Gastritis

What is gastritis and why does it occur?

Inflammation of the lining of the stomach, which is the underlying cause of gastritis, can be caused by intoxication (such as excess alcohol, tobacco, toxic, caustic, irritating, hot, toxic substances, drugs - especially anti-inflammatory drugs), the presence of bacteria (Helicobacter Pylori) in the stomach, lack of sleep or severe stress, infections, allergic conditions or an autoimmune reaction.

General symptoms

Gastritis may manifest with the following symptoms:

• Continuous or intermittent stomach pain
• Feeling of heartburn
• Feeling of nausea and vomiting
• Acid regurgitation
• Nausea
• Bloating
• Abnormal feeling of fullness after eating
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of body mass
• Black stool

Types of gastritis

• Acute food toxic acute gastritis
• Chronic gastritis
• Hypoacidic and anacidic gastritis
• Hyperacid gastritis

Diagnosing gastritis

For this purpose, the doctor may recommend the following investigations:

• Stool culture examination for infection or bleeding in the stomach lining.
• Detection of Helicobacter pylori antigen in feces.
• Barium radiography (ingestion of a barium solution and tracing the barium solution along the digestive tract).
• Upper GI endoscopy (inserting a flexible tube called an endoscope with a mini video camera) through the esophagus into the stomach to look for possible signs of inflammation.
• Biopsy of gastric tissue for analysis.

How is gastritis treated?

Treatment aims to reduce the amount of stomach acid to allow the stomach lining to heal.

In addition to the natural treatment, it is advisable to follow these recommendations:

• Eat less, in smaller portions
• Avoid spicy, acidic or fried foods
• Avoid alcohol
• Remove the causes of stress.

Diet and herbal treatment will be managed according to the types of gastritis that may manifest. We will address them in turn below.

Acute food toxic acute gastritis

May occur after heavy alcohol consumption, heavy meals (with fats, mushrooms, certain spices), stress, Helicobacter Pylori infection, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - aspirin, indomethacin, diclofenac, ibuprofen etc. The disease lasts 2-5 days.

Symptoms:

• Stomach upset
• Pain in the upper abdomen immediately after eating
• Bad taste
• Nausea
• Vomiting - first food, then bilious or mucousy
• Sometimes digestive bleeding
• Diarrhea or constipation sometimes.

For pain relief, apply an alcoholized wet compress. It helps to evacuate the stomach contents.

Antacids are also recommended. These are substances that neutralize hydrochloric acid, decreasing the amount of acid in the gastric contents that reaches the duodenum. Natural antacids include certain herbal teas (at Plafar you can find Gastric Tea, Gastrocip, etc.), clay, natural products (charcoal, Papaya Enzyme, etc.).

For the first few days, the diet is hydric, with herbal teas and strained vegetable soups. After 2 days, pureed vegetables, bread, rice, rice, semolina, pasta, grated apples and later dairy products, eggs.

Herbal remedies:

• Tea of: chamomile, lemongrass, goose-grass, rosemary, rowan, rowan-tail, obligatany, mouse-tail, horsetail, unsweetened or sweetened with a little honey. Drink 2-3 cups/day.
• Algo clay cure.
• Peppermint reduces inflammation, pain. Cure for 2 weeks with 2-3 cups/day of peppermint infusion.

Chronic gastritis

It follows acute gastritis if alcohol, hot and irritating foods are abused or in those who eat fast and at irregular hours. It is accompanied by hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa and hyperacidity, and may progress to atrophy of the gastric mucosa and lack of acidity of gastric juice.

Symptoms:

• Loss of appetite
• Sometimes heartburn or stomach pain
• Anemia caused by digestive bleeding.

If infection with Helicobacter Pylori has been found, it must be specifically controlled. Avoid large meals and diet without irritating foods. Treatment will aim to neutralize the acid secretion.

Examples of forbidden and allowed foods can be found in the area of hyperacid gastritis in the rows below.

