good food for ulcers?

[franksolich]

As some here know, I have a whale of an ulcer, in the throat.

But there's also one in the stomach that's been bothering me the past couple of days.

It gets really sore and painful, just below the rib-cage.

There is no overproduction of gastric gases, by the way.

The best ameliorative for ulcers is not to dine on anything that might excite the gastic juices.

Does vanilla ice-cream (the real stuff) work?

Even though it's a bad case, I'm making light of it because I remain defiantly confident it too shall pass.

[formerlurker]

Frank that stinks.  I am sorry you are dealing with this.

[Ballygrl]

frank, I think ulcers have been found to be infections and antibiotics clear it up.

[franksolich]

frank, I think ulcers have been found to be infections and antibiotics clear it up.

Well, we'll see.

I have an appointment with the physician in the big city on Wednesday about it, because it's pretty bad.

[Ballygrl]

Well, we'll see.

I have an appointment with the physician in the big city on Wednesday about it, because it's pretty bad.

I hope you feel better, let us know what he says.

[Adisa]

My Dad had a terrible problem with ulcers and eventually had to get 40% of his stomach removed.  We bought a milk goat because the milk is easy on the stomach.  It was the only kind he could drink. 

[Wineslob]

With milk products you have may to watch the lactic acid.

[JohnnyReb]

My Dad had a terrible problem with ulcers and eventually had to get 40% of his stomach removed.  We bought a milk goat because the milk is easy on the stomach.  It was the only kind he could drink. 

Uncle had 3/4's of his removed back in the 50's and he and his neighbor both lived on goats milk for years....then a simple course of antibiotics cured them both.

[Thor]

frank, I think ulcers have been found to be infections and antibiotics clear it up.

Some ulcers have been caused by H. Pylori  and those can be cured by antibiotics. Others can be caused by stress or other environmental factors.

[HarveyF]

I've always thought that it was bland foods like bread and potatoes and some meats that were OK. I think it has something to do with the acidity so spicy foods, fruits and even milk could cause an ulcer to flare up and become painful. How did the doctor appointment go. Did your doctor prescribe any medicines? I know I took Prevacid about ten years ago when I had acute gastritis.

[SaintLouieWoman]

I've always thought that it was bland foods like bread and potatoes and some meats that were OK. I think it has something to do with the acidity so spicy foods, fruits and even milk could cause an ulcer to flare up and become painful. How did the doctor appointment go. Did your doctor prescribe any medicines? I know I took Prevacid about ten years ago when I had acute gastritis.

I'm the prevacid kid, been taking it for years. I think it's the result of too much stress in the sales profession and the quotas imposed by those eeevil managers.

My husband had an ulcer about 6 years ago. He had to go to the hospital for it (a bleeding ulcer), but it's resolved itself. They gave him the antibiotics which cleared it up.

Hope Frank is feeling better.

[dandi]

Ballygirl is right. Most gastric ulcers are cause by an infection by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori for short. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics that should clear it up in a couple of weeks so the ulcer can heal. He may also prescribe a medication to reduce stomach acid for a couple of months until you're completely healed.

Long term use of anti-inflammatory drugs, the so-called NSAIDs, have been known to cause ulcers. Medicines like aspirin, Motrin, Alleve, and some prescription drugs for arthritis fall into this category, though most people can take them in moderation without problems.

As far as diet goes, it's basically whatever you can tolerate. There's no food that, of itself, will actually speed healing. Some foods may increase acid output which will in turn irritate the tissue exposed by the ulcer, but if you're eating something that doesn't cause increased distress then by all means continue eating it if you desire, even if it's hot or spicy foods. You might try smaller, more frequent meals.

Some foods contain a family of chemicals called xanthines which can decrease tone in your lower esophageal sphincter and thus allow stomach acid to creep more readily up your esophagus and irritate the ulcer in your throat. They would include caffeinated beverages, cola, and chocolate. But again, if it's not causing you heartburn or stomach pain then it's probably okay.

[Duke Nukum]

Cabbage juice.

[franksolich]

Cabbage juice.

Really and truly, sir?

Honest?

The deal is, it gets so hot and miserable during the spring, summer, and autumn out here on the eastern fringe of the Sandhills of Nebraska, that it's just too hot and miserable to even eat, and so I switch to what's pretty much a liquid diet.

It's usually by taking ice, and either mixed fresh vegetables or mixed fresh fruits--one of each kind a day--and grind them up in my industrial-strength blender.

I never thought of adding cabbage to the vegetable mix.

Is this real?

[Celtic Rose]

Really and truly, sir?

Honest?

The deal is, it gets so hot and miserable during the spring, summer, and autumn out here on the eastern fringe of the Sandhills of Nebraska, that it's just too hot and miserable to even eat, and so I switch to what's pretty much a liquid diet.

It's usually by taking ice, and either mixed fresh vegetables or mixed fresh fruits--one of each kind a day--and grind them up in my industrial-strength blender.

