Using Natural Remedies
Drink green tea to possibly lower H.pylori bacteria. While there’s no guarantee it will work, green tea may reduce the amount of H.pylori bacteria in your body so you can start to heal. Consume a cup of green tea daily while you’re experiencing gastritis symptoms. Then, continue to drink green tea once a week to help keep the bacteria under control. Warning: Green tea can irritate your stomach lining because it contains caffeine. If your symptoms worsen after you drink it, stop drinking green tea immediately and try a different remedy.
Sip on a glass of cranberry juice to help suppress H.pylori bacteria. Like with green tea, cranberry juice may lower your H.pylori bacteria, though there’s no guarantee it will work for you. Choose 100% pure, unsweetened cranberry juice. Drink an 8 fl oz (240 mL) glass of juice daily until your symptoms improve. Then, enjoy a glass once a week to keep H.pylori bacteria from growing. Read the label on your juice to make sure it’s not mixed with other juices. Many cranberry juices are actually a blend of cranberry and other fruit juices, like grape or apple juice.
Consume ginger tea daily to help relieve your gastritis symptoms. Ginger is a common natural treatment for stomach discomfort, and it may help relieve gastritis symptoms. Ginger may also be effective against H.pylori. For an easy option, use bagged ginger tea to brew a mug of tea. If you want to make your own tea, chop up a piece of ginger, boil the pieces in 1 cup (240 mL) of water for 5-10 minutes, strain out the ginger, and let the tea cool until it’s comfortable to drink. Keep drinking ginger tea daily until your symptoms go away.
Take garlic extract to potentially lower H.pylori levels. Garlic extract may help lower your levels of H.pylori bacteria so you can recover from gastritis. Choose garlic extract supplements that are third-party verified. Then, take them daily as directed on the label until your symptoms improve. You can purchase garlic extract as a liquid or pill at a local drug store, health food store, or online. Check with your doctor before you take any supplements, including garlic.Variation: Eating garlic may also help treat your gastritis symptoms. Choose recipes that contain fresh garlic as an ingredient or eat 1 raw clove of garlic daily to potentially help treat your gastritis.
Take probiotics to improve your digestive system. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help your body digest food and keep bad bacteria in check. Because they combat bad bacteria, probiotics may help control H.pylori bacteria that can cause your gastritis. Consume foods that contain probiotics every day. As another option, take a probiotic supplement. Foods that contain probiotics include yogurt with live active cultures, pickles, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, tempeh, kimchi, kefir, and sourdough bread. Always check with your doctor before taking a supplement to make sure it's safe for you.
Chew DGL extract 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is licorice with the chemical glycyrrhizin removed, as glycyrrhizin can cause side effects. DGL extract may protect your stomach lining from damage, which can help relieve your gastritis symptoms. Follow the directions on the bottle to use your supplement correctly. Typically, you'll chew 1-3 pills at a time either before or after a meal. Always check with your doctor before using a supplement. You can find DGL at a health food store, drug store, or online.
Use lemongrass, lemon verbena, or peppermint essential oil to fight H.pylori. Don’t ingest essential oils because they can be toxic. Instead, dilute your essential oil with a carrier oil by adding 2-3 drops of essential oil to 6 to 8 fl oz (180 to 240 mL) of almond oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil. Then, massage it onto your stomach. As another option, put your chosen scent into an essential oil diffuser and breathe in the scent. If you like to take baths, you can add 4-5 drops of essential oil to your bath water. Make sure you use 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils.
Taking Over-the-Counter Treatments
Consume an antacid to neutralize your stomach acid. Excess stomach acid in your stomach can worsen or contribute to your gastritis symptoms. Fortunately, over-the-counter antacids can neutralize the acid in your stomach to relieve your pain. Read and follow the directions on your antacid so you’re using it correctly. Check with your doctor before using over-the-counter treatments, including antacids. You might experience side effects like diarrhea or constipation while taking antacids.
Try an acid blocker to lower stomach acid production so you can heal. Acid blockers, also called histamine (H-2) blockers, can reduce how much acid your stomach makes, which can allow your stomach lining to heal. Purchase an over-the-counter acid blocker from your local drug store or online. Read the label and follow the dosing instructions. You can purchase acid blockers under the names famotidine (Pepcid), ranitidine (Zantac, Tritec), cimetidine (Tagamet HB), and nizatidine (Axid AR). It’s best to check with your doctor before you take over-the-counter acid blockers.
Use a proton pump inhibitor to reduce acid and encourage healing. Proton pump inhibitors reduce the amount of acid your body produces and help your stomach lining heal. Buy an over-the-counter proton pump inhibitor and read the instructions on the label. Take the medication exactly as directed to help you heal. Look for proton pump inhibitors under the product names omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (Aciphex). Check with your doctor before taking a proton pump inhibitor. Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors can increase your risk of fracturing your hip, wrists, or spine. Ask your doctor if taking a calcium supplement may help you minimize this risk.
