Prevent and Treat Holiday Ulcers

Many customers have visited us over recent weeks seeking out relief and alternative healing treatment for ulcers. Not surprising. As we approach the holidays, rich, heavy foods and alcohol find their way into our digestive tracts in greater frequency. Poor food combining is a hallmark of the holidays (a traditional Thanksgiving meal breaks ALL food combining rules), which throws off the delicate balance of digestive juices and enzymes, resulting in poor digestion.  Add all that to stress, a well-known perpetrator of ulcers that also increases around the holidays, and the ideal stage is set for an ulcer to occur.  During an ulcer, stomach acid literally burns a hole through the stomach or duodenal wall... Ouch! Horribly sharp burning pains result.

Factors Associated with Ulcers Include:

Alcohol and tobacco use

Regular use of Aspirin and other NSAID's

Poor food combining
Overly acidic, spicy, greasy foods

Food allergies and food sensitivies

Excess caffeine, especially energy drinks and other sugar-laced caffeine beverages

Stress – (“Calm down or you’ll give me an ulcer!")

Thankfully, simple herbal therapies come to the rescue to soothe the pain and heal the damage.  These natural options relieve the pain and burning, promote healing, and prevent ulcers from recurring in the future.  While antacids and other OTC ulcer medications do relieve symptoms, they do not address the underlying causes, and in some cases can exacerbate the problems that caused the ulcer in the first place.

Step 1: Soothe

Marshmallow root is soothing and healing
to the entire digestive tract.

• GI Gel: A combination of two of nature’s best soothers (Marshmallow root and Slippery Elm bark), this dynamic powdered duo creates a soothing and healing gel when added to water or juice.  It lines the entire lining of the digestive tract to soothe, protect and decrease pain and inflammation of the irritated ulcerated tissues. 

 Step 2: Fight Infection

Herbal Biotic contains
herbs that are effective
against H. pylori.

Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria with the uniquely virulent ability to exist in an overly acidic environment (the stomach).  H. pylori is believed to be at least contribute to 90% of stomach ulcers.

• Herbal Biotic: A blend of antimicrobial and astringent herbs that fights H. pylori infections and help to restore tone and tissue integrity of ulcerated tissues. 

•  Garlic: Strongly antibacterial, garlic has been found to be effective against fighting H. pylori infections. 

Step 3: Heal

• DGL: A Licorice root supplement that increases the health of the cells that line the inner stomach wall.  It decreases inflammation, increases secretions, prostaglandin and mucous production of these cells to promote healing.  

Step 4: Prevent
- Determine your individual hydrochloride (HCl) levels. Ulcers can occur in the presence of both low and high HCl. Take 1 capsule of HCl with a meal, if burning is felt, it indicates you have high level of HCl which may be contributing to your ulcer.  If no burning is felt, take 2 capsules with your next meal, and continue increasing by 1 capsule each meal until burning is felt.  Subtract 1 capsule from the amount that caused burning and take that amount with each meal.  This will ensure sufficient levels of HCl for optimal digestion and a decreased likelihood towards ulcers.   

- Identify and eliminate food allergens

- Practice proper food combining

- Avoid excessively greasy, spicy or acidic foods that are hard on the stomach

- Take Digestive Enzymes with every meal to ensure optimal digestion and reduce incidence of food sitting in the stomach, causing reactions.

- Avoid drinking excess water or other liquids with meals as they dilute digestive enzymes in the stomach

- Smaller meals are easier to digest than larger meals

- Eat plenty of demulcent foods like oatmeal, flax, bananas, and other soothing fibers that are healing to the gut and easy to digest.

- Raw cabbage promotes regeneration of a degraded gut lining

- Manage your stress levels! Kava Kava Plus is our herbal stress tonic that helps promote a feeling of calm and grounding even amidst the stressful chaos that life so often brings.  

For more information visit TheHerbalist.com and discover the herbal remedies best suited for your needs.
 
 Shared by Lauren H. at The Herbalist.