Gastritis does not need to sideline your day. While chronic gastritis can lead to complications, most cases of gastritis resolve on their own once you identify and treat the underlying causes. If a flare-up occurs, find ways to relax, go easy on your digestive tract and eat nutritious, healing foods. Of course, you should always follow your doctor's advice regarding proper handling of your gastritis.
Gastritis
Everyone gets a moderate stomach ache now and then, but gastritis can be extraordinarily painful. In some cases, however, gastritis may cause no symptoms at all. Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of your stomach and can be acute or chronic, according to the National Institutes of Health. Acute gastritis occurs suddenly and subsides within a few hours or days, while chronic gastritis can linger for months or years. The most common causes of gastritis include certain drugs, such as aspirin and other pain medications taken over a long period of time, as well as alcohol and Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial infection. Other less common causes include autoimmune disorders, bile reflux, viral infections, stress or cocaine abuse.
Symptoms
While some people do not experience any symptoms with gastritis, others may lose their appetite, become nauseous, vomit or experience pain in the upper part of the stomach. If the gastritis causes the stomach lining to bleed, you may see black stools or vomit blood or material resembling coffee grounds.
Rice, Coconut Milk and Other Foods
Treating gastritis usually means treating the condition's root cause, but other measures may be helpful in treating the symptoms. A bland diet may help heal an inflamed stomach. Avoid foods that can irritate the stomach lining, such as citrus foods and drinks; spices, such as chili powder and garlic; and foods containing caffeine, such as coffee and black tea. Plain rice can help your stomach feel better in some cases, as can coconut milk. Coconut milk is a mild liquid that contains beneficial nutrients and may help relax your stomach during a flare-up of gastritis. Additionally, since dairy products can aggravate gastritis in some cases, coconut milk can be a preferable substitute. Drink a cup of coconut milk in place of cow's milk or mix with a cup of rice for a soothing meal.
Aloe Vera and Gastritis
Aloe vera juice may be helpful in treating the irritation and inflammation of gastritis, according to studies published in the "Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan" and in "Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation." However, research is still incomplete, and consuming aloe vera orally has been found to cause cramping and diarrhea in some cases, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. You should only take aloe vera to treat your gastritis if your doctor recommends that you do so.
References
- PubMed Health: Gastritis
- The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook: Gastritis
- Drugs.com: Diet for Ulcers and Gastritis
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gastritis
- MayoClinic.com: Gastritis
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Aloe Vera
- Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan: Effects of Aloe Extracts, Aloctin A, on Gastric Secretion and on Experimental Gastric Lesions in Rats
- Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation: Anti-inflammatory Effects of Aloe Vera on Leukocyte-Endothelium Interaction in the Gastric Microcirculation of Helicobacter Pylori-infected Rats
- Planta Medica: Aloe-emodin Effects on Arylamine N-acetyltransferase Activity in the Bacterium Helicobacter Pylori
