What Kind of Foods to Eat When You Have Gastritis?

What Kind of Foods to Eat When You Have Gastritis?
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What you eat while you have gastritis can cause your symptoms to last longer. Gastritis is the medical term used for an infection in the lining of your intestines. Gastritis covers various conditions, such as an upset stomach, the stomach flu or food poisoning. Talk with your doctor about what foods you should eat before you change your diet. Most cases of gastritis are treated with a modified diet, rest and increased liquid intake. If you're symptoms persist for more than three days or they get worse, call your doctor immediately.

Gastritis

Gastritis causes common symptoms related to infections in the digestive system. These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramping, abdominal pain and bloating. Symptoms may come on suddenly, or they can slowly increase. Many symptoms of gastritis will cause you to lose your appetite or may make it difficult to eat or drink. Gastritis is primarily caused by the introduction of an infectious organism. For example, the stomach flu is caught by coming into contact with someone who is infected with a viral stomach infection.

Foods to Eat

The best foods to eat for an upset stomach are related to the BRAT diet. The BRAT diet is an acronym that stands for bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast. If you can't eat or drink anything without vomiting, you should sip on small amounts of juice, water or chicken broth until you can keep down food and liquid. As your symptoms subside, you can introduce new bland foods. Do not add any spices, sugar or condiments to your food. Eat each food product as bland and natural as possible. Include skinless chicken, fish, cooked carrots, potatoes, crackers and fruits.

Probiotic Consideration

Probiotics are found primarily in yogurt and kefir. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that live in your large intestine. During gastritis, your normal levels of probiotics decrease because of the infection and diarrhea. Take a probiotic supplement or eat plain, low-fat yogurt to replenish lost probiotics. AskDrSears.com states that research suggests that consuming probiotics in yogurt can help boost the immune system, fight against intestinal infections and heal damage to the lining of the intestines.

Avoidance

Avoid all foods that are highly processed, high in fat, contain a lot of spices and are high in fiber. Eating these foods can make diarrhea and nausea worse. Avoid consuming beverages that contain dairy, caffeine or alcohol.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge Last updated on: Mar 28, 2011

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