Physicians once believed that your diet caused ulcers -- sufferers were told to stay away from spicy foods and to drink milk to coat their stomachs. While it's now clear that diet doesn't cause ulcers, your diet can influence the healing of an ulcer you already have.
Identification
Ulcers -- also called stomach ulcers, peptic ulcers and duodenal ulcers -- result when the acid in your stomach damages your stomach's lining. Most commonly, a bacterium called Heliobacter pylori, or H. pylori, infects your stomach lining, leading to the damage. In other cases, long-term heavy use of certain pain medications can cause stomach lining erosion.
Avoid Certain Foods
To heal your ulcer and implement your ulcer-free diet, you need to avoid several common foods and drinks. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine, since both can irritate your stomach lining, and don't drink too much milk, since that can cause an increase in stomach acid. Although spices don't cause ulcers, they can cause heartburn, so you may want to avoid large quantities of black and red pepper, onions and garlic.
Eat a Healthful Diet
Consume a healthful diet consisting of whole grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean beef, poultry and fish, canola and olive oils and caffeine-free beverages, suggests the Ohio State University Medical Center. High-fat meats may cause abdominal pain, so be careful with marbled cuts of beef and poultry products such as duck, which contain plenty of fat.
Considerations
To help your digestion, you may find that your ulcer-free diet works more effectively when you eat smaller meals more frequently than when you eat two or three large meals each day. In addition, spices other than those traditionally considered "hot" may cause stomach discomfort, so you may need to adjust your diet accordingly.
Prevention
Eating a diet that's rich in fiber, especially the fiber from fruit and vegetables, may help you reduce the risk of developing an ulcer, and it may help you heal one you already have, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition, apples, celery and cranberries may slow the growth of H. pylori in your stomach, potentially helping you fight your ulcer through diet.
