Diet For Someone With Stomach Ulcers

Peptic Ulcer Diet And Recipes

Peptic ulcer is an open sore in the lining of the stomach, lower esophagus, or small intestine, typically resulting from inflammation caused by bacteria or erosion caused by stomach acid.

There are three types of peptic ulcers gastric, esophageal, and duodenal describing where the ulcer is located, whether that is in the stomach, esophagus, or small intestine.

Many people believe that consuming high amounts of spicy foods can lead to peptic ulcers, but this is merely a myth. Stress does not lead to peptic ulcers either.

Lets look at a peptic ulcer diet, including foods you should eat and foods you should avoid, along with easy recipes to help you kick-start your new eating regimen.

What Do You Think

Have you ever had a stomach ulcer? Did you see your doctor about it? Did she prescribe you any medication? Did you alter your diet in any way? Did you find that certain foods helped with your symptoms or made them worse in any way? Share your stories, suggestions and questions in the comments below!

How Is Atrophic Gastritis Treated

Most people with AG will see an improvement in symptoms once the condition is treated.

Treatment usually focuses on eliminating the H. pylori infection with the use of antibiotics. Your doctor may also prescribe medications that reduce or neutralize stomach acid. A less acidic environment helps your stomach lining to heal.

People with autoimmune AG may also be treated with B-12 injections.

You May Like: Can Ulcerative Colitis Turn Into Crohn’s Disease

How Do I Eat Pizza With Gerd Frequently Lifestyle Changing Tips

I take certain measures about my pizza and ingredients, you can also go for those. Markets provide GERD-friendly foods, but you shouldnt risk your health by eating food outside the home. For GERD, just like acid reflux, youll have to ignore spicy foods, and fatty foods, including liquids like milk or cheese sauce.

• Use fresh vegetables and fruits. I try not to miss a big bowl of fresh vegetables salad. It improves digestion as the vegetables act as pre-biotics and reduce stomach acid. You can also do the same. That will provide much-needed nutrition and may also help reduce acid reflux. Also, eat a big plate of salad a few hours before eating a pizza. Make sure you use non-acidic vegetables. Like cucumber, lettuce, celery, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, sweet potato, and beet. Avoid using cabbage, it can be gastric. The same goes for the fruits. If you love to eat fruits, choose those which are not acidic.

• Eat a soft and fiber-rich diet. Nuts, oatmeal, whole grains, fennels, ginger, and parsley intake can ease the acid.

• Cut off other acidic foods prior to eating a pizza. Its not the pizza only to call for acidity. These can also be other foods and drinks which aggravate the situation. So, when youre looking to eat a pizza should count other foods that they underestimate but they blast when the pizza comes. These can be:

Read Also: History Of Ulcerative Colitis Icd 10

Dietary Fibre & Vitamin A

Research shows that a high fibre diet decreases the risk of developing ulcer disease. Although both insoluble and soluble fibres demonstrate this association, there is a stronger association between diets high in soluble fibre and a decreased risk for developing ulcers.

Foods that are high in soluble fibre include oats, psyllium husk, legumes, flax seeds, barley, nuts, and certain vegetables and fruits, such as oranges, apples, and carrots.

Findings from a prospective cohort study that included 47,806 men, showed that a diet rich in vitamin A from all sources might reduce the development of duodenal ulcer, as might diets high in fruits and vegetables, possibly due to their fibre content.2 A prospective cohort study follows, over time, a group of similar individuals who differ with respect to certain factors under study, to determine how these factors affect rates of a certain outcome however, more research is necessary to verify results because there are so many other factors involved with this type of study that could confound the data.

Animal studies demonstrate that vitamin A increases the production of mucus in the gastrointestinal tract. Impaired mucosal defense can allow ulcers to develop. Therefore, vitamin A may have a protective effect against the development of ulcer disease.3

Good sources of vitamin A include liver, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, and collard greens.

