Need some remedies for stomach ulcers? And ones that work fast? Here’s what your doctor probably won’t tell you about how to treat them, including some effective home remedies.
Oh, no. Here it comes again….
A crampy, intense burning sensation in your midsection that’s almost as bad as labor pain.
Was it the spicy Mexican food you had last night?
Or was it the two margaritas you washed the enchilada down with? Perhaps it’s both.
Or maybe it’s the stress you’re experiencing at work?
The only thing more frustrating than the pain is not knowing exactly what the cause is.
Moreover, the conventional advice you’ve been following doesn’t seem to work. The open sores in your digestive tract seem to come and go at will.
What then are remedies for stomach ulcers that can work fast—and have long-lasting effects.
What are stomach ulcers?
We’ll take a look at some solutions. But first, let’s briefly review what causes them….
Your gut (specifically, the stomach and intestines) have a protective lining. This is called the mucosal barrier.
In someone with a strong, healthy digestive system, the mucosal barrier prevents acts essentially like the Great Wall of China.
The mucosal barrier prevents stomach acid and food particles from entering the blood circulation. However, if you have an ulcer, this is an indication that the lining of the stomach is eroding.
The pepsin and hydrochloric acid (HCL) are your two main stomach (gastric) digestive acids. And when you have an ulcer in the gut, it means these digestive juices are eating away the protective lining of the stomach, forming a hole.
A hole in your stomach is a gastric ulcer, while a hole in your small intestine is a duodenal ulcer. Both of these types are also called peptic ulcers.
What causes them?
Having painful sores in the stomach lining was once thought to be caused by eating a poor diet.
Without doubt, what you eat definitely influences gut health. However, conventional medicine pins the blame on two sources.
The first is overuse of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
NSAIDS eat away the stomach lining. In fact, these pain-relieving medicines can wreak havoc to the point that they actually cause your stomach acid to create what’s called a perforated ulcer.
A perforated ulcer is a essentially like a big hole in a dam. It’s when the stomach acid creates a whole big enough that an entire section of the stomach lining wall erodes.
And when this occurs, it’s bad news … undigested food particles and stomach acid can leak into the bloodstream.
The second major cause of painful sores in the belly is infection. Specifically, the bacterial infection, H. pylori.
This article on NewYorker.com states H. pylori “may be the most successful pathogen in human history.”
Though not as deadly as tuberculosis, cholera, and the plague, this bacteria infects more people than all the others combined, says the article.
In 1982, it was discovered that H. pylori is the principal cause of gastritis and peptic ulcers; there’s an associated increased risk of stomach cancer as well.
Prior to the discovery, stress, not an infection, was assumed to be the catalyst of ulcers. Perhaps if you have more stress, you are more vulnerable to H. pylori infection?
The overprescribing of antibiotics is a major factor in the rise of H. pylori infection, especially in hospital settings.
Remedies for stomach ulcers: what the doctor won’t tell you
Need fast relief? Then perhaps you’re impatiently waiting for this article to provide solutions. However, it’s important to understand the root causes.
Without further ado, though, here’s a home remedy for stomach ulcers that your doctor probably won’t suggest: bone broth.
Bone broth is a trendy superfood. Despite the hipster vibe associated with it, bone broth just might provide relief.
And here’s why….
It contains glutamine which is one of the 20 amino acids. It’s the most abundant amino acid.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.
Your stomach and intestine lining is made of protein. Primarily, a protein called collagen, which is the most abundant protein that forms the tissues of the human body.
Maybe your abdominal pain is the result of too much Tylenol. Or, H. pylori infection? Perhaps it’s because of stress and poor diet or a combination of these.
Regardless of the cause, though, one thing is certain. The collagen in your gut is weak.
Moreover, the tight junctions in your mucosal barrier are getting wider and wider. And this is why bone broth might be one of the best remedies for stomach ulcers.
Studies like this one show glutamine plays several key factors in intestinal physiology. Moreover, “management of multiple intestinal diseases have been reported” with it.
