A relatively easy diagnosis and treatment doesn’t mean you should discount the severity of an aching abdomen or other persistent symptoms. When ulcers go untreated, they can become a serious health issue.
1 Get to know your risk factors.
2 Consult your doctor about your meds.
3 Take your “quadruple” medication therapy (the multiple antibiotics typically prescribed to treat H. pylori) with a bowl of yogurt.
4 Embrace the power of probiotics. Boosting the body’s supply of healthy bacteria may help to fight off H. pylori and treat (or prevent) stomach ulcers. Pop a daily probiotic supplement, eat more probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and add more foods to your diet that are known to nourish gut flora, including apples, leafy greens, blueberries and olive oil. Plus, make sure you know the real deal on probiotics.
5 Do load up on ulcer-healing foods.Start by switching to honey. Not only does it contain polyphenols and other antioxidants, but honey is also an antibacterial that has been shown to inhibit the growth of H. pylori.
6 Make a list of foods to avoid while treating your ulcer. Certain spices, including black pepper, chili pepper and mustard seed may worsen symptoms. So can coffee, black tea and chocolate, since the caffeine they contain stimulates acid production, which can irritate your ulcer. Switching to five or six big snacks throughout the day, as opposed to a big breakfast, lunch and dinner, can also reduce the effects of stomach acid and boost healing.
7 Find ways to deal with stress.
8 Monitor your symptoms. If you experience red or black vomit or stools, or have intense pain in the abdomen, call your doctor or go to the hospital right away.
