Gastritis is an infection of stomach mucosa by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. Initially the bacteria affects the non acid producing cells in the stomach and the stage is called acute gastritis. Gradually if affects the entirestomach's mucosa over time causing chronic gastritis.
Gastritis can also be caused by overuse of painkillers and certain allergic reactions. Stress, alcohol, cocaine and other narcotic drugs are also responsible for gastritis. Deficiency of vitamin B12 and use of certain spices have also been found to cause gastritis in many people.
The most common symptoms of gastritis include diarrhea and abdominal pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting. In addition you may have on and off symptoms of loss of appetite, bloating, burping and belching.;
Acute gastritis can last for a couple of days or more but untreated chronic gastritis can last for weeks, months or years. Bacterial gastritis usually require antibiotics to treat, but many of the following home remedies can give instant relief from gastritis pains and help you to recover from it quickly
Avoid Food and Beverages that Caused Gastritis
It is basic commonsense to avoid the food items that are the main causes of your gastritis. Following are the usual suspects, but you need to find out what is causing gastritis in your case:
1. Alcohol
Just stop alcohol for a month or so and see if the gastritis symptoms disappear. If they do then you have found your solution. Give up alcohol if you can or at least reduce the consumption to bare minimum. You will thank your guts.
2. Dairy Products
Stop eating all kinds of dairy products (except yogurt) even if the dairy is not the cause of your gastritis. Abstinence from dairy product will heal your gastritis fast.
3. All Kinds of Spicy Foods
Just stop spicy foods for some time. You can get back to spices gradually if you have to. But after knowing that you have gastritis you must give it up temporarily even if you love it and have been eating it ever since you know it.
The above three food items and any more that you have identified in your specific case should be given up for some time until you are recovered. then decide which ones to give up for ever and which ones require moderate consumption.
Take foods That Help Heal Gastritis
There are plenty of foods that can heal gastritis. Some of them will also kill the bacteria h. pylori. So even if your gastritis is a bacterial one and there is no other underlying reason, you should still eat these food items for faster recovery from gastritis.
1. Garlic
Garlic possesses antibiotic properties. You can add garlic to your diet, eat raw or take capsules. For some people with chronic heartburn problems, if raw garlic is not suitable then take garlic capsules.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli contains a compound known as sulforaphane has capabilities to kill H. pylori bacteria in the stomach lining. Interestingly, It has been found by scientists to even killing strains of H. pylori that have become resistant to antibiotic drugs.
Eating broccoli almost everyday will help you in getting rid of gastritis.
3. Probiotics
Organic yogurt is your best source of probiotics. It balances the good and bad bacteria in the stomach lining keeping your stomach healthy.
Probiotics also help absorption of Vitamin B12. Deficiency of vitamin B12 is also one of the causes of gastritis.
In addition to the above, ginger, pineapple, apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice and beetroot juices contain some of the other nutrients that counter the ill effects of medicines that you may be taking for other diseases. These medicines may be one of the causes of your gastritis.