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Your stomach has a mucosal lining that protects it from the harm of gastric acid, enzymes, and other chemicals. Gastritis is the inflammation of this mucosal lining and can have severe consequences on health.
Here, we’ll discuss what causes gastritis, its types, and how to prevent it through diet!
Bacterial infection, overuse of certain drugs and alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation in the mucosal lining – a condition called gastritis.
Depending on the causes and duration of inflammation, gastritis can be acute or chronic. But based on the extent of damage to the stomach lining, gastritis can be classified as erosive and non-erosive.
In erosive gastritis, the inflammation causes stomach lining erosion and can damage the stomach walls, causingstomach ulcers. In non-erosive gastritis, the inflammation doesn’t erode the stomach’s mucosal lining or harm the stomach walls.
The common signs of gastritis include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and loss of appetite. In erosive gastritis, a person also experiences blood in vomit and dark black stools.
According to the statistics, gastritis affects8 out of every 1000 individuals in the U.S.
Gastritis occurs when the stomach lining weakens and becomes vulnerable to irritants. Some major factors that weaken the stomach lining and cause inflammation include:
The cure for gastritis depends on its cause and the patient's condition. Acute gastritis goes away itself after causing inflammation for a short period. On the other hand, you need to treat chronic gastritis by diagnosing the underlying cause and managing the symptoms.
If you have gastritis due to alcohol consumption or NSAID use, the doctor will ask you to refrain from these. You will get an alternative to NSAIDs for managing pain and inflammation.
If the inflammation is due to a bacterial infection, such as H. pylori, treatment includes acombination of antibiotics to kill the bacteria.
The treatment also includes drugs such as antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and H2 blockers. These drugs reduce stomach acid concentration and availability, relieving stomach pain and promoting recovery of the stomach lining.
Adapting diet and lifestyle changes will boost your recovery from gastritis and help you manage the condition more effectively. Home remedies are also extremely effective in reducing the severity of symptoms and healing the stomach lining.
Many people prefer natural ways and ingredients to treat gastric conditions. The best practice is to combine home remedies with conventional medications, as this can promote recovery significantly faster.
There are plenty of scientifically proven home remedies that you can try for gastritis. These include:
Probiotics are good gut bacteria that promote digestion and have manyhealth benefits. These bacteria also play a major role in controlling the growth of infectious bacteria in the digestive tract. So, if you have gastritis due to an H. pylori infection, taking probiotics can increase the eradication rate of H. pylori.
See Also: 10 Probiotic Foods That You Should be Eating for Your Gut!
This is evident from astudy where patients who received probiotics along with medications recovered faster than those who took medications only.
Yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and miso are some of the common probiotic food options for gastritis.
Garlic has antimicrobial properties due to its compoundallicin. Astudy shows that combining allicin with other medications improves the eradication rate of H. pylori.
Research also reveals the anti-inflammatory properties of garlic can help reduce inflammation in the stomach lining, thereby relieving the symptoms of gastritis.
Also Read: What is Inflammation and How to Reduce it!
The best way to get the health benefits of garlic is to eat it in raw form. If eating raw garlic is inconvenient, you can also take powder or oil extracts.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is rich inpolyphenol – a compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming EVOO in gastritis can help reduce inflammation in the stomach lining.
Apart from this, the polyphenols in EVOO also haveantibacterial activity. Astudy shows that EVOO effectively inhibits H. pylori growth and promotes the healing of the stomach's mucosal lining affected by H. pylori.
Leafy green vegetables can benefit against gastritis in several ways. They are rich inantioxidant properties, which can help reduce inflammation in the stomach lining and promote the healing process.
Fiber is among the most healthy ingredients for gastritis in leafy green vegetables. Astudy shows that fiber can reduce digestive tract inflammation by altering pH and permeability. Dietary fiber also helps your immune system fight harmful bacteria bypromoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
Adding fiber to your diet is one of the best favors you can do for your stomach, especially if you’re suffering from gastritis. It will not only help you manage gastritis but will also boost your recovery through the following means:
Diet is a major contributor to defining gastric health, and gastritis is no exception. Certain foods in gastritis can heal the inflammation, reduce the symptoms, and make you feel better.
Here are some foods to eat for gastritis:
According to scientific studies, fiber is an excellent ingredient against gastritis. If you have symptoms of gastritis or have been diagnosed with it, add plenty of fiber-rich foods to your diet.
Plant-based foods are often fiber-rich and pack other essential nutrients and minerals. These include:
You can alsoget powdered fiber to manage gastritis. Fiber powders help patients keep track of their daily fiber intake. Also, they can adjust the dose according to their bodies.
Also Read: 21 Easy Ways to Get More Fiber in Your Diet!
Research shows that dietary protein positively influences mucosal lining in the post-inflammatory phase. Proteins can speed up the restoration of gastrointestinal mucosa and promote faster recovery from gastritis.
Some excellent lean protein foods to include in your diet are chicken breast, beans, lentils, tofu, egg whites, Greek yogurt, and low-fat milk.
You can also pick some plant-based protein powders. It would be especially helpful if you're overall working towards good health and wish to build some muscle mass.
Herbal drinks such as green tea and lemon tea can be a great alternative to carbonated drinks in gastritis.Research shows that green tea is effective in inflammatory diseases. It can reduce inflammation with no severe side effects and improve the quality of life in patients with inflammatory diseases.
Certain foods can elevate the already present inflammation in the stomach and worsen the symptoms. Here are some foods to avoid for gastritis:
Spicy foods are not a healthy option for stomach conditions, especially gastritis. Somestudies have even indicated that spicy food increases the risk of developing gastritis.
While spicy foods can trigger inflammation of the gut; their role is much more prominent in worsening the already present gastritis.
Carbonated drinks are acidic, and their consumption canincrease gastric acid volume. A more acidic stomach environment can elevate inflammation and worsen gastritis pain. The continuous increased acidic environment in the stomach can lead to the erosion of the protective stomach lining and cause stomach ulcers.
Similarly, over-consumption of alcohol also disturbs the gut environment and makes it more prone to inflammation.
Overly processed foods, including bakery items, fast food, chocolates, candies, and ice cream, can harm your gastritis. According to astudy, consuming overly processed food increases the likelihood of developing H. pylori infection.
Also Read: The Ugly Truth About Overly Processed Foods!
Research also shows that overly processed foods have pro-inflammatory properties and can cause low-grade inflammation.
Good gut bacteria or probioticspromote the eradication of pathogenic bacteria, such as H. pylori.Scientific studies show that fiber is an important nutritional source for the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.
Thus, eating a low-fiber diet can negatively impact the growth of good bacteria.
Studies also show that a low-fiber diet is associated with a greater risk ofconstipation. This can worsen the discomfort and make it hard to manage gastritis.
Gastritis is inflammation of the protective mucosal lining in the stomach. Poor diet and lifestyle choices can mainly contribute to this inflammation. The treatment for gastritis depends on the specific cause, but in most cases, home remedies and diet control can improve the condition. If you have gastritis, your primary care physician is also a vital resource to help you improve your life.
Fiber-rich foods are significantly beneficial in managing inflammation and promoting efficient recovery in gastritis. Lean proteins and herbal teas have also shown a positive impact. Giving up spicy and processed foods, alcohol and carbonated beverages can also reduce gastritis.
Overconsumption of healthy foods can also promote gastritis. And so, a good idea is to pick a meal plan and stick to it. You can either consult a nutritionist or check out our freemeal plans for your condition.