Herbal remedies

• Com obligean root helps heal gastritis or ulcers in a few weeks. It has the following characteristics which help the digestive system: antispasmodic, bactericidal, weak analgesic, soothing, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic and depurative, emmenagogue, hemostatic, strong appetite stimulator, strong regulator of stomach peristalsis and stomach secretions, general tonic, mild sedative. It can be used as a macerate, decoction, combined infusion, powder (to be freshly ground as it has volatile oils) or tincture.
  Recipe for tincture of obligeana: chop the cleaned fresh root as finely as possible, put it in a jar (with a tight-fitting lid) and cover the plant with 40 proof alcohol, just enough to cover it by 1-2 cm. If making powder from the dried root (with a grater) fill the jar half full with the herb and pour the alcohol to the top. Let it macerate for 2 weeks, shaking the jar at least 2 times/day. Then filter and put in dark or dark sealed bottles. Dacia-plant and Favisan make this tincture. For the treatment, take 10-30 drops in ½ glass of water, 3 times daily, before meals.
  ⚠Precautions: it is not recommended to use more than 4 teaspoons of tincture / day as it may cause strong nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Treatment is for 3 months with a 1 month break.
• Drink vegetable juices: carrot + beetroot + spinach (or cucumber), spinach juice. Spinach cleanses and regenerates the digestive tract. The action is not seen immediately, but after 6 weeks to 2 months of juicing.
• Vegetable charcoal, in powder or tablet form, neutralizes the acidity of gastric juice. Take 1 tablespoon of powder with ½ glass of water 3 times daily. Soothes pain quickly.
• Algo clay treatment.

Hypoacid and anacid gastritis

It is characterized by lack of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice. Consequently, the activity of pepsin which breaks down protein molecules in the stomach is reduced. Microbes that have entered the stomach will no longer be destroyed, and the microbes pass further into the intestine where they produce enterocolitis.

Symptoms:

• Feeling of heaviness in the stomach
• Pain in the upper abdomen after eating
• Nausea, vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Diarrhea or constipation sometimes.

The diet will take into account which foods are allowed and which are forbidden, as follows:

• Forbidden foods: milk, alcohol, ice cream, ice cream, alkaline mineral waters, hot drinks, fatty cheeses, bacon, fried fat, marmalade, pepper, pickles.
• Permitted foods: tea, a little soda, fruit/vegetable juice, chlorosodic mineral waters, dry bread, mashed potatoes, well-boiled rice and semolina, mashed oatmeal, mashed vegetables, boiled and pureed vegetables (carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, green peas, spinach, nettles), baked fruit, no sugar, or stewed stewed apples, pears, plums, plums, apricots, peaches, cherries, cherries, gooseberries, lean freshwater fish (mackerel, pike, lin, trout, trout, perch), steamed omelettes, cottage cheese, cottage cheese, cottage cheese, curd, butter, non-fat meat and bone soups, red soups, pureed bors, biscuits, fruit jellies, parsley leaves, dill, tarragon, dill. Raw vegetables and fruit should be eaten in very small quantities, gradually increasing the quantity to accommodate.

Herbal remedies

• Fennel tea (1 teaspoon / cup, drink a quarter of a cup, half an hour before meals), savory (3 tablespoons / cup, drink 3-4 tablespoons, half an hour before meals), tarragon (1 teaspoon / cup, drink a quarter of a cup, half an hour before meals), tonic tea aperitif from Plafar, wormwood (infusion or tincture taken 15 minutes before meals).
• Fennel: contains volatile oil, mucilages, phytosterols and their glycosides, fatty acids, resin acids, an antibiotic principle, bitter substances, tannins, vit. B, mineral salts (K, Ca, Mg). It aids digestion by increasing gastric juice. Its bitter substances make you hungry. It has a depurative, tonic, antiseptic, antibiotic action. It is recommended in stomach disorders, gastritis, anaciditis, hypoacidity, gallbladder or pancreatic disorders. For internal treatment, infuse for 10 min. with 1 teaspoon plant / 250 ml boiling water. Strain and drink in installments throughout the day half an hour before meals. Externally take baths, apply compresses with infusion 10 min. made with 1 teaspoon plant / 250 ml water or decoction 3 min. Do not exceed the prescribed dose. At high doses, ulceration of the mouth, esophagus, vomiting or diarrhea may occur. Not recommended for pregnant women.
• Take a pinch of obligatana root powder 20-30 min before main meals. It stimulates and regulates digestion. Not to be taken by people with diarrhea or irritable colon.
• Vegetable salad with grated horseradish with main meals. Before meals, 1-2 tablespoons of horseradish tonic wine can be taken. This is prepared by macerating 15 tablespoons of horseradish in 1 liter of natural red wine for 9 days. Then filter. Overuse of horseradish can cause digestive disorders.
• Bee honey normalizes the secretory and motor activity of the stomach. This is why honey is also used to sweeten teas. Mountain honey is recommended.
• Clay: drink clay water - half a teaspoonful / 1 glass of water - before meals.
• Devil's claw (Harpagophytum). Take 1 capsule a few minutes before meals.
• Mineral waters are recommended.

