Causes, Symptoms and Natural Remedies For Gastritis

Gastritis is a disease characterized by irritation and inflammation of mucosa or stomach lining. Our stomach lining secretes certain enzymes, acids that aid digestion. It also secretes mucus that saves the stomach lining from the corrosive action of acid. Inflammation of stomach lining or gastritis lowers the production of digestive enzymes and acids jeopardizing the process of digestion. Acute gastritis is caused due to sudden and severe inflammation of the stomach lining. If gastritis continues for a prolonged period, it becomes chronic in nature. Erosive gastritis is a type that results in loss of stomach lining due to erosion or wearing out. Erosive gastritis may be acute or chronic, and may result in severe ulcer formation. Erosive gastritis caused due to some surgery, illness or injury is also known as stress gastritis.

Causes of Gastritis

1. Helicobacter pylori infection
2. Other bacterial, fungal, parasitic or viral infection.
3. Prolonged intake of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
4. Excessive alcohol intake
5. Swallowing corrosives
6. Swallowing foreign bodies
7. Chemotherapy
8. Endoscopies
9. Potassium supplements and iron tablets.
10. Traumatic injuries
11. Severe burns
12. Critical illness
13. Surgery
14. Heavy meals
15. Autoimmune disorder invading healthy cells of stomach lining.
16. Diseases like Crohn's disease, pernicious anemia.

Symptoms of Gastritis

1. Upper abdominal pain or dyspepsia
2. Nausea
3. Vomiting
4. Belching
5. Acid reflux
6. Bloating
7. Indigestion
8. Loss of appetite
9. Bad breath
10. Feeling of fullness in upper abdomen
11. Concentrated burning sensation in upper abdomen
12. Passing of blood in stool
13. Blood vomiting
14. Passing black, tarry stool.

Natural Remedies for Gastritis

1. Consuming two plantains early morning and then drinking a glass of milk after 30 minutes should be practiced every day to get rid of gastritis.

2. A glass of orange juice with some roasted cumin seeds and a pinch of rock salt added in to it is a quick natural relief from gastritis.

3. Lightly chewing and sucking two pieces of clove can give relief from gastritis

4. Drinking a glass of milk every night before going to bed helps one to deal effectively with gastritis.

5. Four crushed cloves of garlic may be consumed every morning in empty stomach. This is an effective gastritis remedy.

6. If one takes a heavy meal, to eliminate the possibility of gastritis, one may take a glass of water mixed with 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon honey.

7. Sucking a piece of jaggery after meals is a cure for gastritis.

8. Fennel seeds may be boiled in water, strained and sweetened with honey and then drunk frequently to tackle gastritis.

9. Two teaspoon of white vinegar may be taken after every meal to control gastritis.

10. Drinking ginger tea or spearmint tea frequently is a good natural remedy for gastritis.

11. Drinking a glass of water by adding powdered, roasted cumin seeds in to it is a gastritis cure.

12. Coconut water should be drunk frequently to check gastritis.

13. Cabbage based diet is good for gastritis patients. It ensures passing of clear motion and expulsion of gas from body.

14. Taking two or three big gulps of curd mixed rice can minimize gastritis symptoms.

15. Avoid heavy meals, take fiber rich diet, food rich in flavonoids and antioxidants should be consumed.

16. Refined food items are to be avoided and healthy cooking oil like olive oil should be used while cooking.

By Dr Andrew Napier

Bleeding Ulcer, or What can Happen if You Don't Treat a Simple Ulcer

Ulcer is a disease that unfortunately makes more and more victims each year, because modern lifestyle helps this disease to appear and advance. Ulcer is caused by a bacteria called Heliobacter Pylori, which billions of people are carrying. If a person that carries this bacteria lives a stressful life and eats a lot of spicy food (factors that help the bacteria quickly evolve) then he/she will most likely suffer from one of the many forms of ulcer. Ulcer occurs because this bacteria slowly eats the protective membrane around the lining of the stomach and exposes the sensitive tissue beneath it to the dangerous gastric acids inside the stomach. Therefore, ulcer causes an open wound in the stomach, esophagus or duodenum.
If someone has discovered that he or she is suffering from ulcer then the treatment must start as soon as possible because if the disease is left untreated severe complications can appear. The treatment is simple, the patient is prescribed a series of medication depending on the type of ulcer and how advanced it is.
But what happens if a person is not aware that ulcer is affecting him/her or if he/she simply leaves the disease untreated? Well an untreated ulcer can turn into a much worse form of ulcer - bleeding ulcer. It's called bleeding ulcer because loss of blood occurs due to the fact that H pylori keeps eating the tissue until it reaches the blood vessels and blood starts to enter the digestive track.
Someone that has bleeding ulcer will start vomiting blood, have black, loose stools, will start to experience pain in the abdominal area and indigestions will often follow a meal. In extreme cases, if nothing is done about the ulcer it will eventually lead to death, so bleeding ulcer must be treated immediately after it's discovered or its consequences will be felt in the entire body. Bleeding ulcer is treated through surgery in most cases, but surgery is not required if the illness is detected early. It is hoped that in the near future ulcer and bleeding ulcer treatment will be much easier because new medical tehniquies are researched intensively every day, since this disease affects more and more people and the situation is becoming alarming.
In conclusion, if you suspect that you have ulcer or bleeding ulcer pay a visit to the local doctor and ask for his advice as soon as you can, because in the early stages both ulcer and bleeding ulcer are treated with just a few pills, which is of course much better that going through surgery and suffering life-threatening complications.

