The stomach lining is what is responsible for generating acid and enzymes in the stomach that are required to break down the food so that the body can extract the nutrients it needs. The lining also secretes mucus to protect itself from the acid damage. However, sometimes the lining gets inflamed and the secretion of the acid and enzymes gets reduced. This inflammation is called gastritis.
Gastritis is defined as the condition where the lining in a person’s stomach is inflamed. It’s generally associated with pain and discomfort in the stomach. There are two kinds of gastritis
1) Acute gastritis
2) Chronic gastritis
Acute gastritis is the sudden and severe inflammation in the lining whereas chronic gastritis is linked with long-term inflammation that may last for a long period of time. Also, chronic gastritis if left untreated can cause abdominal bleeding or may increase the risk of developing stomach cancer.
There’s another gastritis also known as erosive gastritis that does not cause much inflammation but could lead to bleeding and ulcers in the lining of the stomach.
Symptoms of Gastritis
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Loss of Appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Feeling full in the upper abdomen
What Is A Gastritis Diet?
There’s no question that your diet plays a vital role in developing your gut health and maintaining your digestive system. If you’re suffering from abdominal pain, nausea, and a feeling of fullness you should follow a gastritis diet. The main objective of following a gastritis diet is to control the symptoms of gastritis.
There are a few things you can include in your diet that can help with gastritis symptoms.
Fibrous Foods
Foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and will definitely help you in reducing and controlling the symptoms of gastritis. The dietary fiber that is left undigested produces short chain fatty acids and has a beneficial effect on gut bacteria.
High Protein Food
Foods that are high in protein like meat, fish, poultry, chicken etc can help with repairing the stomach lining which in turn causes the inflammation to reduce.This helps in recovery and can reduce the symptoms to a huge extent.
Foods Enriched With Probiotics
Probiotics can increase the number of good bacteria in the stomach by large numbers. Food items like curd, yogurts, lassi etc can have a soothing effect on your stomach lining and can reduce stomach inflammation.
Foods Enriched With Healthy Fats
Nuts and other food items like dry fruits and foods that contain healthy fats which is basically foods rich in omega 3 (polyunsaturated) fatty acids help in reducing stomach inflammation.
What Food Items Should Be Avoided For Gastritis?
Coffee
While coffee can be good for keeping you going throughout the day, it’s a bad idea to have more than one cup if you have any gastritis symptoms. Coffee can increase the secretion of gastric acid in your stomach that can increase the existing irritation. Also note that, a decaf coffee may not be a good substitute.
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages like wine, beer etc are known to mess with the stomach lining and can worsen gastritis symptoms. So, if you have symptoms of gastritis alcohol is a strict no.
Milk
Milk increases the production of stomach acid which can worsen gastritis symptoms. If you get any relief after drinking a glass of milk is likely to be temporary and within hours your gastritis symptoms are likely to worsen.
Soda & Fried Foods
Soda is said to worsen the symptoms of gastritis and fried foods are harder to digest which makes the load on the stomach and hence the stomach lining worse. So, if you have symptoms of Gastritis it’s better you stay off the sodas and the friend foods.
There’s no gastritis diet as such. There are only foods that can help improve your condition or worsen it. So, make sure you make the right choices and you should be perfectly fine.