Don’t Miss: Classic Features Of Ulcerative Colitis

Orange And Grapefruit Juices

The main foods to avoid with ulcers are orange and grapefruit juices. They are very high in acid and can cause discomfort and the spread of the ulcer virus.

The orange and grapefruit juices are well-known for their powerful acidic nature.

They can increase the acidic content in your stomach and lead to severe pain after eating them.

You wont like it if you have an ulcer and eats the juice from the oranges or grapefruits.

Recommended Reading: Medication For Ulcerative Colitis Flare Up

How Stomach Ulcers Are Treated

With treatment, most stomach ulcers will heal within a month or two. The treatment recommended for you will depend on what caused the ulcer.

Most people will be prescribed a medication called a proton pump inhibitor to reduce the amount of acid their stomach produces and allow the ulcer to heal naturally.

If an H. pylori infection is responsible for the ulcers, antibiotics will also be used to kill the bacteria, which should prevent the ulcer coming back.

If the ulcers are caused by the use of NSAIDs, PPIs are usually prescribed and your doctor will discuss whether you should keep using NSAIDs.

Alternative medication to NSAIDs, such as paracetamol, may be recommended.

Stomach ulcers can come back after treatment, although this is less likely to happen if the underlying cause is addressed.

Read more about treating stomach ulcers.

Read Also: What Foods Are Good For Ulcers And Gastritis

How To Eat With A Peptic Ulcer

How you eat when you have a peptic ulcer is as important as what you eat.

The first instinct you may have when you get a peptic ulcer is to stop eating and let the stomach rest. Not only would this deprive you of much-needed nutrition, but it can also make matters worse.

Eating the right food buffers the ulcer from stomach acids. By contrast, having an empty stomach can worsen symptoms because the stomach will keep churning out acids even if there is no food in it.

To end, you need to choose foods wisely rather than cutting back on nutrition.

There are other tips that can reduce symptoms of a peptic ulcer while you are eating:

• Eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day rather than three large ones.
• Sit upright in a chair while eating to avoid compressing the stomach.
• Eat slowly and chew each bite thoroughly.
• Relax a few minutes before and after each meal.
• Have your last meal or snack at least three hours before bedtime.

Treatment For A Stomach Ulcer

Special diets are now known to have very little impact on the prevention or treatment of stomach ulcers. Treatment options can include:

• medication including antibiotics, to destroy the H. pylori colony, and drugs to help speed the healing process. Different drugs need to be used in combination some of the side effects can include diarrhoea and rashes. Resistance to some of these antibiotics is becoming more common
• subsequent breath tests used to make sure the H. pylori infection has been treated successfully
• changes to existing medication the doses of arthritis medication, aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medication can be altered slightly to reduce their contributing effects on the stomach ulcer.
• reducing acid tablets are available to reduce the acid content in the gastric juices
• lifestyle modifications including quitting cigarettes, since smoking reduces the natural defences in the stomach and impairs the healing process.

Don’t Miss: Icd 10 Code For Ulcerative Colitis Unspecified

Cranberry Is Great For Stomach Ulcer

If there is infection in the urinary tract you can take to cranberry. It prevents the bacteria to settle on the walls of the urinary bladder. It is also the right compound with can effectively combat the growth of H. pylori. For the condition you can have cranberry juice. You can even eat cranberries and there are cranberry supplements available in the market. You can avail for the same as well. However, there is no recommended dosage. You should not have too much of cranberry. You should not have the fruit in excess. This can cause stomach irritation even if you dont have ulcers. So, make sure that the fruit is taken in the right amount. It is also recommended to have cranberry in the raw form. The commercial juice is once again not right or the stomach as they come with artificial sweetener. So, make sure to take the raw fruit when available.

Worst Foods For A Stomach Ulcer

If you have a stomach ulcer, you may find that certain foods and beverages cause irritation. Common culprits can include:

• Other caffeinated beverages

However, these items might be well tolerated if consumed in small amounts or with other foods. And it’s important to note that these items don’t bother everyone with a stomach ulcer. So the best approach is to limit or avoid foods that clearly cause you discomfort and enjoy in moderation those that don’t, as there are no blanket restrictions on foods if you have a stomach ulcer.

