Are you searching for ideal food for ulcer patient in Nigeria? An ulcer is a disease that affects the lining of your gut. Although it involves lifelong medication, you can manage it properly by eating the right foods and avoiding certain ones.
Do you want to know the food that is best for ulcer patient in Nigeria? Then read along as on Medicsdomain today, I’d highlight all you need to start eating and more so foods to avoid for good health. Enjoy!
What is Ulcer?
Your gastrointestinal system is the chief involved with ingestion and digestion. It involves organs like your esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestine. However, the lining of the gut can become inflamed which is a life-threatening medical illness. This inflammation of one’s lining of the Gut is what we know as Ulcers.
Ulcers make it difficult to digest food and cause a lot of pain for the individual who has it. Contrary to popular belief, ulcers aren’t caused by spicy food or a lack of good nutrition. Instead, the bacteria helicobacter pylori or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) induce inflammation in the stomach lining, which is the most likely culprit (NSAID).
However, regardless of the source of the ulcer, the pain is always present, although some people may feel it more than others. In addition to medications, a healthy diet is critical to your recovery and better management of the disease.
Eating antioxidant-rich foods can help heal your stomach ulcers caused by an H. pylori infection. You’ll be able to keep the infection at bay if you take these supplements. They may also be helpful in preventing stomach cancer.
In order to avoid items that could worsen your condition, it is not wise to eat everything you can find. Instead focus on these food for ulcer patient in Nigeria:
How to prevent an ulcer
The risk of peptic ulcers can be reduced by adopting a healthy lifestyle. These are only a few examples:
- Take no more than two alcoholic beverages per day and no combination of alcohol and medication.
- Frequently sanitizing your hands to prevent the spread of germs
- Avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen (Aleve)
Here are the food for ulcer patient in Nigeria:
1. Fruits and Vegetables
At this point, you should make vegetables a priority in your diet. Obviously, this isn’t the first time you’re heard that fruits and vegetables are great for your health.
You may receive all of the nutrients you need in your diet by eating a wide variety of vegetables. They are also a good source of dietary fiber. Everything listed here is necessary for a healthy physique. In addition to aiding digestion and reducing constipation, vegetables also alleviate discomfort in the intestines.
There are so many ways to enjoy vegetables, which is a good thing. Vegetables can be added to soups and stews or eaten raw. However, make sure you’re getting a lot of vegetables into your daily diet. There are a number of nutritious Nigerian green vegetables that can help alleviate symptoms of an ulcer.
2. Unripe plantain- food for ulcer patient in Nigeria
Eating unripe plantains arrive with numerous health benefits. According to medicalnewstoday, unripe plantains arrive with flavonoids and polyphenols which are super essential antioxidants. And as ulcers are an inflammation, having antioxidants are one of the best food for ulcer patient in Nigeria.
In some places of Nigeria, particularly around the coast, unripe plantain is a staple diet. Unripe plantain is an excellent source of several essential elements, including phosphorus, calcium, iron, and more, for people suffering from ulcers.
Helicobacter pylori is fought off with its antibacterial characteristics. While there are numerous ways to enjoy unripe plantain, frying it is not one of them. Unripe plantains have a slew of other key health benefits.
3. Moi-moi
People with ulcers are advised to avoid beans since they can cause heartburn [1], although they can eat Moi moi, a ground bean dish. Moi Moi does not cause heartburn or acid reflux because it is easy to digest.
In addition to being protein-rich, Moi Moi is a great option for a snack. It’s best not to overdo it with the spices when cooking.
4. Eggs
Eggs are also a good addition to your diet. If you’ve never been a fan of eggs, now is the time to start eating more and more of them. Eggs are a good source of protein, which can aid in the repair of the mucous membranes in the intestines. Instead of frying your eggs, opt for hard-boiled ones.
5. Fishes
As an ulcer patient, you should eat more fish in your diet. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like sardines, salmon, and mackerel help to manufacture prostaglandins, which in turn aid to cure ulcers by protecting the lining of the intestines. Don’t forget to cook your fish instead of frying it. Poultry and goat meat are also good sources of protein.
6. Garden eggs- Food for Ulcer patient in nigeria
You can buy and eat Garden eggs which are one of the food for ulcer patient in Nigeria. Researchers in 2011 found that African garden eggs have ulcer-protective properties, making them an affordable natural cure for ulcers. There are many other health benefits to eating backyard eggs.
Other Friendly Nigerian food for Ulcer patient in Nigeria:
- Olive oil is a type of vegetable oil.
- Carrots
- Okpa
- Soup made with okra
- Akamu or pap are two options.
- Spaghetti
- Cereals
- Unpolished rice
Food to avoid if you have an ulcer in Nigeria
- Milk
- Foods that have been deep-fried
- Foods high in fat
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Suya
- Citrus fruits
- Pepper with a dash of black pepper
- Nutmeg.
What Causes Ulcer in Nigeria
Many Nigerians do think that overuse of spices in foods cause ulcer patient in Nigeria but this is not true. Ulcers are instead a result of overuse of antibiotic drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. It is also caused by an infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori).
