Peptic ulcers and gastric ulcers are two terms for stomach ulcers. These are painful ulcers that appear on the stomach lining. They not only cause discomfort, but they also make eating unpleasant. They may cause problems asssociated with your stomach and small intestine. Continue reading to learn more about stomach ulcers and natural remedies.
How To Treat Peptic Ulcers Naturally
1. Baking Soda And Apple Cider Vinegar
Anecdotal evidence suggests that baking soda helps in restoring the pH of the stomach. Apple cider vinegar is also used in treating ulcers due to its pain-relieving properties (2). Hence, the combination of baking soda and ACV may help in treating stomach ulcers. You Will Need
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 1 glass of warm water Honey
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this once a day.
2. Honey
Honey contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase (3). This enzyme is known to produce hydrogen peroxide (4). This may help fight the bacteria responsible for causing peptic ulcers. You Will Need
1 tablespoon of honey 1 glass of water A pinch of cinnamon powder
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 2 times a day.
3. Garlic
Garlic contains a compound called allicin. This compound possesses powerful antimicrobial properties. These properties help combat Helicobacter pylori, which are known for triggering peptic ulcers (5). You Will Need 2-3 cloves of raw garlic What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this on a daily basis.
4. Ginger
Ginger exhibits protective and preventive effects on stomach ulcers and reduces their severity (6), (7). Hence, ginger may help in treating symptoms that develop due to stomach ulcers. You Will Need
1 teaspoon of grated ginger 1 cup of water Honey
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 3 times a day.
5. Turmeric
Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities (8). This may help prevent and treat stomach ulcers. You Will Need
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 glass of warm water Honey (optional)
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 2-3 times a day.
6. Banana
Raw bananas contain compounds like phosphatidylcholine and pectin. These compounds strengthen the stomach mucosal resistance to ulcerogens (9). This may help in treating peptic ulcers and their symptoms. You Will Need 1 ripe or unripe banana What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Have a banana 3 times a day.
7. Green Tea
Green tea contains a polyphenol called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that exhibits anti-ulcer activities (10). Thus, green tea may help in accelerating the healing of the stomach ulcers. You Will Need
1 teaspoon of green tea 1 cup of water Honey
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Drink green tea 2 times a day.
8. Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera gel exhibits strong anti-inflammatory properties (11). This may help in speeding the healing of stomach ulcers. You Will Need 1 cup of fresh aloe juice What You Have To Do Consume a cup of fresh aloe juice. How Often You Should Do This Drink this juice 1-2 times a day.
9. Cabbage
Cabbage is a rich source of an amino acid called glutamine. This compound helps in nourishing and repairing gastrointestinal lining, which is damaged by ulcers. It also contains an anti-peptic ulcer factor (vitamin U) that may accelerate the healing of peptic ulcers (12). You Will Need
½ raw cabbage Blender
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this once a day.
10. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper contains a compound called capsaicin. Capsaicin neutralizes the stomach acid and enhances the release of the stomach mucus (13). This may help in healing peptic ulcers. You Will Need
½ teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper 1 glass of warm water Honey
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 2 times a day.
11. Licorice
Scientific research shows that licorice possesses protective effects on ulcers and enhances the secretion of stomach mucus (14). This may help treat stomach ulcers. You Will Need
1-2 teaspoons of licorice tea 1 cup of water Honey
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 2-3 times a day.
12. Vitamin E
Vitamin E exhibits anti-ulcer and cytoprotective effects. This is possibly because of the increased synthesis of prostaglandins and glutathione by vitamin E (15). Hence, vitamin E may help in minimizing the effect of stomach ulcers. You Will Need 15-20 mg vitamin E What You Have To Do Have 15-20 mg of vitamin E daily. You can take supplements for this vitamin after consulting your doctor. How Often You Should Do This Do this on a daily basis.
13. Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice contains compounds like proanthocyanidins that prevent Helicobacter pylori from adhering to the intestinal lining (16). You Will Need 1 cup (or 250 ml) of cranberry juice What You Have To Do Consume a cup of unsweetened cranberry juice. How Often You Should Do This Do this 2 times a day.
14. Coconut
Coconut oil and coconut milk exhibit antiulcerogenic and cytoprotective effects (17). Both of these are beneficial for the reduction and management of stomach ulcers. Note: Coconut milk is more effective than coconut water. You Will Need 1 cup of coconut water What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this daily.
15. Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek seeds are anti-inflammatory and exhibit mucilaginous properties (18). This may help in restoring the mucus of the damaged intestinal lining, thereby helping treat stomach ulcers. You Will Need
1-2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds Water
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this once a day.
16. Drumsticks (Moringa)
Drumstick leaves have healing and anti-inflammatory properties (19). This may help in reducing peptic ulcers and prevent further damage. You Will Need
10 grams of drumstick leaves Water (as required) Yogurt (as required)
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this every day.
17. Dandelion Tea
Dandelion possesses powerful anti-inflammatory properties (20). This may help in reducing the severity of stomach ulcers and also accelerates their healing. You Will Need
1-2 teaspoons of dandelion tea 1 cup of hot water Honey
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 3 times a day. The diet plays a major role in causing and combating peptic ulcers. Here’s a diet chart that includes the foods to consume and avoid to get rid of stomach ulcers.
Diet Chart For Stomach Ulcers
Foods To Eat
Protein-rich foods, like white meat from chicken, turkey, or fish. Fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, and mackerel. Low-fat cheese, yogurt, and peanut butter. Fresh fruits and veggies, like broccoli, carrots, kale, red/green peppers, grapes, cabbage, apricots, and kiwi. Vitamin E-rich foods, like wheat germ, hazelnuts, sunflower oil, and soybean oil.
Foods To Avoid
Alcohol Salted foods Processed or canned foods High-fat dairy products Too much of spices Caffeine Red meat
It is also important to follow a few basic tips and make some minor changes to your lifestyle for complete recovery from peptic ulcers.
Prevention Tips
Limit your alcohol intake. Quit smoking. Limit the consumption of anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin and ibuprofen. Wash your hands at regular intervals to avoid infections that may trigger ulcers. Follow a well-balanced diet plan.
It is important to remember that individuals with stomach ulcers may feel aching hunger pangs between the navel and the breastbone that may sometimes extend towards the back. Other than this pain, there are also a few other symptoms that surface with stomach ulcers.
Signs And Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcers
Dull pain in the stomach that improves when you eat, drink, or take antacids Weight loss Inability to eat because of the pain Vomiting Nausea Bloated stomach Feeling of fullness Burping due to acid reflux A burning sensation in your chest due to heartburn Anemia Tarry and dark stool Vomit that looks like coffee grounds or is bloody
These symptoms are most evident when the stomach is empty, i.e., early in the morning or late at night. A few factors are known to cause stomach ulcers, while a few other factors are known to increase the risk of developing them. A brief overview of the causes and risk factors for peptic ulcers is given below.
Causes And Risk Factors
Stomach ulcers are most often caused due to:
A bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori. Long-term use of anti-inflammatory medications, like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen. A medical condition called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome that increases the production of body acids.
The risk factors for stomach ulcers are:
Age above 50 years A history of ulcers Smoking Drinking alcohol Stress A diet that consists of spicy foods
It is highly recommended to begin treatment as soon as you observe the onset of stomach ulcers. If left untreated, they may cause internal bleeding and become life-threatening. While mild to moderate ulcers may be healed with the remedies given here, severe cases need medical attention.
How to diagnose a stomach ulcer? Check out the infographic below to learn more about the top home remedies to soothe stomach ulcers. Your doctor may first review your medical history as well as your symptoms and any prior medications you were taking. Then, you may be asked to take a blood, stool, or urine test for diagnosing stomach ulcers. This may also be followed by an endoscopy to look for ulcers in your stomach using an endoscope. Can you die from a stomach ulcer? In some cases, peptic ulcers may cause gastrointestinal bleeding. If this bleeding is sudden and serious, it may lead to imminent death. How long does it take for a stomach ulcer to heal? If your ulcers are a result of H. pylori infection, it may take anywhere from two to three weeks to heal. However, you may need to follow the prescribed treatment for at least eight weeks. Does milk help treat ulcers? No. While milk can give temporary relief and soothe the ulcer pain, it eventually causes the stomach to produce more acids and digestive juices – which can aggravate ulcers (20). Is hot water good for stomach ulcers? No. Water heated above 60 degrees celsius is not recommended for intake as it irritates the gastric mucosa. Does lemon water cure ulcers? No. The citric acid in lemons can irritate the stomach lining and aggravate ulcers and heartburn.