Making Lifestyle Changes
Eat 6 small meals more frequently so you don’t get stuffed. Consuming a lot of food at once can worsen your gastritis symptoms because your stomach will be fuller. Cut the size of your meals in half but eat 6 times a day so you’re meeting your nutritional needs. To help you portion your meals, use a dessert plate and small cereal bowls instead of regular dishes. This might help you reduce your gastritis symptoms. For instance, you might eat 6 fluid ounces (180 mL) of yogurt for breakfast, carrots and hummus as a mid-morning meal, a side salad and tuna fish for lunch, string cheese and apple slices for a mid-afternoon snack, a bowl of soup for dinner, and 2 slices of toast with peanut butter as an evening snack. As an example, you might eat at 7:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. If your symptoms don’t start improving, try reducing the size of your meals again to see if that helps. You might still be eating big meals.
Chew your food until it's totally liquefied. Swallowing big bites of food makes it harder on your digestive system, which might contribute to your gastritis symptoms. Instead, chew your food for longer so it's completely turned to mush. This may help your stomach digest it more easily so you're less likely to experience symptoms. Don't eat in a rush. Take your time to chew each individual bite.
Cut your trigger foods out of your diet. While there’s no special diet for gastritis, certain foods may worsen your symptoms. Identify which foods seem to trigger stomach pain, burning, nausea, and feelings of fullness. Then, eliminate these foods from your diet to potentially help your symptoms improve. The following foods are common triggers for gastritis symptoms: Spicy foods Acidic foods and beverages Fried foods Fatty foods Alcohol
Try an elimination diet to see if you have a food allergy. In some cases, a food allergy may be causing your gastritis. Removing the allergen from your diet may help your stomach lining heal. To find out if you may have a food allergy, remove common food allergens from your diet for at least 2-4 weeks. If your symptoms go away, add each food back one at a time to see if your symptoms return. Stop eating any foods that make your gastritis symptoms return. Common food allergens include gluten, dairy, eggs, citrus fruits, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, corn, and shellfish. Remove these foods from your diet to see if your symptoms go away.
Limit or eliminate your alcohol consumption. Alcohol can trigger gastritis, especially if you drink often. Abstain from alcohol until your symptoms go away completely. Then, limit how often you drink alcohol so you don’t trigger your symptoms to return. Generally, women of all ages and men 65 and older should stick to 1 serving of alcohol a day, while men under the age of 65 can drink up to 2 servings of alcohol daily.
Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief instead of NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin may cause gastritis, so it’s best to avoid them while you’re recovering from your symptoms. Instead, take acetaminophen (Tylenol), as it’s gentler on your stomach. Just check with your doctor first to make sure over-the-counter pain relievers are right for you.
Manage your stress levels to help prevent flare-ups. Although stress is a normal part of life, too much stress can have a negative impact on your health. Incorporate stress relievers into your daily schedule to help manage your stress. You might try the following stress relievers: Go for a nature walk. Take a warm bath. Engage in a hobby. Talk to a friend. Write in a journal. Color in an adult coloring book. Do yoga. Meditate for 15-30 minutes. Play with your pet.
Stop smoking if you do. You probably know that smoking is bad for your health, but quitting can be very difficult. Unfortunately, cigarette smoke is an irritant that can inflame your stomach lining, which can trigger gastritis. Talk to your doctor about using quitting aids to stop smoking. Additionally, consider joining a support group to help you quit. You might be able to use quitting aids like gum, lozenges, patches, or prescription medication to help you quit.
When to Seek Medical Care
Visit your doctor if you have gastritis for a week or longer. You may be able to treat your gastritis naturally. However, it’s best to get medical treatment if your symptoms aren’t improving. See your doctor if you have the following symptoms every day for at least a week: Pain or burning in your upper abdomen Nausea Vomiting Fullness in your upper abdomen after you eat
Take your antibiotic as directed if your doctor prescribes one. You may need an antibiotic to treat gastritis caused by H.pylori bacteria. Talk to your doctor to find out if you need an antibiotic. Then, take your antibiotic exactly as directed to treat your infection. Don’t stop taking your medication early, even if you start feeling better. Take all of your medication because your infection could come back stronger if you discontinue your antibiotic early.
Ask your doctor if NSAIDs or medication may be triggering your symptoms. NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin can irritate your stomach lining and cause gastritis. Additionally, certain medications may aggravate your stomach lining. Consult your doctor if your symptoms start after you take NSAIDs or if you’re worried your gastritis may be a side effect of a medication you’re taking. They may advise you to take a different over-the-counter pain reliever or might adjust your medication. Don’t stop taking a prescribed medication without your doctor’s approval. Your doctor gave you the medication for a reason, and you don’t want to accidentally compromise your health.
Get emergency medical care if you vomit up blood or have black stools. Try not to worry, but vomiting up blood or having black stools could be a sign of a more serious condition. Visit an emergency room or see your doctor for a same day appointment to find out what’s causing your symptoms. Then, follow your doctor’s treatment advice so you can start to recover. These are serious symptoms, so don’t wait to go to the doctor. You may have a serious medical condition.
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