Diet for a Person With Ulcers

Ulcers can be an extremely painful condition brought on by certain foods you eat. These foods trigger the acids in your stomach to react, which irritate the lining of your esophagus; this results in the pain and discomfort you feel. Though there are medications, both over-the-counter and prescription, that can help control the production of these acids, making minor adjustments to your diet may be all you need to prevent and cure your stomach ulcers.

Recognize the Symptoms

• Before you can seek the advice of your health care physician or make necessary changes to your diet to help relieve pain caused by ulcers, you need to be aware of the symptoms that typically accompany an ulcer.

  Once you have eaten something that has triggered the acids in your stomach, it can result in what many know as heartburn, or a burning feeling in the stomach. This feeling can last for as few as 30 minutes or as long as three hours. You will feel it anywhere between your upper abdomen and breastbone.

  Some people may be awakened frequently from sleep due to the pain and experience it in streaks--you may find yourself experiencing heartburn every night for a month straight and then find yourself pain free for a month straight. The pain is generally relieved if you drink milk, eat saltines or bread, or take an antacid.

Look at Your Diet

• In general, a diet for person with ulcers is one that requires more mildly flavored foods which are easier to digest. There is no special diet in particular that corrects ulcers for everyone; it is based on the foods which cause the flare-up to begin with. This being said however, certain foods are known to irritate the lining of the stomach and should be avoided by those suffering from ulcers.

  You may want to begin by examining your diet and keeping a food journal. Each time you have an episode, write down what you ate just prior to the episode. Over time, you may begin to see a pattern developing which will indicate the foods you need to eliminate.

  Include the foods you have determined you can tolerate into each and every meal. This will help ensure you eat as much of a balanced, healthy diet as possible.

  Eat at the same time each day to regulate the production of stomach acid, and be sure to eat fewer meals through the day; the more meals you eat, the more acid is produced by the stomach. You should also choose low fat or nonfat dairy products to slow down acid production and limit these choices to three servings a day.

Foods to Avoid

• Spicy foods, such as black and red pepper, chilies and hot peppers, along with alcohol consumption, can irritate the lining of the stomach, resulting in the development or worsening of stomach acids.

  Tomatoes, tomato juice, citrus fruits and juices may also need to be reduced or avoided due to their level of acidity. Foods high in fat, such as fried foods and potato chips, may also need to be reduced or completely avoided.

  In addition, foods high in caffeine like coffee, tea and sodas play a large role in increasing stomach acids, as do certain seasonings such as onions, garlic, and cloves.

  How much you reduce these foods, or whether you eliminate them from your diet depends on whether or not they trigger your ulcer attack. Again, dietary adjustments vary according per person.

Foods to Eat

• Just as there are foods which trigger or upset your ulcer, there are also foods which do not increase stomach acids.

  High fiber foods are one type of food which are considered safe for those with ulcers to eat, especially whole grain foods. Breads and starches are typically included in this category and include mashed potatoes, cooked rice, dry cereal and oatmeal. The recommended daily amount is six to 10 servings.

  Fruits should include two to four servings a day, however citrus fruits which are high in acid should be avoided.

  Vegetables should also also include two to four servings a day, however vegetables such as cabbage, onions and broccoli may increase the amount of gas you have. If you find them to be troublesome, avoid them.

  Finally, two to four servings of meat a day are recommended, but you should choose your seasonings carefully. Give careful consideration to meat preparation as well; baking versus frying will reduce your risk of suffering from an ulcer attack.