Food to avoid for Ulcer patient in Nigeria
People with ulcers should try to avoid these foods:
1. Beverages containing alcohol
Your stomach lining can become red, raw, and irritated when you consume too much alcohol. Overconsumption of alcoholic beverages has long been linked to an increased likelihood of getting an ulcer. It can also prevent the healing of already existing ulcers.
2. Spiced foods- food not for ulcer patient in nigeria
Eating a lot of spicy meals was once thought to induce ulcers because patients would frequently complain of searing stomach aches following a spicy meal. Spicy food cannot create ulcers, but it may irritate those that already exist.
3. Decaffeinated or regular coffee
In patients with ulcer disease, both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee can cause an increase in acid production and exacerbate symptoms.
4. Eating too many fatty meals
A high consumption of fat can raise your risk of developing an ulcer and cause other gastrointestinal issues in the first place. As a result, they might cause discomfort in the stomach and bloating since they take longer to break down.
5. tomatoes- food not for ulcer patient in nigeria
According to research, tomatoes have a pH below 4.6, making them a high-acid meal. The acidity of tomatoes, for example, might cause heartburn and ulcer irritation in some people.
To avoid pain, avoid oranges, other citrus fruits, and even citrus fruit drinks, such as orange nectar.
Treatment for Ulcers
An ulcer can have a variety of causes. If you have H. pylori, you’ll need to get rid of it, reduce or stop taking NSAIDs, and utilize medication to help your ulcer heal.
Medications may consist of any or all of the following:
1. Antibiotics
H. pylori is killed by antibiotics. H. pylori can be killed by a combination of medicines if it is identified in your digestive tract. Many antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, tinidazole, tetracycline, and levofloxacin, are available over the counter.
When it comes to whether antibiotics are prescribed, the location in which you live and the current rate of antibiotic resistance will play a role. Antibiotics and other medications to lower stomach acid, such as a proton pump inhibitor and perhaps bismuth subsalicylate, are likely to be prescribed for you for at least two weeks (Pepto-Bismol).
2. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are drugs that stop the creation of acid and help the body recover itself. As the name suggests, PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors, lower stomach acid by preventing the cells that create acid from functioning. They include the prescription and OTC pharmaceuticals omeprazole (Prilosec), Lansoprazole (Prevacid) and Aciphex, as well as the over-the-counter esomeprazole (Nexium) (Protonix).
3. Proton pump inhibitors
Proton-pump blockers, which are also known as acid blockers, lessen the amount of stomach acid discharged into your digestive tract, so relieving ulcer discomfort and aiding the body’s ability to heal itself.
Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB and Nizatidine are all acid blockers that can be prescribed or purchased over the counter (Axid AR).
Stomach acid-neutralizing antacids, or antacids. An antacid may be part of your treatment plan, so ask your doctor about it. Quick pain relief is possible thanks to antacids, which neutralize stomach acid. Depending on the primary ingredients, constipation or diarrhea may be one of the side effects.
How to detect ulcer
If your doctor suspects an ulcer, he or she may conduct a medical history and physical exam. In that case, you may be required to undergo diagnostic procedures like:
1. H.pylori test
H. pylori testing in a laboratory is a common procedure. Depending on the results of the tests your doctor recommends, you may be diagnosed with the bacterium H. pylori.
Drinking or eating something that contains radioactive carbon is required for the breath test. H. pylori eats away at the material in your intestines. Afterward, you blow into a sealed bag and dispose of it. Your breath sample will contain radioactive carbon in the form of carbon dioxide if you have an H. pylori infection.
The doctor should know whether you are taking an antacid before the H. pylori test, so be sure to tell them. Because antacids might provide false-negative results in certain tests, you may have to stop taking them for a while.
2. Endoscopy.
A scope may be used by your doctor to inspect your esophagus and stomach (endoscopy). This procedure involves the doctor inserting an endoscope down your neck into your stomach and esophagus in order to examine these organs up close. Your doctor uses an endoscope to check for ulcers.
A biopsy may be performed if your doctor suspects that you have an ulcer. H. pylori can also be found in the stomach lining through a biopsy, which can be done by a doctor.
You are more likely to be recommended an endoscopy if you are older, have recently lost weight or have difficulties eating and swallowing, as well as if you have signs of bleeding. A follow-up endoscopy is necessary if an endoscopy detects an ulcer in your stomach, even if your symptoms improve following therapy.
The upper digestive tract. The esophagus, stomach, and small intestine are all visible on X-rays seen during a barium swallow, as the name implies. A white beverage (including barium) is swallowed during an X-ray to coat the digestive tract and enhance the visibility of an ulcer.
Final words on food for ulcer patient in Nigeria
There are certain food for Ulcer patient in Nigeria for better management of this disease. In the same vein, if you have an ulcer, you should avoid certain foods so as not to worsen the situation.
In this article, we have highlighted food to eat as a Nigerian having ulcer and also those to avoid. You can now go ahead and make an informed decision!
Resources
- Foods to eat and avoid for Ulcer– Healthline
