ULCERS

 

Doubled over in pain, drinking milk or taking an antacid is how you might find someone who says, "I have an ulcer!" One in 10 Americans will find themselves dealing with this painful disease.

Peptic ulcers are found in the stomach or duodenum (the first section of the small intestine just below the stomach). Ulcer pain occurs because part of the mucous membrane of the stomach or duodenum is being eaten into by the digestive secretions.

Ulcers are characterized by intense stomach pain. The sufferer may also experience heartburn, nausea and/or anemia. Because eating neutralizes the stomach acid, food intake temporarily stops ulcer pain, but the pain returns once the food is digested.

Doctors have long gone by the theory that too much stress is the main cause of ulcers. Stress causes the stomach to churn and the acids to increase to such high levels that the stomach begins eating itself. To solve this problem doctors first suggest taking antacids. Antacids reduce the acid in the stomach and relieve pain, but they may cause kidney stones, heart and kidney problems, calcium and phosphorus depletion and/or aluminum accumulation in the brain that could lead to Alzheimer's disease.

Doctors may also prescribe drugs such as Tagamet and Zantac for ulcer treatment. These drugs have an antispasmodic effect and they suppress stomach acid production. These drugs successfully relieve the pain, but they also have serious side effects. By increasing estrogen levels, they can cause sexual dysfunction and breast development in men, PMS, endometriosis and uterine fibroids in women. Patients on any of these medications must be on them long term or the ulcers will return.

Scientific studies on ulcers and their treatment show that stress may be only part of the cause. A spiral bacteria, Heliobacter pylori, is almost always found in persons who have ulcers and seldom found in those who don't. By killing this bacteria, ulcers are commonly relieved. This bacteria survives in the stomach acid by living in the protective lining and producing an enzyme, urease, which neutralizes the stomach acid.

With a blood test from your physician, you can discover if you are infected with these ulcer causing bacteria. Doctors will prescribe antibiotics to treat this infection which also can have serious side effects.

There are several lifestyle habits that may increase your ulcer risk. Studies show that diets low in fiber, smoking, regular intake of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and regular drinking of alcohol, coffee or caffeinated drinks can cause ulcers. Food allergies may also be the cause of ulcers and if this is the cause the ulcer will continue until the food is eliminated. Try an elimination diet.

Besides changing your lifestyle to remove stress and other factors which may cause ulcers, there are also many herbal products available which can ease the symptoms and help the stomach to heal. Because ulcer symptoms are similar to those of gastric cancer, be sure to consult with a physician before trying the following natural forms of ulcer therapy.

LICORICE ROOT (in whole herb form) is an anti-inflammatory and has long been used historically in the treatment of ulcers. Licorice strengthens the stomach lining by increasing the number of mucus secreting cells. Because the use of licorice extract brought on extreme edema and heart failure, many people were scared away from using licorice, but licorice in its whole form or as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) causes no side effects and is highly effective in treating ulcers. In one study 40 patients with severe duodenal ulcers prevented surgery and relieved all ulcer pain and symptoms by taking 3 to 4.5 grams of licorice daily for 8 to 16 weeks.

GASTRO HEALTH is a product designed specifically to help ulcers by killing Heliobacter pylori. It contains licorice in combination with the antibacterial herbs cloves, inula and pau d' arco.

PLS-II contains slippery elm and marshmallow, mucilants which pull toxins from the digestive tract, soothe digestive inflammation and strengthen mucous membranes. Goldenseal fights infection while fenugreek helps relieve digestive upset.

LYMPH GLAND CLEANSE blends echinacea, goldenseal, yarrow and capsicum to fight infection and reduce inflammation.

ST-JOHN'S WORT helps ulcers because of its antispasmodic, nervine, relaxant and counterirritant effects.

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Contact: Karen Olerich, Herb Specialist and Natural Health Consultant

Phone: (719) 495-4930

E-mail: Karen