Stomach Ulcer Diet

Stomach ulcers, which are also called peptic ulcers, can occur along any part of the digestive tract. These could develop in the esophagus, stomach, or the intestine. The size of an ulcer can range from 1/8 of an inch to 3/4 parts of an inch.

Causes

Stomach ulcers can be caused due to a wide range of reasons. Some of the common contributory factors are given below.

• Smoking and Alcohol Abuse: Smoking and alcohol consumption are the most common reasons behind the development of peptic ulcers. Actually, nicotine from cigarettes and alcohol tend to erode the stomach lining and increase the levels and concentration of stomach acids. Both alcohol and nicotine can thus be said to be pretty strong causative factors behind a peptic ulcer, if not at least aggravating an existing one.
• Overuse of painkillers: Excessive use of NSAIDs (Non steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs) can damage the lining of the small intestine. If taken on a regular basis, these intensify the risk of an ulcer. It is best to check with your health care provider before taking pain relievers containing substances like ibuprofen and aspirin.
• Stress: Stress is not the direct cause of the peptic ulcer but it obviously is the biggest contributing factor. Stress, due to a hectic lifestyle, physical trauma, and mental as well as emotional disturbance actually aggravates the risk of a peptic ulcer and also lowers the effectiveness of any remedies that you may be following.
• Infections: Growth of a certain type of bacterium called the Helicobacter pylori is one of the main reasons behind more than 60% cases.

A proper diet is the key to lowering the secretion of gastric acids and improving gastric health. Healthy eating habits can be the key to avoid the initial risk of getting an ulcer in the first place.

Diet for Stomach Ulcer

The diet can vary according to the tolerance level of the person. There are several food items that may work wonders for one patient but might not really work for others. Nevertheless, here is a list of food products that you need to incorporate in your diet to cure the ulcer.

• Grains: The diet for stomach ulcers must be rich in food items made up of whole grain and cereals. They include rice, barley, tortillas, pita breads, bagels, French toast, low fat pancakes, crackers, English muffins, and waffles.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh vegetables should be consumed in a large amount on a regular basis. Almost all fresh as well as raw vegetables can be included in this diet with the exception of tomatoes, tomato products and food items that may be acidic in nature. Fruits with low citrus levels are allowed in your diet.
• Meat and Dairy Products: Non-fat and at least low-fat milk and other dairy products, plain mild cheese, low fat cottage cheese, and low fat yogurt can be included in the daily diet. All lean meats too can be included. Lean meats like pork, ham, beef, veal, lamb, poultry, all fresh fish, eggs, meat stock (mildly seasoned) are all good for you because it will help you get your energy back and will hasten the recovery process.

What to Avoid

All food products that are high in fat must be strictly avoided in the diet program.

• Grains: Food products like croissant rolls, cereals like granola and bran, dry fruits, nuts, breads and crackers with seeds on the top are a no-no because their abrasive nature can do more harm to the ulcer.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Corn, gas forming vegetables and tomato-based products should be avoided. Fruits like lemon, orange, grapefruits, pineapples, tangerines, figs and all types of berries and fruits containing a high citric acid level must not be consumed.
• Meat and Dairy Products: Meat, fish and poultry items that are highly seasoned, corned beef, frankfurter sausages, anchovies, and sardines must be avoided. High fat milk, whole milk, chocolate milk, strong flavored cheese, dairy products made up using whole milk, whole milk cream etc. must be avoided.

Advice to Follow

The aforementioned guidelines will certainly help in hastening the recovery process, and will also lower the risk of peptic ulcers in future. Following this diet will also help one to lead a healthier lifestyle.

• Rather than having three full meals, try planning an even distribution of your daily nutrition intake into three meals and three snacks which will automatically avoid the periods of overeating as well as hunger. While eating, always eat slowly, chew the food well and be relaxed and tension free.
• Sit up while eating, and don't lie down or slouch for an hour after having the meal. Have your dinner at least three hours before you tuck into bed for the night.
• Have a low-fat and low-carb diet and introduce a protein rich diet, avoid food products containing caffeine like coffee, tea, soft drinks etc. It would be in your interest to quit smoking and indulging in excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Stomach ulcers can be treated with drug therapy, dietary modification and other lifestyle-related changes. Follow the aforementioned tips for the diet along with your regular treatment. Lead a healthy life and try to cut down on alcohol and smoking. The condition is completely treatable, however, you have to make sure that you make a conscious effort to lead a healthy lifestyle for quick recovery.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.

Six Pack Diet and Exercise

You may have numerous claims about six pack plans that work, but the truth is that six pack abs are extremely difficult to achieve. You cannot expect to waltz into the gym and perform some exercises that you saw on the TV the night before, and expect to get washboard abs in a week, or a month or whatever time span that they mentioned. Getting six pack abs is something that takes years of hard work and exercise, and not to mention the rigid control on your diet and the kind of food that you eat.

Almost everyone amongst us wants six pack abs, but this is something that is out of reach for a majority of the people. Only trained athletes who have been putting their bodies through years of rigorous exercise can expect to achieve the perfect six pack abs. Our lifestyles play no small role in this, and there are many drastic changes that we will need to make before we can actually expect to gain these six pack abs.

The biggest mistake that we make is to fall for various gimmicks and advertisements. The makers of these gimmicks know that this is something that is going to get people's attention very easily, and this is something that they take great advantage of. Do not fall for such gimmicks under any circumstances, especially when they ask you for money.

The Path to Six Pack Abs

You may be well aware of all the things that you need to do in order to get these abs by now. You have to burn off a lot of fat to achieve this, and your first aim should be weight loss. Many of us believe that by performing several crunches in a day we can get awesome six pack abs, but the truth is that you have to get rid of the flab first, and this is something that can only be achieved by performing cardiovascular exercises on a regular basis. Here are some of the commonly heard pointers for a six pack workout plan.

• Control and watch what you eat. Consult an experienced dietitian to make a diet plan for you.
• Get enough exercise on a regular basis. This should consist of cardio exercises as well as abdominal exercises that work.
• Get enough sleep during the day and also ensure that you drink sufficient amounts of water.
• Do not overwork your body by performing too many exercises in a day.
• Stay away from harmful substances like alcohol, tobacco and other products.
• Live a stress free life and learn to enjoy yourself along the way.

If you follow these guidelines, you will get your six packs sooner, rather than later. But these are all generic guidelines and for more specific instructions, you must devise a proper exercise regime with a qualified physical instructor. He/she will give you enough information that will put you on the right path. Needless to say, you must stick to this plan of six pack abs diet and workout with complete sincerity.

Stay away from high calorie meals, and try and divide your consumption into 6-7 smaller meals during the course of one day. Get enough proteins and carbohydrates in your diet, and this will ensure that the muscles in your body (and specially your abs) get developed and strengthened faster. There are numerous different types of best exercises to get six pack abs that will help you achieve what you strongly desire. These exercises should be enough for you to get started.

Try to stay away from marketing gimmicks and products as much as possible. A diet and exercise plan is something you should make for yourself after consulting an expert, and then you should have the willpower to stick to it.