Supplements Shop

The Healthy Way

Ask The Expert

Mesotherapy

Chelation Therapy

Weight Loss

Longevity

EIS system

Tell A Friend

New Patient Form

Read Dr. Elena Krasnov's Weekly Column in the Health & Fitness section of the 24 Hours Magazine. Look for new articles every week!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Healing Ulcers

Q: Dear Elena: I am in my early thirties and I have been diagnosed with ulcers for the second time. I am changing my diet to eat healthy foods, but I find I can't even eat fruits without my stomach hurting. I am looking into doing a detox to help my digestion and stomach problems. Can you give me some insight into where I should start.

A: Ulcers can be either in the stomach or in the small intestines. They do have different causes and somewhat different treatments. Since you are in your thirties you probably have had ulcers in the area of small intestine called the duodenum.

The understanding of the causes of duodenal ulcer has changed dramatically in the latter part of the 20th century. Historically, duodenal ulcer was thought to be a disease related to diet and environmental stress alone. Subsequent studies revealed the importance of pepsin and acid secretion in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer. The most revolutionary change in the knowledge of duodenal ulcer was the discovery in 1982 that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori was present in most patients. Stomach (peptic) ulcers usually occur in older individuals and can be caused by excessive production of stomach acid, Helicobacter infection or in rare cases by stomach cancer.

To heal ulcers it is not enough to do detox, what you need to do is heal the mucosal membranes that have been damaged. Lifestyle changes must go hand in hand with other treatments. Smoking and alcohol consumption often aggravate ulcers and cause recurrences. Smoking together with H.Pylori infection will often accelerate relapse. Diet of spicy, greasy and fried foods will also hinder recovery. Some genetic factors should also be considered. More then 20% of patients have family history of ulcers compared to 5-10% of control groups. Also weak association has been observed between duodenal ulcers and blood type O.

For natural treatments, several options exist but you should not do anything without supervision, ulcers can be serious and if left untreated can perforate and cause major infection. Some natural treatments include using raw cabbage juice to heal an ulcer. It is said that if you drink 100 ml of fresh juice every day your ulcer will heal in 30 days. It is believed that the glutamine content of cabbage is the main driving force behind the use of cabbage juice to heal ulcers.

Manuka honey has also been shown to heal ulcers. It has a high amount of glycans that promote anti-bacterial action. In my practice one of the herb mixtures that I often use include d-glicerised licorice with extracts of plantain banana. The mixture coats the inflamed mucosa and protects it from irritation, while healing is occurring. Homotoxicological formulas stimulating liver function are always very useful.

All The Healthy Way articles:

Dr. Elena Krasnov is a registered Naturopathic Doctor and Clinic Director of the Toronto Naturopathic Clinic. Submit your questions online at 24hrs.ca

Co-written by Miranda Tallon-Malisani Holistic Nutritionist