But less is known about the types of foods that impair healing or make H. pylori infections more difficult to treat â or if restricting certain foods or dietary components will help.

For instance, a 2016 study from Gastroenterology Research and Practice suggests a high-salt environment in the stomach can promote the development of or worsen H. pylori infections. But quality research is not yet available to determine if reducing dietary sodium â or other suspect nutrients â prevents or helps treat H. pylori infections.

Read more:The 10 Worst Foods for Acid Reflux

Recommended Reading: Can You Have Constipation With Ulcerative Colitis

The Peptic Ulcer Diet

There is a specialised diet, or rather, eating guidelines, that will significantly increase your ulcers rate of healing. When this diet is followed, it will limit the foods that will irritate the ulcer as certain foods can aggravate the symptoms and result in bloating, heartburn, stomach pain and indigestion.

It is vital that you stick to this eating plan as anything that aggravates your ulcer will only make your symptoms worse and your healing process longer. You may also be putting yourself at risk of other complications developing such as the peptic ulcer bleeding should you not adhere to these recommendations.

Please note that this eating plan is not a means of treatment, but rather a way to promote the healing of your ulcer. You will need to still have your ulcer diagnosed and treated by your doctor and stick to the treatment therapy accordingly in order to ensure that you undergo a full recovery.

The following can also be used for those who suffer from gastritis.

First Signs Of An Ulcer

It’s common for people with ulcers to have no symptoms at all. For those who do have symptoms, common symptoms of an ulcer include abdominal pain, vomiting, bloating and nausea.

It’s important to seek medical attention if you have these symptoms. An ulcer can go unnoticed due to lack of symptoms and can cause a life-threatening hemorrhage. A slow-bleeding ulcer can cause stool to become jet black, known as melena. Passing out or feeling lightheaded is also a symptom of a slow-bleeding ulcer, as the loss of blood over time can cause anemia. These symptoms are life threatening and need immediate medical attention.

A study published October 2014 in âGastroenterologyâ evaluated the risk of a peptic ulcer bleed in a case-control study. Authors found that a history of peptic ulcers, âH. pyloriâ infection, alcohol consumption, low-dose aspirin and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were independent risk factors for a peptic ulcer bleed. They also noted eradicating âH. pyloriâ reduced the risk of a peptic ulcer bleed.

Treating an ulcer depends on the cause of the ulcer. Ulcer treatment includes medications that include proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, antibiotics and potentially cauterization of the ulcer to prevent additional bleeding. There are also recipes for ulcers and gastritis that help treat ulcer symptoms.

Don’t Miss: Do Stomach Ulcers Cause Weight Loss

What Are The Symptoms Of Acid Reflux

Symptoms vary from a warm to burning pain felt in the middle of the chest, which rises up towards the throat. Some sufferers complain of an unpleasant taste in the mouth or bad breath. All of these symptoms are understandable when you consider that reflux involves the acidic contents of the stomach repeating into the gullet or oesophagus. At its mildest this is unpleasant, but can become more serious. Whilst the stomach lining protects itself against the acidity needed for digestion, if enough reflux makes its way back into the oesophagus, this may, over time, lead to inflammation and even ulcers.

Recommended Reading: How To Heal Leg Ulcers Quickly

How Is Atrophic Gastritis Diagnosed

An AG diagnosis usually involves a combination of clinical observation and testing. During a physical exam, your doctor will check for stomach tenderness by lightly pressing on certain areas of your stomach. Theyll also look for signs of B-12 deficiency, such as paleness, rapid pulse, and neurological deficits.

Your doctor might order blood tests to check for:

• low levels of pepsinogen, a protein produced by the stomach cells
• high levels of gastrin, a hormone that stimulates the production of stomach acid
• low levels of B-12
• antibodies that attack stomach cells and intrinsic factor

In some cases, your doctor may need to perform a biopsy. Your doctor will insert an endoscope, down your throat and into your stomach. Theyll then take a sample of tissue from your stomach to look for evidence of AG. The sample of stomach tissue can also indicate signs of an H. pylori infection.

