Health : what diet for gastritis, ulcer and enterocolitis?

Everyone has stomach problems at least once in their life. But there are stomach problems that can be more serious and even chronic like gastritis, ulcer or enterocolitis. So in addition to consulting your doctor, if you have gastritis, an ulcer or enterocolitis, what you can do is change your diet which may also alleviate your symptoms.

What is gastritis?

Gastritis is one of those stomach problems that involve inflammation of the stomach lining. Symptoms of gastritis include indigestion, heartburn, nausea and frequent burping. And for some people, changing their diet can help.

Certain foods can increase the risk of H. pylori infection, which is often the main cause of gastritis, and certain dairy habits can cause erosion of the stomach lining or worsen stomach problems caused by gastritis. If you have gastritis, it may be difficult for you to eat, you may have a loss of appetite or weight loss.

Gastritis, if left untreated, can lead to ulcers, persistent pain, and bleeding. In some cases, gastritis can become potentially fatal. Chronic inflammation of the stomach also increases the risk of developing stomach cancer.

Processed and fried foods should be avoided if you have stomach problems such as gastritis, ulcer and enterocolitis

Foods to prefer if you suffer from stomach gastritis

There are no specific foods that can cause gastritis, but some foods can cause or worsen symptoms. For example, changes in your diet can help protect the stomach lining and manage inflammation.

Foods That Help Prevent Gastritis

Green tea and fresh fruits and vegetables can help protect the body from gastritis. These foods are good sources of antioxidants that can help ward off cell damage and stomach problems by reducing the levels of free radicals in the body. Foods that can help inhibit the growth of H. pylori and reduce the formation of gastritis and ulcer include:

– cauliflower, cabbage, radishes

– berries such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries

– Indian saffron which has anti-inflammatory properties

Antioxidants can also help prevent many other illnesses.

Foods that can help prevent symptoms of gastritis and ulcer

Gastritis involves an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. For this reason, an anti-inflammatory diet may help some people with gastritis. But there is not a single anti-inflammatory diet that is the best. To fight inflammation, you can eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and other plant-based foods that are rich in antioxidants. It is also important to avoid processed foods and all bad fats and added sugars and salts.

Having a stomach ache is very unpleasant and stomach problems need to be treated as they can get very serious over time

Foods that can help treat gastritis

Two foods that can help treat gastritis are broccoli and yogurt. Broccoli contains a chemical called sulforaphane which has antibacterial properties. Broccoli also contains antioxidants that help protect against cancer. For this reason, eating broccoli can help relieve or prevent gastritis and decrease the risk of stomach cancer.

In 2006, a scientific team investigated whether eating two glasses of probiotic yogurt a day before taking a combination of antibiotics can boost the ability of drugs to fight drug-resistant H. pylori infection. After two weeks, the scientists found that the participants who consumed the yogurt and the antibiotics cleared the infection more effectively than the people who took the antibiotics only. The results may come from the active cultures of beneficial bacteria from yogurt which help improve the body’s ability to fight infections.

Diet Tips

The following dietary changes can help you fight stomach problems caused by gastritis.

-Eat small amounts but more often. Eating five or six small meals a day instead of three large ones can help reduce the production of stomach acid.

– Control your weight. Overweight and obesity increase the risk of developing gastritis.

-Use antacids.

-Ask your doctor for supplements. This can be omega-3 or probiotics which can alleviate the symptoms of gastritis.

What are the foods to eat and what are the foods to avoid in case of stomach ache?

Foods to avoid

Foods that can make gastritis symptoms worse include spicy foods, alcohol, acidic foods, and fried foods. Sometimes an allergen can cause inflammation. In this case, the doctor may recommend an elimination diet that involves the exclusion of certain foods to see if this will have an impact on the symptoms of gastritis.

For example, a team of doctors found that dairy products and eggs caused a type of gastritis in a person. The team also worried about flour, nuts, soy and rice. But if you are considering an eliminatory diet, you should first talk to your doctor to avoid possible nutritional deficits.

Foods that increase the risk of gastritis

A person may be more likely to develop gastritis and stomach problems if they eat red meats, processed meats, foods that are marinated, dried, salted or smoked, foods that are too salty, foods that are too acidic or alcohol.

Scientific studies have shown that salty and fatty foods, for example, can change the lining of the stomach. Diets with too much salt can alter the cells inside the stomach, making them more susceptible to H. pylori infection. Too much alcohol consumption can also contribute to stomach inflammation. It can also cause erosion of the stomach lining.

What is enterocolitis?

Enterocolitis is an inflammation that occurs in a person’s digestive tract. This condition more specifically affects the inner lining of the small intestine and colon, causing several symptoms. Enteritis is an inflammation of the small intestine, while colitis is inflammation of the colon. Enterocolitis is a combination of the two. Enterocolitis in adults often develops due to infection, but can also develop for other reasons that are not yet clear. There are several types of enterocolitis with each having different symptoms and different causes.