Over-acid gastritis

Hyperacid gastritis, as its name suggests, is characterized by hyperacidity in the gastric mucosa. Over-acid gastritis is often caused by overexertion of the stomach or hyperacidity caused by psychosocial stress.

It is often accompanied by peptic ulcer disease (ulceration of the gastric mucosa). The ulcer occurs when the factors that damage the gastric mucosa are stronger than the factors that protect it, i.e. the mucus layer and the mucosal epithelium. The aggressors do not allow hydrogen ions from hydrochloric acid and pepsin (secreted by the stomach) to penetrate deep down. An important role in the integrity of the mucosal defense is played by prostaglandin E, a fatty acid-derived substance produced naturally by the body.

The mucosal barrier can be disrupted by a number of aggressive factors such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol, bile acids, smoking, stress, increased secretion of pepsin and hydrochloric acid, which occurs particularly in Helicobacter pylori infection, etc. Gastroduodenitis can also be caused by anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, cortisone, etc.) The Helicobacter Pylori bacteria, once it has penetrated the mucous membrane, produces an enzyme (urease) which, by breaking down into carbon dioxide and ammonia, alkalizes the environment and is thus able to live.

Symptoms:

• Heartburn
• Abdominal pain after eating
• Vomiting
• Belching
• Disturbed food transit
• Bleeding

In ulcers the pain is greater than in gastritis and symptoms of vomiting blood or stools with dark blood clots may occur.

The diet will take into account allowed and forbidden foods as follows:

Forbidden foods: Alcohol, coffee, Russian tea, cocoa, cocoa, syrup, ice water, water from ice, water from the sink that has chlorine, chemicals, hot liquids, fresh bread, French fries, oily fruits, cold cuts, canned meats, pork/goose/duck/ game, oily/fried/smoked fish, fried einkies, bone or meat soup, soups, sourdoughs, fermented or salted cheeses, lard, bacon, salt, salt, vinegar, ice cream, jam, jam, mustard, pepper, pickles, horseradish, roasted horseradish.

Use caution with strong-tasting foods: sour, peppery, sweet, bitter, which trigger the production of large amounts of gastric juice. Caution should also be exercised when eating raw vegetables, foods high in cellulose (wholegrain cereals) and legumes.

Foods allowed: milk, herbal teas, sweet fruit juice, dry white bread, mashed potatoes, rice, cooked semolina, oatmeal, sprouted wheat, yogurt (preferably homemade with Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus), broccoli, broccoli, porridge, vegetable purees, cooked vegetables (carrots, zucchini, green peas), pasta, sweet fruits baked or stewed, lean roasted fish, soft boiled eggs, steamed omelettes, cottage cheese, cottage cheese, curd, urad, butter, raw oil (especially olive oil) added to ready meals or mixed with water for steaming, sour cream, cream, cream soups, soups with milk or butter, biscuits, custards, a little sea salt, diet sauces. Spices: cumin, coriander, fennel, mint, cinnamon. The best fruit is almond, but pineapple also helps, as it is rich in glutamine, which has an immunomodulating effect, restores worn tissues and combats gastrointestinal disorders, and as vegetables: carrot, potato, spinach (digestive tract sweeper), lemon, orange (gastric alkalizing), lemon balm (stomachic, appetizer), horseradish (digestive atonia), cabbage. Only those who can tolerate onions and garlic should eat them, as they contain sulphur and have an antibiotic effect that neutralizes H. Pylori.

Meals should be small in quantity but frequent and chewed well. Raw vegetables and fruit should be eaten in small quantities, increasing over time to accommodate. In spring, a green barley juice cure is recommended, whose chlorophyll helps replenish the gastric mucosa and alkaline substances reduce acidity. Allow a small amount (30 g) of fiber-containing whole grain cereals - about 3 slices of graham bread, rye, preferably dry, which absorb gas in the stomach. De-gasified mineral water rich in Ca and Mg is recommended, especially Vâlcele mineral water.

The evening meal should be served at least 4 hours before going to bed to avoid any acid-peptic juice backing up down the esophagus. It is very important to ensure a normal night's sleep during which the stomach lining is restored.

If the patient is in the acute phase with painful attacks, they should not spend long periods in the sun.

