Gastroparesis is literally paralysis of stomach. It is a condition in which your stomach cannot empty itself a normal fashion. It is also called delayed gastric emptying (DTE). Often, the cause of gastroparesis is unknown.
Generally, the vagus nerve, which regulates the digestive system gets damaged preventing the muscles in the stomach and intestines from functioning. This stops food from moving through the digestive system properly.
It is believed that uncontrolled diabetes is one of the main causes of gastroparesis. Other causes include Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Certain medications such as antidepressants and narcotics may also cause gastroparesis.
Sometimes if the Vagus nerve is damaged during gastric surgery, then gastroparesis may occur. There may be other rare diseases that can cause gastroparesis.
Unfortunately there is no proper conventional treatment for gastroparesis is established as yet.Therefore, depending on home remedies and dietary control are the key to deal with It.
Most of the prescribed medications are experimental and have serious side effects. Though, most doctors do not yet fully understand it, you should still consider treatment under their supervision, even if it is a lifestyle change and dietary controls only.
The most common symptoms of gastroparesis are a pain in the stomach area, abdominal bloating and acid reflux followed by lack of appetite. The severity and frequency of symptoms may vary from person to person and from time to time. Eating fatty foods, foods rich in fiber such as fruits and vegetables and drinking soda can be very difficult.
Home Remedies for Gastroparesis
Most remedies will depend on controlling blood sugar levels and reducing digestive difficulties of food. Since Gastroparesis is a fluctuating condition a remedy that works now may not work on another occasion and yet may work later. So people with this condition must be ready to deal with unpredictability.
1. Control Blood Sugar
Since diabetes worsens the condition, it is important to regulate blood sugar more seriously. In fact if you do not have gastroparesis, but your sugar levels remain continuously high and you have uncontrolled diabetes, then sooner or later it may affect the Vegas nerve and you may get gastroparesis. So be careful. It is important to extremely important control diabetes.
2. Changing Diet and Nutrition
The severity of gastroparesis can certainly be reduced by changing eating habits.
- eat less at a time. Instead of 3 meals a day eat 6-8 meals a day in small quantities. Smaller portions will help stomach to empty easily even if it remains slow.
- chew your food well so that the digestive tract has to do less work
- do not lie down within 2 hours after the meal. Sit or walk.
In addition to the above care, choose you food with care.
- avoid fatty foods
- avoid high fiber foods
- do not drink carbonated drinks
many fibrous fruits and vegetables such as oranges and broccoli are difficult to digest so avoid them. Most raw vegetables may cause problems but cooked one will be easy to pass through the digestive system.
3. Liquid Diet
If you have severe gastroparesis symptoms, then go for liquid diet for a few days. Liquids can empty faster than the solid food. Puréed fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables can be consumed by adding them to shakes and soups.
4. Low Fat Yogurt
Probiotic low fat yogurt is an excellent home remedy for gastroparesis. The good bacteria in yogurt help to digest food (you will be anyway taking easily digestible food) and move the food comparatively smoother in the intestine.
5. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is nutritious and has mild laxative capabilities. Eating 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera Juice before any meal once or twice a day will manage your bowel movement better.
Under the most extreme cases of gastroparesis leading to severe nausea, vomiting, and dehydration IV fluids can be given at a medical center on urgent basis.
You have to realize that you have to live with this chronic condition throughout your life. Its severity may vary from time to time, but if you take care of your diet and frequency of diet, then you can manage gastroparesis very well and lead a comfortable life.