Glutamine can help the cells of your intestinal lining grow. It also tightens the junctions in the mucosal barrier. In addition, it can block inflammation signals in the nerves.
Chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBS) can lead to lower glutamine counts.
That’s why having bone broth or taking a collagen protein supplement every day can help replenish glutamine levels.
Remedies for stomach ulcers fast
Now, it’s impossible to conclude that drinking a cup of warm bone broth will provide immediate relief.
However, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence it works.
Without doubt, naysayers debunk bone broth. There’s simply no conclusive research.
But how exactly can you do a proper clinical trial.
It wouldn’t be easy to get several people to come in to a lab and then wait for their ulcers to occur.
Nonetheless, there is sufficient evidence supporting glutamine’s role in reversing leaky gut.
In addition to glutamine, bone broth (and other collagen protein products) contain high levels of other amino acids that can help repair the gut lining.
Natural remedies for stomach ulcers
Besides bone broth, what other home remedies work?
One conventional remedy your doctor may suggest is an antacid.
Makes sense, right? After all, ulcers occur when stomach acid leaks through your gut lining.
Neutralize the stomach acid, then the pain subsides.
However, this creates a vicious cycle. That’s because if you don’t have enough stomach acid, you will not efficiently digest your food.
If you’re going to use an antacid for short-term relief, fine … nobody is going to criticize you for wanting fast-acting ulcer relief.
But think long-term. Start drinking bone broth and taking collagen protein everyday.
After a month, notice if you have any improvement. If so, you may also want to think about actually boosting your levels of stomach acid to better digest your food.
If you have the budget, consult with a functional medicine doctor or other natural health expert. They may suggest supplementing with a pepsin/HCL supplement to boost your digestive juices.
Also, if your ulcers were caused by H. pylori infection you should be taking probiotics. Again, if you can, consult with a natural health expert who can recommend an effective probiotic supplement.
Fermented foods such as kefir and sauerkraut contain natural probiotics.
However, some people have difficulty digesting them. This is especially true of people who have FODMAP sensitivity.
As mentioned in the New Yorker article, up until the early 1980’s, diet was thought to be the major cause of ulcers.
That’s not the case today.
However, there are certain foods encourage a healthier digestive system. (And on the flip side, eating unhealthy foods can cause inflammation of the gut.)
So let’s take a look at some of these healthy foods….
Remedies for stomach ulcers: natural foods for gut health
It doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to understand that any diet should be rich in low-starch veggies. A moderate amount of low-sugar fruit is beneficial as well.
So, too, are a moderate amount of low-starch whole grains.
If your ulcer is caused by H. pylori infection, get some honey in your diet. This research shows that honey can help kill H. pylori infection.
In addition, eat other foods besides bone broth and collagen protein supplements that are rich in glutamine. Organic chicken and eggs as well as spinach and cabbage are good sources.
Cabbage is especially beneficial. Some sources suggest drinking cabbage juice.
As unappetizing as that sounds, if you mix in some honey with it, it might not taste dreadful. Add some ginger for more therapeutic effect.
Drinking chamomile tea might also help. It helps relax you and if you have less stress, then perhaps the ulcer won’t be as painful.
Make sure to also get plenty of other green leafy veggies and cruciferous ones as well.
Cauliflower, broccoli and radishes may help. And berries, too.
Stomach ulcer symptoms
In addition to a burning sensation in your gut, there are other symptoms. If you are experiencing this, eating some of these health foods listed above may help ease the pain.
But there’s also nausea, bloating, belching, and heartburn. And by all means, if you notice any blood in your stools, book a doctor’s appointment immediately.
And to avoid experiencing symptoms in the first place, avoid coffee and other highly-acidic drinks such as alcohol.
Signs of an ulcer
If you have trouble breathing or it feels like you’re about to have an alien protrude from your belly, you may have an ulcer. Likewise, dark or red vomit or stools are indications as well.
Seek immediate medical attention. A doctor will most likely test to see if you have H. pylori infection.
In conclusion, the best remedies for stomach ulcers do two things. They help kill infection and rebuild your stomach and intestinal wall.
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