As a young 
man growing up in a small community of New Brunswick, ulcers were not exactly the main focus of my attention, until I came home one day to find what looked like chunks of fresh liver on the carpet. Since both the bathroom and bedroom doors were open, in our little one bedroom apartment, I knew my Nan wasn’t home. I later was told my Grandmother was rushed to the hospital with a perforated ulcer and almost died. An hour later, I was at the hospital sitting by my Nan and holding her hand. She was going to be okay.
That near brush with death would later put me on a mission to find some answers about how this condition happens and how to prevent it from happening(especially to me). After surviving a bout of Pancreatitis myself in 2006,I developed a deeper understanding of ulcers and how they affect other organs of the body.
Like so many before me, I mistook it for an ulcer, trying to treat it with OTC(over the counter) antacids and other remedies.
don’t be fooled. This can be just as dangerous as bleeding ulcer. After my recovery, I discovered that the pancreas not only produces Insulin to regulate blood sugar, but it also produces Hydro-Chloric Acid (HCI)
The digestive juice that turns our food to liquid so our body can absorb it through the intestines. Stomach ulcers occur when the thick layer of mucus that protects your stomach from digestive juices is reduced. This allows the digestive acids to eat away at the tissues that line the stomach, causing an ulcer.
Stomach ulcers may be easily cured, but they can become severe without proper treatment.
What causes stomach ulcers?
Stomach ulcers are almost always caused by one of the following:
an infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen
Rarely, a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers by increasing the body’s production of acid. This syndrome is suspected to cause less than 1 percent of all peptic ulcers.
Treatment
Aim to include good sources of soluble fibre at each meal. Vegetables, fruits, oatmeal and oat bran, barley, peanut butter, nuts, nut butters, and legumes such as lentils, dried beans, and peas are good sources. A diet high in soluble fibre may help to prevent ulcers from coming back.
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FUN FACTS
Did you know :
-The trace element, Bismuth Subsalicylate can also be beneficial in the treatment of peptic ulcers. Ever wonder what “Pepto- Bismol really is?
– Did you know it is medically, chemically, physically and emotionally impossible to Laugh and sprout an ulcer simultaneously? Try it some time.
“ Of all the food we eat, only one third of it keeps us alive…the other 2/3’s keep the Doctors alive”
George Burns
NOTE * :
Although all material mentioned herein is based on scientific fact, it is for information purposes Only! And not intended to be construed or used as a substitute to diagnose, treat or cure any health problems or mental disorders or any symptoms thereof. Consult your Family or General Practitioner and/or Dietitian before starting any form of health regime.
