Do you suffer with Gastritis?

Sticking with the digestion theme, let's talk about gastritis. 

What is Gastritis? 
Gastritis is any inflammation in the stomach that does not involve an ulcer, typically involving inflammation of the mucosa.  Doctors have previously believed that gastritis is the result of excess stomach acid and used drugs to decrease the gastric juices.  In 1983, researchers discovered that H pylori was the leading cause of gastritis.  If you have gastritis, it means that the body’s protective functions are not working properly. 
 
Symptoms:
Gnawing or burning ache, pain in stomach that gets better or worse with food, loss of appetite, bloating, belching, hiccup, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, dark stools, feeling full even if you haven’t eaten much, weight loss.
 
Causes: There are many possible causes of gastritis:  Alcohol, H. Pylori, NSAID use, smoking, chronic stress, bile reflux, drinking poisons or other caustic substance, Autoimmune disorder, Corticosteroids, cancer drugs, antibiotics, excess coffee, organ failure, severe stress or trauma.
 
The top three causes of gastritis

H. Pylori - a bacteria that burrows into the mucosa of the stomach because of this ability, it is able to hide pretty well and is difficult to eradicate.  It creates an immune system response that can inflame the stomach wall and may eventually lead to an ulcer.  Because of inflammation, there are increased free radicals that deplete antioxidants in the gastric juices and stomach wall, it is typically treated with antibiotics. 
 
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) -  include Aspirin, Ibuprophen, Naproxin and Celebrexl.  They disrupt the activity of the COX-1 enzyme which is essential for fatty acid production and for maintaining the health of the stomach wall.
 
Alcohol is very destructive to most of the digestive tract and can cause many GI issues. People who drink daily, over time, can develop GI issues.
 
Toxins that may irritate or upset the digestive tract:

• Sugar – supports overgrowth of yeast, bacteria and parasites
• Nicotine – Increases acid production
• Alcohol – a direct irritant to the GI mucosa
• Caffeine – increases acid production
• Chemicals – food additives, preservatives, pesticides can irritate the gut lining. 

  
How Gastritis is treated: 
In conventional medicine, doctors focus on decreasing stomach acidity with medications which have side effects and can alter the normal structure of the digestive tract wall.  By decreasing stomach acidity, you are allowing the possibility for bacteria to grow there.  You are also decreasing intrinsic factor.  Intrinsic factor is necessary for the absorption of B12, so your B12 may also be depleted. 
 
The holistic approach rebuilds the integrity of the stomach lining and normalizes the gastrointestinal tract pH and function.
  
What you can do:

• Look at the causes (or triggers) and remove them.
• Chew your food well
• Consume alkalinizing foods, this means a lot of fruit and vegetables included in your diet.  In the beginning you might want to keep it simple and eat mono meals that you blend, juice, steam, bake or puree. 
• Consume cultured foods which includes miso soup
• Avoid:  Spicy, fatty foods, meat, fish, refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, chocolate, coffee, teas, colas, alcohol, tobacco etc.

 
Juices for stomach acid balance:  Carrot juice, Carrot/Cabbage juice, Pineapple/Papaya juice
Teas that help soothe: Slippery elm tea, Chamomile tea, Ginger tea
 
Nutrients that encourage mucus production and growth of new cell linings: Beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and N-Acetyl cysteine.
 
Supplements that may help

• Bismuth because it helps keep bacteria from adhering and thriving to the stomach walls.
• Deglycerized Licorice (DGL) -  chew 2 – 380 mg tablets 3-4 x per day on an empty stomach

 
 
 
Sources:  Digestive Wellness, Liz Lipski; Healthy Healing, Linda Page, PhD; Digestive Intelligence, Irina Malveikova, MD; Optimal Digestive Health, A Complete Guide, Healthy Digestion the Natural Way, D Lindsey Burkson; The Inflammation Syndrome, Jack Challem