Common symptoms of enterocolitis

The symptoms of enterocolitis can vary depending on the individual and the type of enterocolitis. Enterocolitis affects the lower end of the digestive system and all forms of this disease have certain symptoms. Some of these symptoms are: fever, swelling near the stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue and general malaise. Some people with a particular type of enterocolitis may also have other symptoms such as rectal bleeding.

Treatment of enterocolitis

Each type of enterocolitis requires different treatment. Treatment options can vary between people and largely depend on the type of enterocolitis and its level of progression. Many people may need to go to the hospital to be treated and seen. Generally, treatments do not include medicines for diarrhea, because these can worsen the disease and do not improve symptoms.

Doctors rarely prescribe antibiotics to people with enterocolitis because the antibiotics can cause infection and further complications. This is especially true for people with enterocolitis associated with antibiotics and hemorrhagic enterocolitis. However, antibiotics can be prescribed to avoid sepsis which can be fatal.

Some individual cases require surgery. A person who has torn bowel tissue will definitely need surgery. These people are less likely to respond to conservative treatments and are more likely to develop sepsis.

What diet if you have enterocolitis?

If you suffer from enterocolitis in addition to the medications you are taking, you can relieve your symptoms by eating a suitable diet. Perhaps the most important thing for enterocolitis is the consumption of lots of water. Enterocolitis typically causes persistent watery diarrhea. This diarrhea deprives the body of water and electrolytes, so you need to fill it up regularly.

Consuming more water during the day can reduce dehydration. Foods with a high liquid content can also become an excellent addition to the diet since these foods provide a lot of nutrients and electrolytes in addition to water for the body.

Enterocolitis is a stomach problem, so eating to improve stomach health is essential. You can include probiotics and prebiotics in your diet such as live yogurt to help establish the condition of microorganisms inside the intestines.

A scientific article dating from the year 2019 claims, however, that prebiotic supplements do not cause a significant improvement in the progression of necrotizing enterocolitis. But more scientific research is needed to confirm the benefits of prebiotics in the case of enterocolitis. You should discuss the perfect diet for enterocolitis with a qualified doctor. A dietitian should be able to give you recommendations based on your symptoms.

Other changes to make in the case of gastritis, ulcer or enterocolitis

-Avoid coffee, coca, green tea, black tea, chocolate and caffeine based foods: Once in the intestines, caffeine turns into theobromine which in turn stimulates the section of chloric acid and pepsin: two aggressive factors that help maintain inflammation and irritate the stomach lining. Soft drinks are also to be avoided if you have stomach problems. The carbonic acid in these drinks helps lower the pH inside the stomach and the high gas content worsens the symptoms.

-Avoid cigarettes and alcohol: Tobacco stimulates the secretion of the stomach and increases the risk of developing cancer not only in the lungs, but also in the stomach. Excessive consumption of alcohol on the other hand can lead to atrophy of the stomach lining, decreases the absorption capacity of vitamin B12 and worsens inflammation.

-Avoid consumption of fats and proteins: meat and derived products, dairy products, nuts etc. : The consumption of fats and proteins is another factor that stimulates gastrointestinal secretion. This is why it is very important to eliminate meat and meat products from your menu when you have increased symptoms and especially in the afternoon and evening. If you still need to eat foods high in protein and fat, you should do so in the first part of the day. If you eat meat, prefer poultry like chicken. Milk and dairy products should also be avoided if you have stomach problems. Lactose intolerance is common in a large number of people and can lead to flatulence, diarrhea and colic etc. However, in some people yogurt can have a positive effect because of its content of probiotic bacteria.

-Try to finish with your meals for the day before 7 p.m. in the evening: it is very important to limit gastrointestinal secretion in the afternoon hours to decrease the possibility of having reflux in the evening when you are in a lying position. When you sleep, the histamine H2 receptors are stimulated inside the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn stimulates gastrointestinal secretion. In the afternoon hours, gastrointestinal motility is also decreased, which increases the contact time between the acid and the stomach lining.

-Try to avoid physical activity and lying down after eating: Another very important thing for maintaining the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal system is to avoid physical exertion and lying down immediately after eating. The intra-abdominal pressure that forms when you exercise or when you are lying down increases the possibility of having reflux. On the other hand, when it comes to physical activity, just after eating, there is blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract and physical activity can even lead to discomfort due to lowered blood pressure.

-Try sleeping on the left side: Sleeping on the left side helps digestion a lot since the contents of the stomach fall into the large curvature of the stomach where a pocket forms and the reflux is reduced. If you have a gastritis attack, you can also lie on your stomach to relieve your symptoms.

-Foods that can help: “Dry” foods can do you good if you have stomach problems and you can use them as a taste between meals. So for example you can eat cookies, toast, baked rice, boiled potatoes, grilled apples, bananas, oatmeal etc. These foods have hygroscopic properties and absorb stomach acid and thus prevent its contact with the stomach lining. Apart from apples and bananas, you should avoid other fruits and especially citrus fruits which can irritate the stomach lining. You should also avoid all vegetables that are peeled and have seeds, as well as sour vegetables. Reducing salt intake can also help ease your symptoms.