Manish had been tossing in bed all day long, groaning in pain and feeling sick in his tummy. He tried taking all the pills that google told him of, and out of anticipated dismay, they never worked. Grabbing his burning stomach along, Manish went to the doctor next door and found out that he had been suffering from a horrendous gastric ulcer.
As much as the doctor prescribed medicines, he wanted something to be added upon to make the healing quicker and, of course, safer. And, what’s safer than ancient Ayurveda? Read on to find the ayurvedic treatment for ulcers that Manish followed and helped get rid of his perennial pain.
What are Gastric Ulcers?
Gastric ulcers, or Stomach ulcers as commonly known, are painful sores and cuts in the stomach lining and are usually a type of peptic ulcers. This means that the level of acid in your tummy gets pretty high, and as we all know from 10th grade, acids corrode, creating unbearable hell inside your stomach and pain that can persist for days on end.Â
An ulcer can form anywhere from the lining of your stomach or your throat or on the tongue, or even on the outer layer of your skin. Ulcers sometimes disappear by themselves but, at other times, might become severe enough to undergo intensive treatment.Â
There are various kinds of ulcers, including :
- Arterial ulcers
- Venous ulcers
- Mouth ulcers
- Genital ulcers.Â
Recent studies show that ulcers in the stomach are caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori or H.pylori. Sounds cool, but it burns.
Why are Gastric Ulcers Caused?
Gastric ulcers and other kinds of ulcers like mouth and tongue and throat ulcers are usually caused due to the overuse of medicines and painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen to other anti-inflammatory medications. Some food that affects the lower oesophagal sphincter lets the acid in the stomach ride back up, causing heartburn, throat ulcers and so on. This is termed acid reflux.Â
Stomach ulcers can start from the centre of your stomach and travel up to your throat. The pain can be both temporary and lasting, and some serious complications and symptoms include:
- Blood vomiting
- Dark stools
- Sudden sharp pain
Overeating or eating right before going to bed is known to worsen the effects of acid reflux. But an important point to note is that not every person and their metabolism is the same. Acid reflux symptoms can differ for different people, and the food intake might vary greatly.Â
Ayurvedic and Natural Remedies for Ulcer
Apart from having the tablets recommended by your physician, adding in ayurvedic treatment for ulcers can be helpful. It acts as a remedy for gastric ulcers and as ayurvedic medicine for mouth ulcers, tongue ulcers, and many more.Â
Make sure to discuss adding these foods to your diet before eating them.
Food containing Flavonoids
Flavonoids, also called bioflavonoids, are natural compounds in many fruits and vegetables. They are gastro-protective and are the best supplements to line your stomach and get healing in no time.Â
Some fruits and vegetables and drinks having flavonoids are:
- Soybeans
- Legumes
- Red Grapes
- Apples
- Green Tea
Although having no side effects, a few studies found that higher amounts of food having flavonoids may interfere with blood clotting. Make sure to take them as supplements or portion them in your diet to have a happy tummy.
Foods rich in Probiotics
Not just a throat ulcer ayurvedic treatment, Probiotics are bacteria beneficial to your digestive system and can be found in most fermented food. Having probiotics helps wipe out H.pylori and recovers people from mouth ulcers, too, making it the best ayurvedic medicine for mouth ulcers and gastric ulcers in general.
These foods are:
- Buttermilk
- Yoghurt
- Kimchi
Honey
Apart from being lip-smacking, honey contains up to 200 elements that are antibacterial and can fight out H.pylori growth. This helps in soothing your ulcers and proves to be an excellent tongue ulcer home remedy.Â
Garlic
Garlic has been shown to stop H.pylori growth in many kinds of research. But if you have a vampiric aversion to garlic, then make sure to take it as a supplement. Garlic is a blood thinner, so make sure to consult with your doctor before taking this in.
Vegetables, Fruits and Whole Grains to Take
A vitamin-rich diet is not only proven to be suitable for your entire system but can also heal your ulcers and prove as a budget-friendly, efficient ayurvedic home remedy for ulcers.Â
Some of the Polyphenol-rich foods that can help ulcers heal are:
- Flaxseed
- Dark Chocolate
- Berries like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
- Black olives
Stomach ulcers are an excruciating, common and annoying condition. But with the proper usage of these ayurvedic treatments for ulcers, they can be reduced tremendously. Though the first step is to seek professional advice from your physician is the immediate step does, these ayurvedic home remedies for ulcers can get you up and go in no time. And you would never have to go through what poor Manish did!
Unsweetened Sweets
Deglycyrrhizinated liquorice might sound as complicated as it looks, but it is nothing but good old sugar-free sweets or liquorice with the sweeteners extracted from it. Liquorice helps heal ulcers by inhibiting the growth of H.pylori and soothing the burns, especially in throat ulcers. Even though it may not sound like a proper ayurvedic treatment of throat ulcers, it is a time-old tested method. But care should be taken to not take more than a few recommended grams as it can worsen heart problems and increase blood pressure.