Natural Healing For Stomach Ulcers
Stomach pain is often the reason people go to see their doctor. Almost everyone’s diet these days contains processed food and with the current economic situation more people are becoming stressed out. Though antibiotics are great for many kinds of infections they can make our bodies more susceptible to the bad bacteria that cause stomach ulcers because they destroy the good bacteria.
Many people take drugs to reduce stomach acid such as antacids like over-the-counter Tums or Rolaids or Histamine 2 Blockers such as Tagamet, Pepcid AC, or Zantac. Sometimes the doctor will prescribe a stronger drug. My doctor first suggested Mylanta and eventually Prilosec but none of these helped me feel better. My symptoms remained the same. I had had some success with alternative therapies for other illnesses so I decided to give them a try. I checked my own resources on natural cures (books) and I checked online resources. I found some really good ones and started to feel better within the first week of treatment. The products I used can be found at the supermarket or are readily available at health food stores. Please read the rest of the article to find out which treatments worked the best.
The juice from cabbages is often mentioned as a natural remedy for stomach ulcers. Many people think of cabbage as vegetable that causes your system to create gas. If you examine cabbage a little closer you will find it has an amino acid called L-Glutamine. L-Glutamine function is to improve the cells lining the esophagus and stomach so they can become more resilient. Taking L-glutamine capsules is much easier than boiling cabbage into juice and is as effective as consuming cabbage juice.
Aloe, or Aloe Vera, is a prickly, gray-green succulent native to Africa but cultivated around the world. You are probably familiar with its use to heal burns. You may not know though that Aloe Vera juice taken internally soothes peptic-ulcer inflammation. Studies show that Aloe Vera juice heals ulcers so well that researchers recommend it over the anti-ulcer drug cimetidine (Tagamet). Aloe Vera juice is easy to find at health food stores and the grocery store. It comes in liquid form and in gel form. I find the liquid form much easier to swallow and the liquid form can be mixed with other juices or drinks to make the taste more pleasant.
Cayenne pepper is so also an excellent natural remedy for stomach ulcers. Again, like cabbage juice it seems a most unlikely candidate for soothing the stomach. When you consume cayenne you mouth often feels like it is on fire. Many people though swear by this remedy. You can make a solution of cayenne pepper and water you can also take it as a pill… I found cayenne listed as a cure on many websites and also was advised by several owners of health food stores. Capsaicin is the ingredient that gives peppers their heat. I have to say I had a bit of a hot feeling in my stomach when I took the cayenne pill but it didn’t hurt. Cayenne pepper also has anesthetic properties and therefore may keep you from feeling the pain. Reducing ulcer related bleeding is another property of capsaicin.
Conventional medicine offers antacids and natural medicine offers herbs that bring down the level of acid in your stomach. Licorice, chamomile, cinnamon, marshmallow, slippery elm, calendula and agrimony are one that is usually recommended. I have always been a huge fan of chamomile for an upset stomach and also used it in the beginning to try to reduce ulcer pain. Chamomile has antispasmodic properties, meaning it helps relax muscle contractions, especially in the smooth muscles that make up the intestines. However, as with many natural remedies there is a caution. People who have been prescribed blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin, heparin, Plavix, Ticlid or Trental should consult their doctor before use. Chamomile will interact with these drugs.
Marti Wescoff has been researching and using natural cures for the past 20 years. Her website Curepure.com is a great resources for learning about natural remedies. Marti follows many of the teachings of Dr. Oz. Learn more about Foods That Help With Digestion