26 Home Remedies for Peptic Ulcers
Peptic ulcers, better known simply as ulcers, are sores that are inside the stomach or intestines. Both gastric and duodenal ulcers are types of peptic ulcers. Ulcers are highly common in the United States; one in every ten Americans are likely to have an ulcer at some point in their lifetime. Because this ailment is so common, it is important to know how to treat and prevent it.
Common Causes
Certain people are more likely to have peptic ulcers than others. People who are at risk are the elderly, alcoholics, smokers, and individuals who face high amounts of stress in their life. Most peptic ulcers are caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, but this is not the only cause of ulcers. Some of the other common causes of peptic ulcers are listed below.
- Genetic predisposition
- Consuming excess alcohol and caffeine
- Tobacco use
- Unhealthy diets
- Stress
- Overuse of NSAIDs
- Certain medications (Actonel, Anticoagulants, Fosamax, and SSRIs)
Common Symptoms
One of the most common symptoms of peptic ulcers is general abdominal pain, which can be felt higher up than the average stomach ache’s pain. This pain is usually aggravated by eating spicy food, acidic foods and drinks, and alcoholic and carbonated beverages. Some other common symptoms are listed below.
- Black or bloody stool
- Bloating
- Heartburn
- Loss of Appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
If you have any or all of these symptoms, make sure to talk to your doctor. You will need to be properly diagnosed to know for sure whether you have a peptic ulcer or something else.
Home Remedies for Peptic Ulcers
Once you have been diagnosed by a doctor, you can get to work on curing your peptic ulcer. The home remedies in this article can be used along with any medication your doctor gives you, as they are all natural solutions. Some of the remedies in this article can also prevent new peptic ulcers from forming.
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Avoid Spicy Foods
Eating spicy food does not cause peptic ulcers, but it can make them become more painful. To be safe, it is best to avoid peppers, hot spices, Spanish/Mexican, and Indian/Southeast Asian dishes until you no longer have a peptic ulcer. However, if you do not already have an ulcer, you can continue eating these foods, as not eating them is not a preventative measure.
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Quit Smoking
Smoking can both cause and further irritate peptic ulcers. To be safe, it is best to quit smoking cold turkey. This will make it easier for your ulcer to heal. Quitting smoking can also make it less likely that peptic ulcers will form in the future.
Quit smoking as soon as possible to improve various aspects of your health
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Don’t Overuse NSAIDs
NSAIDs are a class of anti-inflammatory medications, better known as painkillers. While it’s not bad to use painkillers every once in a while, it is best not to become too dependent on them. This can cause the pills to damage your internal organs, which can lead to peptic ulcers. So, stopping the use of NSAIDs, or simply using them less often, can both help to prevent and cure peptic ulcers.
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Avoid Carbonated and Alcoholic Drinks
Both carbonated drinks (soda, sparkling water, etc.) and alcoholic drinks can further irritate a peptic ulcer. It is best to avoid these types of beverages entirely until your peptic ulcer has cured. Once you no longer have an ulcer, you can drink these beverages in small amounts. In the meantime, focus on drinking primarily water, milk, tea, and juice.
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Meditation
Stress is one most common causes of peptic ulcers, outside of bacteria. One way to reduce your stress levels, while also working towards preventing and treating ulcers, is to practice meditation. Meditation, in combination with mindful breathing, can help to relax you, and all it takes is just a few minutes a day.
If you are familiar with meditation, simply try to do it for about ten minutes a day or more to feel more at ease. If you are unfamiliar with meditation, you may want to begin with listening or watching guided meditation videos until you get the hang of it. These videos can be found easily on YouTube.
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Avoid Acidic Foods and Drinks
While you have a peptic ulcer, it is best to avoid any sort of food or drink that could aggravate your situation. For this reason, it is best to avoid acidic foods and drinks. This could include some fruit juices, tomato products, lemons and other citrus fruits, and candy. Once you have recovered from your ulcer, you can slowly introduce these foods into your diet.
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Antacids
One of the common symptoms of peptic ulcers is heartburn and acid reflux. One way to combat this symptom is to chew on a couple of antacids. Use these as directed on the packaging whenever you feel heartburn or struggle with acid reflux.
Make sure to take the antacids as directed, or else they could do more harm than good
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Fennel Tea
Fennel tea is great for helping to cure all sorts of stomach ailments. Drinking fennel tea can help to dull the pain of stomach ulcers. To use this home remedy, simply boil one teaspoon of fennel seeds in a cup of water for ten minutes. When the time is up, strain the seeds from the water, allow the water to cool, and drink it. This home remedy works best when used two to three times a day.
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Mustard
Eating mustard can help to neutralize your stomach acid, which can be of great help if you have a gastric ulcer. To use this home remedy, all you have to do is eat a teaspoon of plain mustard (do not use spicy mustard). This may not taste good, but it’s effective.
Alternatively, you can add mustard to your meals. Topping your sandwiches with mustard can help a little, without making you taste only mustard.