I never thought of adding cabbage to the vegetable mix.

Is this real?

At least one study has shown its effectiveness

Link

[Splashdown]

Hey Frank.

I'm worried. If the ulcer is acting up, and your blood pressure is tanking, I'm thinking the two are related. The ulcer combined with your low blood pressure is something I think you should get checked out.

[franksolich]

Hey Frank,

I'm worried. If the ulcer is acting up, and your blood pressure is tanking, I'm thinking the two are related. The ulcer combined with your low blood pressure is something I think you should get checked out.

That's always been checked out, and also thus the recent surgery to patch that hole.

Internal bleeding is a predominant curse from my mother's side of the family; one of her aunts and my mother in one week, and then during following years, all of my mother's five sisters, and my own sisters, and a niece, all died (way short of threescore and seven) the primary cause being bleeding to death through the small intestine (I forget what it's called).

There were multitudinous secondary and tertiary causes of death too (none of them being in as good health as I am), but on their certificates of death, that's always been listed as the primary cause.

So this is always in the forefront, and being watched.

[Splashdown]

I figured as much.

But sometimes, we can miss the simplest things when we're dealing with ourselves.

Not worried anymore!

[Duke Nukum]

Really and truly, sir?

Honest?

The deal is, it gets so hot and miserable during the spring, summer, and autumn out here on the eastern fringe of the Sandhills of Nebraska, that it's just too hot and miserable to even eat, and so I switch to what's pretty much a liquid diet.

It's usually by taking ice, and either mixed fresh vegetables or mixed fresh fruits--one of each kind a day--and grind them up in my industrial-strength blender.

I never thought of adding cabbage to the vegetable mix.

Is this real?

About 1 quart of cabbage juice a day has shown to be able to heal ulcers in about 6 weeks. It is pretty nasty stuff on its own (the purple cabbage is a bit more palatable on its own) so mixing it with other vegetables should help. As always you should check with your doctor.

Also, avoid foods like pineapple while you have ulcers as it has some enzyme that is used to make meat tenderizer. Possibly papaya was recommended against also. Been a while since I have read up on it. But cabbage juice has been known to help speed the healing of ulcers for a long, long time.

[franksolich]

Some ulcers have been caused by H. Pylori  and those can be cured by antibiotics. Others can be caused by stress or other environmental factors.

I have good reason to believe, sir, this is exactly my own case.

Various times here, I've described what must be highly stressful situations in which the handicapped find themselves--and not just once in a while, but every hour of every day.

I've described three "high-stress" sorts of situations that cause stress for the deaf, at least in my own case.

(a) being compelled to act as a hearing person when in truth one can't hear anything at all;

(b) for lack hearing auditory clues, innocently walking in on people doing things best left done behind locked doors.....or being thus surprised oneself; or walking into perilous situations because one has no idea they are perilous, due to not hearing auditory clues; and

(c) innocently misunderstanding something, and being yelled at for being stupid.

We deal with these sorts of things every day, several times every day.

And no matter how old one gets, one never gets used to it.

One of course develops the talents of self-deprecating humor, or back-tracking, or artfully apologizing, but really, this is just superficial "coping."  

It relentlessly grinds one down, corrodes one away on the inside.

[franksolich]

About 1 quart of cabbage juice a day has shown to be able to heal ulcers in about 6 weeks. It is pretty nasty stuff on its own (the purple cabbage is a bit more palatable on its own) so mixing it with other vegetables should help. As always you should check with your doctor.

Also, avoid foods like pineapple while you have ulcers as it has some enzyme that is used to make meat tenderizer. Possibly papaya was recommended against also. Been a while since I have read up on it. But cabbage juice has been known to help speed the healing of ulcers for a long, long time.

Okay, I'll ask an M.D. on Saturday about the benefits of cabbage; he already respects my dictum that natural things be tried first, pharmaceuticals only as the last final resort.  And actually, despite the image of physicians as being "pill pushers," he likes the idea.  He generally doesn't follow it, though, because experience has shown him most people won't stick to it; they want fast, easy, chemical "solutions."

As for pineapple and papaya, I never paid attention to them, hence never ate them.

[debk]

Just now saw this thread...I'm so sorry Frank!

Hope you are feeling better. 

M's had bleeding ulcers in the past(before I met him - 18yrs ago), and hasn't been able to drink coffee for years. He switched to Diet Coke, but still had heartburn. Then switched to caffeine free Diet Coke and that cut back the heartburn even more. When he totally quit alcohol (except for a tiny sip of Communion wine) 5 years ago, the heartburn has pretty much disappeared completely.

The only caffeine he gets, is from chocolate. Never has liked tea, and besides the caffeine free Diet Coke, he drinks Sprite Zero the most. He also drinks apple, grape or cranberry juice diluted with water, and lots and lots of milk. About the only time he doesn't have a drink in hand or sitting right next to him, is when he is sleeping.