Stomach ulcers, also known as peptic or gastric ulcers, are open sores in the lining of the stomach.The most common cause of stomach ulcers is the bacteria helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. Ulcers may also be caused by overuse of painkillers, such as aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
Because of the amount of acid present in the stomach, when ulcers occur, they are often extremely painful.Stomach ulcers are often treated with antibiotics or medications to reduce, block, or neutralize stomach acid.
There are also natural home remedies you can use to help ease the symptoms of a stomach ulcer and help it heal.
Vitamin E
Doctors at the Kiev Medical Institute reported that 300 mg of vitamin E daily effectively treated peptic ulcers of 28 patients. Patients taking vitamin E also had increased protein repair in their intestinal linings and gained from 1.5 to 3 kg during the study, while the controls did not gain any weight.
Bananas
Unripe bananas provides a strong protective coating to help prevent and heal ulcers. Bananas also promote cell growth in the intestinal tract. They contain water-soluble polysaccharides, the same compounds found in the anti-ulcer prescription drug Carafate.
For ulcer treatment, unripe whole bananas will have some effect, but the best results are obtained with banana powder. To make banana powder, you need to: peel the bananas and cut them into thin slices, put them in an oven, or a food dehydrator, and dry them slowly. Then grind them into a fine powder. Mix 2 tablespoons of the powder with 1 tablespoon of honey.You should take this mixture three times a day.
Honey
Honey is far from simply sweet. Depending on the plant it’s derived from, honey can contain up to 200 elements, including polyphenols and other antioxidants. Honey is a powerful antibacterial and has been shown to inhibit H. pylori growth. As long as you have normal blood sugar levels, you can enjoy honey as you would any sweetener, with the bonus of soothing your ulcers.
Certain varieties of honey can be more effective than others at healing ulcers. I have reports from Saudi Arabia, where local honey was used to cure ulcers, and from doctors in Egypt and Russia, who have had positive results using their local honeys.
The key to successful ulcer treatment appears to hinge on it being natural, unprocessed honey. Two tablespoons a day should be about right for most types of honey. When the problem has eased, 1 tablespoon daily will probably be enough.
Garlic
Garlic extract has been shown to inhibit H. pylori growth in lab, animal, and human trials. If you don’t like the taste (and lingering aftertaste) of garlic, you can take garlic extract in supplemental form. Garlic acts as a blood thinner, so ask your doctor before taking it if you use warfarin or other prescription blood thinners.