Stomach ulcers are becoming more prevalent due to changes in the human diet in the past few decades. What is a stomach ulcer? Also known as a peptic ulcer and gastric ulcer, it is a wound that develops in the stomach lining caused by stomach acid eating away at the lining due to either a lack of protective mucus, increased stomach acid levels, or both.
And, if you are dealing with one, you may be wondering if there is a stomach ulcer treatment at home or if there are any home remedies for stomach ulcers. Well, you are in luck, as we have some simple and effective remedies to treat your stomach ulcer symptoms.
Home Remedies for Stomach Ulcers
When trying the home remedies below, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Not all of these remedies will work for everyone, as reactions to different remedies can also be different from person to person. What works for your friend may not work for you, and vice versa.
You also need to watch for allergic reactions. Just because a remedy may help your ulcer, it doesn’t mean you won’t have an allergic reaction to it. It’s best to test some of these remedies out first, as the last thing you want to do is deal with is both an ulcer and an allergic reaction.
Keeping those in mind, here are some helpful remedies that might be able to soothe your stomach ulcer.
1. Carrot and Cabbage Juice
Cabbage has many properties that can help with a stomach ulcer. It contains a good amount of vitamin C, which can help with your stomach’s healing process. Cabbage also contains an amino acid that can help to increase blood flow to the stomach, which can also help stimulate healing. While carrot juice, on the other hand, contains vitamin U which has anti-peptic properties.
Chop half a cabbage and two carrots and place them into a blender or juicer and extract the juice. Drink a half cup of this juice before each meal and before bed. You may have to repeat this daily for a few weeks.
2. Licorice
Licorice has been found to help increase the mucus lining in the stomach and strengthen it against stomach acid. It may not only be able to help with a stomach ulcer, but also prevent stomach ulcers in the first place. Essentially, licorice helps the stomach produce more mucus, which helps protect and heal the stomach.
You can take deglycyrrhizinated licorice tablets a couple of times a day. Or, you can use licorice powder in a quick recipe like this:
Mix a half teaspoon of licorice powder with one cup of water and let it sit overnight.
Cook one cup of broken white rice. Mix it with the licorice mixture and eat this once a day for a few weeks, and you should find a difference with your ulcer.
3. Bananas
One of the easiest home remedies for a stomach ulcer is to eat a banana, three times a day. Bananas can help your stomach ulcer in a few ways. They contain antibacterial compounds which can help slow down the creation of an ulcer.
Bananas can also reduce stomach acid, which can help with any inflammation of the stomach lining, and help speed up the healing process. For more of a boost, try mixing sliced bananas with honey, as natural honey also contains a lot of antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
4. Slippery Elm
Slippery elm can help relieve any inflammation of the stomach, as well as help to remove fats from the intestines. You can easily take it in tea form.
Grind slippery elm bark into a powder. Mix one teaspoon of the powder with one cup of water three times a day for a week.
5. Green Tea
Often used for stomach ailments, green tea can help soothe your stomach ulcer with two or three cups a day. For the best effects, use loose leaf green tea.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
It may sound counter-intuitive to use apple cider vinegar for your stomach ulcer issues. But combining it with baking soda can help settle your stomach acid, giving the ulcer some time to heel.
Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a pinch of baking soda and two cups of water. Drink the concoction twice a day for best results.
7. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera can not help soothe the pain and inflammation of a stomach ulcer, as well as help calm your stomach acid. It also has many healing properties that can also help the ulcer heal. And, you can get all of these benefits with a very simple recipe.
Mix two teaspoons of fresh aloe vera gel with one cup of water. Mix well and drink this mixture two or three times a day.
8. Almonds and Milk
Not to be confused with almond milk, almonds mixed with milk can combine the soothing properties of both to help settle your stomach ulcer and the acid around it.
Soak some almonds for a few hours (or overnight) in water to soften them up.
Peel the almonds and then crush them into a paste. Combine the paste with one cup of milk and mix thoroughly. Drink the mixture twice a day.
9. Goat Milk
Goat milk can help soothe an ulcer. One or two cups a day will do the trick.
10. Dandelion
Most people think of dandelions as weeds and not good for anything other than cluttering up your lawn. But, dandelions have been used as a home remedy for many ailments for years, including stomach ulcers.
