Stomach Ulcer Occurs when a wound develops in the stomach. The wound may occur at different points sometimes unknown to the individual. Many people move about freely known to them that they have stomach ulcer until there is a major crisis sometimes occasioned by the food they ate either fried food or infected food.
So many factors could lead to the unset of stomach ulcer, Before now, it was believed that lack of food in the stomach is the only cause of ulcers, but today we know that ulcer could be caused by many things including stress.
Major causes include:
- Insufficient protein in the diet over a long period of time
Too much fasting
Too much acidic Foods
Too much medications
Bacteria infestation such as typhoid
Too much stress and many other factors
Common Signs of Stomach Ulcer
Bloating
Heartburn
Loss of appetite for a long time
Burning in the upper abdomen with pain, particularly between meals
Frequent Indigestion
Feeling sharp pains minutes after taken acidic fruits like orange juice, lime or lemon
Nausea and
Sometimes vomiting
However, whatever be the cause of the ulcer, we know that it is curable and could heal overtime if the causative factor is removed and adequate nutrition introduced. If you suspect that you have stomach ulcer then avoid these foods:
1. Caffeine
This is found mainly in coffee, black teas, green tea, cocoa and its products, bitter cola and other foods. When we talk of caffeine we not usually put our minds on teas like coffee alone, there are also natural foods with high caffeine content like bitter cola. Caffeine are stressors and would not create environment for healing of ulcers
2. Carbonated Drinks
If you are a lover of canned fruit juice drinks, then its time to stop, if you suspect there is a wound in your stomach, why? They do not provide environment for healing and will rather feed the ulcer to get worse sometimes with complications.
3. Avoid Too Much Spice
If you love spicy foods like hot peppers, gingers, etc, then it is time for moderation, because they will hurt your wound. Though after some time, you will need to restore them to your meals because they are healing foods and helps reduce further inflammations to avoid complications
4. Reduce Medications
Except you have been placed on anti acids, which gives only temporary relief, but really would not be recommended for total healing of the ulcer. Apart from that, all other medications will increase your pain and create more stress around the ulcer. Particularly synthetic blood tonics are among the worst offenders, because they are inflammatory and cause more pain.
5. Reduce Teas and Blood Thinning Foods
Stay away from all forms of teas temporarily until the ulcer shows signs of healing. Most teas are blood Thinners. I have personally observed that even when milk is added, it does not remove completely the sharpness of the teas on the intestines. Fermented grains like millet and sorghum are more soothing
6. Reduce Salt
Too much salt especially table salt are stressors and does not help the wound to heal.
7. Hydrogenated Fats
It hurts to eat fatty foods like peanut when ulcers are fresh, apart from coconut oil and red palm oil which offers relief with the help of saturated fats which helps to sooth the wound, all other fats like butters are stressors and does not enhance wound healing
8. Hot Foods
If your ulcer is fresh, please allow all foods to cool first, because hot foods will further hurt the wound. Though warm foods are best for you, but during cases of ulcer, the stomach would rather prefer cold foods on the already irritated wound.
9. Inflammatory Foods
Avoid inflammatory foods like soyabeans when your ulcer is fresh. These are healthy foods but not during a fresh ulcer wound. Inflammatory foods includes biscuits, too much bread, sweets, and other processed foods. They all hurt the more.
10. Fried Foods
If you have pains anywhere in your stomach and suspect ulcer, please stay away from fried foods at all cost, it is one of the most offensive foods during fresh ulcers and must be avoided completely
If all these are avoided and sufficient clean water, whole foods and rest are employed, the good news is that the ulcer would naturally heal completely and you may return some of the foods you temporarily removed due to the ulcer condition. Complications of ulcers arise when you are ignorant of the presence of ulcer in your stomach and continue to feed it with wrong foods such as fried varieties, caffeine etc.
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