If you dont already have a gastroenterologist, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.

Also Check: Topical Treatment For Decubitus Ulcer

Dont Ignore Your Ulcer

There are lots of good reasons to get help. If you put off treatment, your ulcer may start to block food from moving smoothly through your digestive system. You may often throw up or feel too full to eat. Over time, your ulcer could make a hole through your stomach lining and put you at risk of a severe infection. An ulcer that bleeds can also land you in the hospital.

Which Foods Can I Eat And Drink

Eat a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups. Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy foods. Whole grains include whole-wheat breads, cereals, pasta, and brown rice. Choose lean meats, poultry , fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. A healthy meal plan is low in unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugar. Healthy fats include olive oil and canola oil. Ask your dietitian for more information about a healthy meal plan.

You May Like: Boost Vs Ensure Ulcerative Colitis

What Causes Gastritis And Duodenitis

The most common cause of gastritis and duodenitis is a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. Large amounts of the bacteria invading your stomach or small intestine can cause inflammation.

H. pylori may be transferred from person to person, but exactly how is unclear. Its believed to be spread through contaminated food and water, although this is less common in the United States. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, approximately 20 to 50 percent of people in the United States may be infected with H. pylori. By comparison, up to 80 percent of people in some developing countries are infected with the bacteria.

Other common causes of gastritis and duodenitis include the long-term use of certain medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, or drinking too much alcohol.

Less common causes include:

Best Foods To Eat When You Have A Stomach Ulcer

Stomach ulcers may require lifestyle and dietary changes to manage them while they are healing. Acid reducing medications may also be beneficial. Previously, a bland diet was recommended for stomach ulcers but current research does not support that idea.

Dietary modifications can help, but spicy foods arent necessarily an irritant. Doctors now emphasize a diet rich in vegetables and fruits. The best foods to eat when you have a stomach ulcer include:

Dietary fiber

This includes oats, legumes, flax seeds, nuts, oranges, apples, and carrots. These foods are good for you because they can help prevent ulcers from developing.

Vitamin A rich foods

Foods like broccoli, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, and collard greens contain vitamin A. These foods increase the mucus production in your gastrointestinal tract, which some believe can help prevent ulcers.

Green tea

Emerging research indicates that green tea can help fight off H. pylori.

Flavonoid-rich foods

This includes garlic, onions, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, and snap peas. Research suggests that these foods can help protect your gut against chronic gastritis, H. pylori infection, and stomach cancer. These foods help inhibit H. pylori growth.

Cranberry juice

This tart juice can potentially reduce the risk of H. pylori overgrowth in your stomach and prevent inflammation.

There are certain foods that could irritate your stomach ulcer, and it might be a good idea to limit them. Those foods include:

Also Check: Cpt Code For Ulcerative Colitis

Nutritional Assessment On Peptic Ulcer

It aims to identify possible nutritional alterations and determine properintervention to ensure the individuals’ health. Malnutrition in this case may occurespecially when there is stenosis, which prevents normal ingestion of foods18.

For nutritional assessment, some important indicators are used in this process, suchas the anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical evaluations. The anthropometricassessment consists of weight and height measurements that may be used in conjunctionin the assessment of the nutritional status by means of BMI , butthis method does not distinguishes losses of fat or lean mass. In addition, weightmay be concealed by hyper-hydration or de-hydration, thus not resulting in anaccurate determination of the nutritional status in these specific cases18.

Total body bioelectrical impedance is a method used to measure the body mass, liquidvolume, and body fat, being recognized by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and theFood and a Food and Drug Administration as a valuable technique for thispurpose14. Indirectcalorimetry is a non-invasive method to determine the nutritional needs and theutilization rate of energy substrates from oxygen consumption and carbon dioxideproduction obtained by analysis of the inhaled and exhaled air by the lungs8.