PEPTIC ULCERS:
To be ulcer-free, you’ve to be pitta-friendly

Prevalence of peptic ulcer in the US is over 5 million, affecting approximately 1 in 54, which is more than 1.84 percent as prevalence rate. That brings the annual incidence of peptic ulcer in the country to more than 3.7 million. That means a lifetime risk of peptic ulcer on a scale of 1 in 10 Americans over lifetime.

In all a little above twenty-five million Americans suffer from ulcers, which means 10 percent of the US population suffers from peptic ulcer disease.

Peptic ulcer refers to an area of the stomach or duodenal lining which becomes eroded by the stomach acid. Stomach and duodenal ulcers are collectively known as peptic ulcers.

You may notice no symptoms even if you have an ulcer, but frequently they are associated with indigestion or pain in the upper abdomen or lower chest. This pain may be worse before or after eating, and may frequently wake you in the early hours of the morning. The pain may go to the back or sometimes be perceived elsewhere.

If the ulcer bleeds you may vomit blood or partially digested blood (which looks like coffee grounds) or pass black stools (melaena), which contain changed blood. If any of these happen, waste no time seeking immediate medical attention.

CAUSES
ACCORDING TO WESTERN MEDICINE

1) Peptic ulcers often run in families
2) Smokers are at a higher risk than non-smokers
3) Heavy drinking
4) Frequent use of drugs like aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs
5) Presence of Helicobacter pylori

ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA

Peptic ulcers are triggered by high pitta dosha levels. And if everything is fine with – no family history of ulcers, no smoking, no drinking etc – you can still get an ulcer if you don’t know how to walk a tightrope on pitta. To be ulcer-free you have to be pitta-friendly. Not that you feed it with what it is made-up, but feed it with what it is not. Pitta-pacification is the key. Low pitta means better control over an ulcer.

Since pitta is hot, sharp, acidic, intense and oily, it acts as a perfect breeding ground for Helicobacter pylori.

To counter the hot, sharp, acidic, intense and oily pitta attributes, you have to have a diet that is just the opposite -- cool, dry, heavier, sweet and astringent.

Here is a list of what is hot and what is not:

WHAT IS HOT AND BAD FOR ULCERS?

Alcohol, coffee, pickles, vinegar, fried foods, spicy foods, fermented foods, curds, almond, corn, sesame, mustard oil, beets, carrots, brinjal, garlic, hot peppers, onions, spinach, tomatoes, sour and unripe fruits from the grapefruit, papayas, peaches, bananas, and apricots category. Brown rice, corn, millet, and rye.

WHAT IS NOT GOOD FOR ULCERS?

Sweet, bitter, astringent; cold, heavy, and dry foods. Moderation, coolness, attention to leisure, exposure to natural beauty, balance of rest and activity, music, aesthetic surroundings, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, green coriander, coriander seeds, cardamom, sprouts and raw foods. Cool or warm but not steaming hot foods, moderately heavy textures, less fat.

If you have already tried all this and yet nowhere near healing, you may need a comprehensive Ayurvedic therapy. Avail a FREE Online Consultation to begin with.

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