By Groshan Fabiola

Home Treatment For Gas Pain

Gas pain often strikes at a most inconvenient time, which is why simple remedies must be at hand for unexpected discomforts such as gas and bloating. Before effective treatment for gas pain can be undertaken however, it must first be evaluated which factors have perpetrated the condition. There are in fact several possible reasons for experiencing gas and by realizing the exact cause for excessive gas in the stomach you will be able to relieve yourself from the symptoms without having to leave your home. There are a host of effective home treatments for gas pain, and the best thing is that they don't cost a lot.
Many types of food actually promote gas pain, and while it is not merely the food itself that may have caused the discomfort, you must also look into the manner of the food preparation. Beans for example normally encourage gas build-up in the stomach, and it is advisable for anyone to cook the beans thoroughly as much as possible before consuming them. Lactose products especially milk is also another probable cause for excess gas. If you suddenly feel discomfort after eating, it may highly be caused by the food that you have just partaken.
Herbal teas have always been known to relieve the symptoms of excess gas such as bloating, belching, and the passing of bad gas. Ginger tea is a good antidote for troubled stomach, and chamomile tea is known for its palliative effects to the body. If for example you haven't taken anything for several hours and you feel gas pain, drink water and take a regular antacid to help expel the gas out. Then you can start eating a warmed vegetable soup, a light meal, and lots of water. Gas pain is best prevented when you realize the unique requirements of your body as well as you weak points.
There are lactase supplements that can be taken right before consuming dairy and lactose-filled fares like milk and ice cream. Lying on your back and flexing your knees will also allow your body to drive the gas out much easier. You must also avoid carbonated drinks while you are recuperating from gas discomforts, and keep away from oily food as well. There are also charcoal tablets that can be bought in any drugstore, and these are more natural means in treating excess gas. Finally don't forget to drink water if you are experiencing the first signs of gas pain such as constant belching, because water fills your stomach and helps expel the unnecessary gas from your system.
Some good home remedies you can make yourself:
1. Grown-ups remedy: Eat caraway seeds to relax the gassy stomach.
2. Drink tea with cinnamon when ever you feel gassy.
3. Drink warm water with lemon every morning.
4. Peppermint tea is very good for gas in the stomach.
5. Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in one cup of water and drink up.
6. Cook fennel seeds in water, strain, and drink the water while still warm.
7. Blanch cinnamon and ginger and drink whenever you feel gassy.
8. Drink chamomile tea when to treat the gassy stomach.
9. Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with 1 cup of water and drink up to help with the bloating.
10. Mix 1 tablespoon of lime juice with 1 tablespoon of ginger in a cup of lukewarm water, and drink up.
By David Klein

Good and Bad Foods for Stomach Ulcers

Not all foods are good for the stomach. When the stomach is suffering from ulcers, it is but wise to know what are the good and bad foods for stomach ulcers.
Ulcers are sores in the lining of the digestive tract. Types of ulcers are identified where they occur. Doudenal ulcers are ulcers in the duodenum. Ulcers in the stomach are known as gastric ulcers and ulcers in the esophagus are called esophageal ulcers.
What Causes Stomach Ulcers
There are various causes for stomach ulcers to occur but all are linked to food and proper hygiene. Before, most doctors believed that ulcers are mainly caused by stress and by eating too much acidic foods. But that all changed after a laboratory experiment discovered that a bacteria called H. pylori causes the infection in the digestive tract forming sores. Acidic foods and gastric juices can only aggravate the sores by burning the digestive tract walls.
Ulcers in the stomach are also caused by some anti-inflammatory medicines. These medications are what doctors usually give to patients with arthritis. These can be corrosive to the stomach lining, so if taken for a prolonged period of time, can increase the risk for ulcers. Naproxen, ibuprofen and aspirin are some of the known anti-inflammatory medicines that may trigger stomach ulcers.
How to Treat Ulcers
As mentioned earlier, stomach ulcers are mainly caused by an infection. So the primary recommendation that your doctor will give you will be to treat the sores by killing the bacteria first. This medication will last for 2 to 3 weeks or until there's no more trace of the bacteria in your stool. However, this treatment may not always be effective for people suffering from other diseases like diabetes and arthritis.
So to avoid any complication, why not treat stomach ulcers naturally?
The Bad Foods
Obviously, you wouldn't want to experience its symptoms. You don't want to feel the pain and see blood in your stool. Hence, you must avoid acidic foods that may trigger these symptoms. Alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods and high intake of sodium (or salt) can all contribute to this ailment. The first three increase the production of acids in the stomach while sodium can irritate its walls.
Sodium is not only contained in salt but most medicines and vitamin supplements contain sodium at a level unnecessary for our bodies. If you are taking some other medications, you must drink lots of fluids, especially pure water to help eliminate excessive sodium fast.
The Good Foods for Stomach Ulcers
Adding oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and halibut in your diet is very effective in treating ulcers naturally. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in high levels in oily fish, and studies show that Omega-3 increases the production of prostaglandins, a compound known to protect the walls of the digestive tract.
Antioxidants present in fruits and vegetables also help lower the risk of developing ulcers by protecting the lining of the stomach. They also help relieve symptoms when ulcers are already present. Dieticians recommend bananas, kiwi, apricots, raw cabbage juice, carrots and bell peppers.
Other good foods for stomach ulcers are almonds, whole grains, wheatgerm, cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. These foods are good sources of amino acids, the building block of proteins which are proven to help repair damaged portions of the stomach lining.

Katherine Cornell