Treatment

Helicobacter pylori is found in 80% of people, and the mechanism by which it is activated and causes harm in some people and not in others is unclear. Continuous and prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, or Profenid) irritates the gastric mucosa and is a major cause of chronic gastritis and even gastric and duodenal ulcers. Tobacco has also been associated with increased gastric secretion as well as excessive alcohol use. The stress to which we are subjected daily, some more than others, alters many hormones that maintain the balance of the body. Among several negative effects is the increase of acid in the stomach, which triggers gastritis.

I like to divide gastritis therapy into two segments that are closely linked: natural therapy and conventional drugs. I’ve seen the best results by combining the acid secretion enhancing drugs with some lifestyle and dietary changes that have the same function. In the event that gastritis occurs as a single episode (acute gastritis), natural therapy can be highly effective. However, if the symptoms persist for more than ten days, I recommend adding conventional medication.

a) Natural Therapy

Dietary changes are among the most important therapies for improving gastric irritation. In fact, administering medications alone without adding these variations will not produce optimal results. There are several plants and roots that have been used throughout history for anti-inflammatory and tissue repair purposes. Ginger is one of the most widely used roots because it offers antibacterial, antiemetic, and antiinflammatory benefits. In the last two decades, scientists have better researched this plant, providing accurate data that gives us the evidence needed to use this product safely. Its antibacterial action results in a decrease in the population of helicobacter in patients with gastritis derived from this bacterium. Its anti-inflammatory action is so powerful that it is used to treat joint and muscle pain, as we will see in other sections of this text. It is consumed as an infusion with milk or water or simply by chewing small pieces throughout the day. Adding honey is a common practice since this product is also a bacteriostatic, and it has been found to increase the pH of the stomach. Fresh cabbage juice (cabbage and water or pressed juice) has been used for years to improve gastric symptoms. In 1949 the first study was published that validated it as a method for the treatment of chronic gastritis and even gastric ulcers (“Rapid healing of peptic ulcers in patients receiving fresh cabbage juice,” The Western Journal of Medicine). Based on patient weight and the nutrient measurements of cabbage, it was estimated that at least one liter of this preparation should be drunk, divided into 200 ml five times a day for six days. The ulcers healed in six to nine days by drinking the juice daily, and gastritis symptoms improved by 100%.

Supplements such as probiotics, contained in some foods, are recommended to enhance the normal bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract and thus decrease the population of H. pylori. One of my favorite foods with probiotics is yogurt. I often mix it with honey, which is rich in prebiotics, and I get a boost of bacteria that is beneficial to my digestive system. Kefir is a drink that has become fashionable in recent years as one of the foods with the greatest probiotic benefits. In addition, due to its manufacturing process, it contains little lactose. Sauerkraut is a fermented food widely used in Caracas, my city, because in a nearby town, there is a German community that settled in Venezuela in the 19th century. They named that area “La Colonia Tovar” (Tovar colony) and made this and other traditional German dishes famous. It is now known that the fermentation process of its preparation makes the beneficial bacteria grow.

LA COLONIA TOVAR - ARAGUA. VENEZUELA

Bobjgalindo, Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Finally, but not less important, lifestyle changes such as exercise; quitting smoking; reducing alcohol, coffee, and chocolate intake; and stress and anger management are all positive for avoiding excessive gastric acid secretion and mucosal erosion. It is important to mention that milk can be counterproductive. At first it causes improvement, but after a few hours, the stomach discharges more acid to counteract the effect of the milk. I do not recommend it, for this reason.