Herbal remedies

• Make a decoction of 1 handful of outer (brown) onion leaves / 1 liter of water. Boil until 750 ml of liquid remains. Drink 1 cup of decoction ½ hour before each meal.
• Recommended minerals: Mn-Co. Vitamins: A, C, E, B12.
• Cruciferous Plus, a nutritional supplement made from broccoli, cabbage, radishes, mustard and chick peas. Another supplement rich in vit. B complex, which protects the stomach lining, is brewer's yeast tablets.
• Clay (Algo) treatment. The clay is taken before meals for ½ h. Drink clay water - 1 teaspoon clay / 1 glass water (previously allowed to settle).
• Raw cabbage juice to which juice from a raw potato is added. For at least a month, drink 3 times / day, before main meals, to restore the gastric mucosa. After you have finished the cure, even if you feel well, drink 1 cup / day divided into 3 servings before main meals, with ½ h, with macerate of obligatana (In the evening put 1 grated teaspoon of obligatana in a cup of cold water. In the morning strain, heat gently and divide into 3 parts). Potato and cabbage juices can also be drunk separately, but must be freshly made.
• Cure of kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, whey: up to 1-1.5 l/day for 2 months. Contains a favorable-acting bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus - which does not allow H. Pylori bacteria to multiply.
• Decoction of taproot - taproot is boiled 15 min, 1-2 tsp / cup, 2-3 cups / day, before meals with 1 h, for 1-2 months. It is healing and soothing (due to allantoin).
• Oak bark decoction - 2 tsp / 200 ml cold water, then boil 20-30 min. drink 2-3 cups / day. It is hemostatic and antiseptic.
• Stomach tea (promotes digestion by stimulating the juices): thyme, thyme, rosemary, goosefoot, goosefoot, marigold, nasturtium, nuggets.
• Plantain is indicated for ulcer and gastritis patients with low acidity. Put 1 teaspoon of Swedish bitter in morning and evening teas. Take for 1-2 months.
• Bran water: 5-10 teaspoons / 1 liter water - leave overnight. Generally consumed in any form, wheat bran is an ideal gastric dressing.
• Spa treatment, after 3 months after the acute crisis has passed: alkaline or carbonated alkaline springs. At home, not to exceed 5 months from the date of bottling. The duration of the cure is 4-5 weeks. Valcele mineral water calms gastritis attacks.
• Flaxseed protects the stomach and intestinal mucous membranes, and has an emollient and anti-inflammatory action thanks to its mucilage. It also relieves constipation. Soak for ½ h 1 tablespoon of whole flax seeds in a glass of water. Add 1 teaspoon of mint powder. Do not strain. The result is an emollient, refreshing drink, to be drunk 1-3 times/day.
• Fig bud extract produced by PlantExtrakt. Normalizes gastric secretion and speeds healing. Helps colitis, gastritis and ulcers. Take 30-50 drops twice daily.
• Epigastralgin contains: acacia flowers, St. John's wort, rosemary, marigold. Spirulina Plus contains: spirulina, atomized quail egg - produced by Medica Laboratories in Romania.

Drug treatment

The therapy aims to reduce the amount of gastric acid to alleviate symptoms and heal the stomach lining.

On the gastroenterologist's recommendation, antacids or gastric tea or other solutions such as histamine blockers (ranitidine) or proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole will be administered. In case of H. Pylori, treatment with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors will need to be followed.

There are of course also herbal treatments such as Hofigal's Reglacid, which contains bird's-foot cuticle, chamomile, St. John's wort, St. John's wort, amaranth, thyme essential oil and lavender. Protects the gastrointestinal mucosa, regulates gastric secretions, aids digestion.

Complications of gastritis

If gastritis is not diagnosed and treated in time, complications can become serious. Failure to properly treat inflammation of the stomach lining can lead to:

• Gastric ulcers;
• Stomach bleeding or internal bleeding;
• Untreated chronic gastritis can increase the risk of stomach cancer, in fortunately rarer cases, especially when mutations occur in the lining cells.

Preventing gastritis

• Diet: avoid large meals served at long intervals, alcoholic drinks, smoked foods, and exclude spices, chemicals, preservatives, fried foods, fried foods, snacks, fats, foods that are too salty or sour, too cold or too hot. Cooked food should be preferred to fast food.
• Drinking water should be close to body temperature.
• Lifestyle: avoid prolonged mental stress
• Reduce or eliminate unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption.

Conclusions

Gastritis is therefore one of the many diseases of modern civilization, the onset of which is often caused by a disordered lifestyle with irregular and abundant meals or psycho-social stress caused by professional life. The good news is that changing this lifestyle can yield excellent results over time, along with a carefully selected diet and targeted herbal remedies.