Diet in Peptic Ulcer

Eating spicy food daily or on regular basis causes ulcer on the inner lining of stomach and esophagus. These ulcers are known as peptic ulcers. People with peptic ulcer or who previously had peptic ulcer should keep the following things in mind:

• Restrict or avoid those foods that cause irritation to the digestive system.

• Reduce excessive acid production.

• Prevent unpleasant side effects, such as heartburn.

These people have to make slight changes in their lifestyle to avoid further occurrence of ulcers. They should go for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains in place of refined ones, and eat less spicy food. Go for fruits and vegetables which are full of nutrients, your body require them to cure the damage in the stomach. Beta-carotene present in vegetables and fruits helps in protecting the mucus lining of your esophagus and stomach from erosive gastritis.

They should stay away from smoking and taking alcoholic drinks, they can increase acidity in stomach and further enhancing ulcers. Even drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee and cold drinks too much is worrisome for your stomach.

Stress may worsen the signs and symptoms of a peptic ulcer. Examine your life to determine the sources of your stress and do what you can to address those causes. Stress in life is unavoidable but with exercise, meditation, and spending time with people close to you, you relieve stress to an extent.

Try to eat 5 to 6 small meals instead of having 3 large meals. Eating too much at a time, increases acidity level in stomach which erodes the inner stomach lining and inner esophagus lining.

Avoid eating 2 to 3 hours before sleeping or at least do not eat anything right before going to bed. At night your metabolism is at the lowest level and as a result acidity increases when there is presence of undigested food in stomach.

Sodium acts as an irritant for peptic ulcer. Try to avoid sodium rich food like canned soups, salted meat, soya sauce and other canned or processed food items. Mostly all the canned or processed food products are high in sodium.

Vegetables like pumpkin which are rich in vitamins A, B, C and E and anti-oxidant property are suitable to eat during peptic ulcer. Pumpkin is also known as to cure peptic ulcer and reduce its further occurrence. The pumpkin seed is also recommended for prostate problems, tape and other worm elimination and constipation.

Benefits of eggplant are well known. They are good in peptic ulcers too. Antioxidants in eggplant further prevents peptic ulcer to transform into cancer. Both these vegetables are rich in dietary fiber as well which is good for digestive system, hence reducing peptic ulcer by making digestive system healthy.