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It's almost a year now that I've been actively battling with a stomach ulcer. I used the word "actively" because that was when I became conscious of the symptoms and started managing them accordingly. It may be that the ulcer had been developing gradually before then without eliciting many symptoms from my body. 


![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gentleshaid/23wCNJcZQAgDuJxe7nYXSJFA7wAQHwN5AgAD75tXe37AtjmK73b9NTX4dWVhc9pNYAvCB.jpg)<center><sup>Image source: [pix4free](https://pix4free.org/photo/31255/peptic-ulcer.html)</sup></center>


As an enlightened and educated individual, the first point of call in the management of the ailment was to get relevant drugs - Omeprazole and antibiotics. While the former works to limit the secretion of stomach acids, the latter works to get rid of the bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, which is known to be associated with stomach ulcers. The symptoms were supposed to subside after taking the drugs for two weeks but that's not the case with me.

In fact, I took like 3 to 4 regimes of the dosage because the symptoms keep coming back each time. Eventually, I concluded that conventional drugs weren't going to get rid of my ulcer. This made me resort to orthodox drugs and a significant relief from the symptoms followed the decision, but not total relief. Is this the way I'm going to keep living throughout my life span? Do ulcers go away with drugs? These, and many other questions were running through my mind as I grappled with the occasional pains and sleepless nights. 

Then, I got some insights from the tons of research I did while trying to learn more about this condition. While scientists are still searching for the actual cause (and cure) of ulcers, there are unanimous opinions that the symptoms either get worse or ameliorate depending on what the patient consumes. One of the hypotheses is that ulcer is caused by the erosion of the stomach lining by gastric juice, otherwise known as hydrochloric acid. This acid primarily functions in digesting foods. Thus, when there are foods in the stomach, the lining of the stomach is as its mercy. 

The acid is also produced when the body is stressed. This means that as a rule of thumb, an ulcer patient isn't supposed to move around on an empty stomach and avoid stressful situations as much as possible. In addition to this, the consumption of acidic foods only helps increase the stomach's acidity. Lastly, spices such as nutmeg, pepper, chili, and mustard as well as foods high in fat content have been documented to be cantankerous to ulcers.

From my research, I have concluded that if the symptoms of ulcers can be suppressed for a relatively long time, either through drugs, diet control, or a combination of the two, there's a chance the ulcer can heal completely. If the symptoms keep going on and off, the ulcer may worsen. It is like having a wound. Apart from treating the wound, if one can avoid getting the wound injured, it will hasten its complete healing. Otherwise, the wound will not heal and may even get worse despite treatments.

The good thing is I have started controlling what goes into my stomach for more than a month now. I have stopped taking any medication while trying to avoid foods that can worsen my symptoms as much as possible. One thing that I've not been able to do though, is ensure that my stomach does not go empty at any point in time. I am a religious person who's observing the ongoing Ramadan fast. One would think that my symptoms would get worse during this period, but the control I exert on my diet seems to have helped greatly. Even though I still feel some of the symptoms mildly, I feel much better now compared to the past. 

In summary, here is what I have deduced that will completely heal your stomach ulcer:
- Avoid acidic foods and fruits such as bread, citrus, etc. Fruits such as bananas and avocados are alkaline in nature and will benefit by neutralizing some of the acids in your stomach.
- Avoid spicy, sugary, and fatty foods. Use original honey as a sweetener when necessary.
- Try as much as possible not to leave your stomach empty.
- Avoid stressful situations, either physically or mentally.
- This perhaps doesn't need to be said, but please avoid NSAID drugs, coffee, alcohol, and soda like plagues. 

If you think there are more lifestyle changes that should be made to completely get rid of ulcers, feel free to share in them in the comment section below.

Thank you for reading.


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### Resources
- https://www.drugs.com/cg/diet-for-stomach-ulcers-and-gastritis.html
- https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/what-causes-stomach-ulcers-dont-assume-spicy-foods-are-blame
- https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/what-causes-stomach-ulcers-dont-assume-spicy-foods-are-blame
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-can-i-eat-if-i-have-a-peptic-ulcer-1742154