Three Foods For Peptic Ulcers

Three foods help heal peptic ulcers. And one food most people suppose hurts, actually helps.

It is not necessary to avoid chili peppers if you have peptic ulcers. In fact, studies with lab rats and with human volunteers have even found that capsaicin in chili peppers protects the lining of the stomach from damage from aspirin and other NSAIDs. The capsaicin in chili peppers activates nerve fibers that release chemicals that greatly reduce the damage caused by these common pain relievers.

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In at least two animal studies, the dried extract of green banana stopped the formation of ulcers by stimulating the growth of protective mucosal cells in the lining of the stomach. At least under test-tube conditions, the bioflavonoids flavanone, flavone, and quercetin have a variety of beneficial effects on peptic ulcers. All three substances reduce the stomach's natural tendency to produce more acid under conditions of injury or stress. All three substances also reduce the production of stomach acid through a mechanism similar to drugs like Zantac.

Lactobacillus from foods like kefir and yogurt is extremely helpful during the first week of any antibiotic treatment for H. pylori. A study at the Catholic University in Rome studied enrolled 120 people for a study of preventing side effects of eradicating H. pylori with a standard therapy consisting of three antibiotics, clarithromycin, pantoprazole, and tinidazole for one week. Sixty participants were given Lactobacillus supplements for two weeks, and sixty were given a placebo. The antibiotics caused bloating, diarrhea, and taste disturbances in both groups, but these unpleasant effects were greatly reduced in the group given Lactobacillus.

However, Lactobacillus not only counteracts the side effects of antibiotics, it is itself a natural antibiotic, as well as an anti-inflammatory. Thirty patients followed in an 8-week study at Tokai University School of Medicine in Japan were found to have lowered levels of H. pylori and reduced inflammation after treatment with Lactobacillus alone. The Japanese study used yogurt, eaten in quantities as desired but eaten every day, as the source of the friendly bacteria.

And what about that old favorite, cabbage juice? Vegetables in the cabbage family, especially raw cabbage juice, greatly relieve ulcer pain and accelerate healing by stimulating production of mucus. They are not recommended, however, for ulcer sufferers who also have IBS, who benefit from glutamine supplements instead. For gastric ulcers, eat bananas (sometimes referred to as plantain bananas) that have not ripened so much that they are soft.

Even one herb relieves ulcer pain. Two studies have found that deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is as effective as drugs in the same family as Zantac in controlling ulcers. It is believed to accelerate the growth of healthy cells and to increase the production of protective mucus. It also slows the growth of H. pylori. To be effective, DGL must be mixed with saliva by chewing before it is swallowed. Just be sure the licorice you are buying is labeled DGL. "Straight" licorice can interfere with blood pressure medications.

Three Foods For Peptic Ulcers

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