What is the best ulcer diet?
Generally speaking, most foods will neither help nor hurt the healing of an ulcer. However, Aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine are the substances which impair ulcer healing. In the past, people were told to “avoid acid-containing foods” and to eat a “bland diet” of creamy or milky foods. Based upon more modern medical research, following both of those pieces of advice is unnecessary. The foods which may bother an individual person will be very unique to that person. Generally, most gastroenterologists tell people to avoid the substances listed in the second sentence above and to eat whatever “doesn’t cause pain within a few hours”. I have been told that I have a “nervous stomach”. What is that? A misnomer. Doctors and patients have noticed for years that some people experience a variety of abdominal symptoms when under extreme stress. There are many functional disorders of the bowel which result in symptoms when no anatomic cause can be found
