest and can irritate damaged mucous membranes.
Step 5. Avoid garlic
Individuals who suffer from ulcers or who are predisposed to such ailment should not consume it, as it can further irritate the damaged stomach and even cause new injuries.
Part 3 of 3: Making Lifestyle Choices
Step 1. Don't consume tobacco products
Their regular use has been shown to slow or prevent ulcer healing. If you are a smoker, talk to your doctor to help you quit and solve your stomach problems.
Step 2. Stop taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
This class of drugs includes aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen. These are common pain relievers, antipyretics and anti-inflammatories, but they can stimulate the formation of ulcers in some people, especially when they are taken for a long time or in high doses. If you are on NSAID therapy for an existing condition, talk to your doctor to find alternative active ingredients (such as acetaminophen).
Step 3. Avoid stress
Even today, it is believed that stress is a factor that aggravates the disorder and worsens its symptoms, although it has been shown that it is not a direct cause of most cases of ulcer. If you have this stomach problem, avoiding or reducing emotional tension can help you heal faster. Meditation and breathing exercises are simple and natural ways to get rid of stress and help heal gastric lesions.
Advice
- The doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics in combination with natural therapies to be able to eradicate the H. pylori bacterium responsible for most cases of ulcer; may also recommend other medications to manage stomach irritation.
- Many antibiotic treatments must be followed for two weeks.