The best way to get relief is to use the syrup from the roots, but you can also get some relief from eating the greens in a salad. Doing this semi-regularly for two to four weeks can help the ulcer, but after four weeks, start decreasing your dandelion consumption.
11. Castor Oil and Milk
Castor oil can help soothe an ulcer and help it heal. Milk can also help soothe an ulcer. Mixing a few drops of castor oil with a cup of milk can not only combine the healing properties of both substances, but the milk has the added effect of being able to make the castor oil more palatable.
12. Indian Gooseberry Juice
Indian gooseberry can help relieve the pain and reduce the inflammation of a stomach ulcer. You should try to drink 25 milliliters of Indian gooseberry juice once a day, in the morning, when you have an empty stomach.
13. Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol tends to have a higher acidity which can bother a stomach ulcer. Avoiding alcohol while you have an ulcer can help avoid further inflammation and damage.
14. Keep Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water can prevent or help with numerous health issues. But in the case of stomach ulcers, it can help keep your stomach acids at the right levels, keeping ulcers at bay, or at the very least, reduce pain and inflammation. You should try drinking one and a half to two liters of water a week.
15. Garlic
Garlic has numerous antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can help with a stomach ulcer.
Simply crush two cloves of garlic and mix it with a cup of water. Or, just eat two raw cloves. It can also help to add garlic to your dinners.
16. Coconut Milk or Water
Coconut milk is loaded with antibacterial properties that can help an ulcer repair itself. Drinking one cup of coconut milk twice a day can help relieve the symptoms of a stomach ulcer and help it heal.
17. Cayenne Pepper
Common wisdom usually dictates that you should avoid spices, as they will aggravate a stomach ulcer and cause more pain and inflammation. However, cayenne pepper can help with a stomach ulcer. It contains capsaicin which can inhibit the secretion of stomach acids allowing the ulcer to heal.
Mix one-eighth of a tablespoon of cayenne pepper with one cup of water. Drink this mixture twice a day for two or three days. After the third day, increase the cayenne content to a quarter of a tablespoon.
18. Wood Apple
The leaves of a wood apple or bael tree contain tannins that can help with a stomach ulcer by protecting the stomach protect from ulcer-causing stomach acids.
Soak two or three wood apple leaves and place them in a copper container filled with water overnight. Strain the mixture the next day and drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Follow this procedure for a few weeks, and you should see some results.
19. Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a plant from the Mediterranean. Its seeds and leaves have been used for years in that region of the world for stomach issues, including stomach ulcers. Both the seeds and leaves can be used in a variety of ways.
Add fenugreek seeds or leaves in two cups of water and then strain the liquid. Add one tablespoon of honey and mix well. Drink this concoction twice a day for a week. Alternatively, you can mix one tablespoon of fenugreek seed powder in one cup of milk and drink this twice a day for a week.
Many of these ingredients may sound exotic or hard to find, but they aren’t. You can find most of them in your local supermarket or health food store. It really won’t take much effort on your part, and at the end of the day, you may be able to relieve yourself from the pain and suffering that comes with a stomach ulcer.
Stomach Ulcers Can Be Handled at Home, but Be Careful!
As you can see, there are many home remedies that can be used to care for the pain and damage that a stomach ulcer can cause. Although there are more remedies out there, we believe that the ones we’ve mentioned here are the best ones to help treat your ulcer.
But with that in mind, stomach ulcers can become a serious medical issue. If your ulcer isn’t getting any better or if it gets worse while you’re taking one of these home remedies, consult your doctor to make sure that everything is okay. He or she may recommend a more effective treatment depending on your condition.
Related Articles:
Stomach Ulcer Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid
Causes and Treatments for Stomach Ulcers in Adults
Sources:
“Best natural home remedies for stomach ulcers,” Bel Marra Health, July 31, 2016: http://www.belmarrahealth.com/best-natural-home-remedies-for-stomach-ulcers/, last accessed July 12, 2017.
“Home Remedies for a Stomach Ulcer,” Top 10 Home Remedies; http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-stomach-ulcer.html, last accessed July 12, 2017.
“28 Natural Home Remedies for Ulcers in Stomach,” All Remedies, August 30, 2015; http://allremedies.com/home-remedies-for-ulcers/, last accessed July 12, 2017.