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Exercise
Ulcers are more common in people who have poor diets and who do not exercise frequently. One way prevent ulcers from forming is to keep to a healthy weight. Try to exercise at least half an hour a day, four times a week. It is not so important as your exercise is strenuous, as it is consistent. Make a workout schedule and stick to it to get the best results.
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Yoga
Yoga is a great form of exercise. It’s a double-whammy, as practicing yoga can also help to relax the mind, as well as exercise the body. Practice yoga as a supplement to your exercise, or for your exercise. Either way, you are sure to gain some benefits from it.
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Cumin
Cumin is a spice that can help to reduce the acidity in your stomach, which can reduce the pain of gastric ulcers. To use this home remedy, you can either add cumin to your meals or drink it as a tea. To make cumin tea, mix a teaspoon of cumin seeds in a cup of water. Allow the water to boil for five minutes. Once the time is up, allow the water to cool, drain the seeds, and drink the water. Drink this after each meal to get the best results.
Black cumin seeds and cumin oil
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Honey
Honey is one of the best-known natural cure-alls. Like many of the other home remedies on this list, it can help to neutralize stomach acid. Eat a spoonful of honey whenever you are feeling pain due to your ulcer.
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Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea works in two ways to combat peptic ulcers. For one, chamomile tea can help to calm the nerves and reduce stress levels, which is key to avoiding ulcer aggravation. It can also help reduce stomach inflammation. Simply drink a cup of chamomile tea whenever you are stuck with ulcer pain (up to three times a day) to get relief from your symptoms.
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Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is another wonderful tea that can help to cure many times of stomach issues, including gastric ulcers. Drinking ginger tea helps to treat inflammation, which in turn, can reduce pain. Simply drink this tea whenever your symptoms pain you.
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Chew Gum
If you commonly have heartburn due to your peptic ulcer, try chewing on minty gum. The best part of this home remedy is that you can use it whenever you want, but it works the best when you use this home remedy after eating your meals.
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Bananas
Bananas are a natural antacid, which can help to treat many of the symptoms associated with peptic ulcers. To use this home remedy, all you have to do is eat a banana. You can do this whenever you feel heartburn due to your ulcer.
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Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the few foods that are high in vitamin C while being low in acid. For this reason, it can help to kill the bacteria which causes peptic ulcers, without aggravating the stomach lining. To use this home remedy, you can either eat salads made with cabbage leaves or juice half a cabbage and drink it. Either way, use this home remedy once a day to get the best results.
Cabbage can be mixed with other vegetables or fruits to make the drink taste better
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Coconut Milk or Water
Drinking coconut milk or water is a great way to kill the bacteria which causes peptic ulcers. To use this home remedy, all you have to do is drink two or three cups of coconut milk or water a day until your ulcer is cured.
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Garlic
Garlic seems to be able to cure just about anything, and peptic ulcers are no exception to this rule. It works by killing the bacteria that causes peptic ulcers. To use this home remedy, simply add more garlic to your meals. You can alternatively simply eat garlic cloves, but this is not likely to taste very good.
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Beans
Beans are a relatively bland food, so they are not likely to aggravate your ulcer. As a bonus, beans are bioflavonoids, which in short, means that they can help to kill the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. Simply eat a serving or two of beans a day to use this home remedy. Evening drinking soy milk (which is made of soybeans) can help.
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Blueberries
Blueberries are bioflavonoids which have the added bonus of being filled with antioxidants. With combination is great for fighting the bacteria that causes peptic ulcers. Simply eat a cup of blueberries a day, drink blueberry juice, or drink smoothies made with blueberries once a day to get relief from your symptoms.
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Yogurt
Yogurt is a healthy probiotic, which means that it is filled with good bacteria, making it all the better to fight the bad bacteria which causes peptic ulcers. To use this home remedy, simply eat a cup of yogurt a day. Plain yogurt is likely to work the best, but even flavored yogurt (as long as it is not too sugary) can also be used for this home remedy.
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Avoid Processed and Fast Foods
Processed and fast foods are often filled with high amounts of salt and they are more likely to be deep-fried than other foods. These foods are more likely to do much more harm than good. Eating too much of these types of foods can both hurt peptic ulcers and cause them. It is best to avoid these foods entirely, or at least until your ulcer has healed.
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Fiber
Eating foods which are rich in fiber can help to protect the lining of your stomach, making gastric ulcers both less likely to occur in the first place and easier to cure if you already have one. Some foods which are high in fiber include whole grains, berries, leafy green vegetables, and broccoli.
Pumpkin soup can be of additional help, as it is full of fiber
Which of these home remedies are you most likely to use? Comment with your answer below!
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/gastric-and-duodenal-ulcers#risk-factors
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/understanding-ulcers-basic-information#1
https://www.top8homeremedies.com/home-remedies/34-home-remedies-for-acid-reflux/
https://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-stomach-ulcer.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-home-remedies-ulcers#flavonoids
