Yoghurt and Gastritis

A diet for ulcers and gastritis means eating foods that are mildly flavored and easy to digest. Research does not show that there is one correct diet for every person with stomach problems. You should plan your meals to include only the foods that you tolerate the best. You may need this diet if you have ulcers, gastritis, stomach pain, or too much acid in your stomach. Or you may need this diet if you have had stomach surgery, nausea, vomiting (throwing up), or too much gas. Gastric infections can lead to further complications, such as temporary lactose intolerance and malabsorption problems. During and after you develop gastritis, the lining of your intestines are damaged. Yogurt contains live and active cultures that help to repair and maintain healthy digestion. Eat yogurt that is plain and low in fat because too much sugar or fat can cause further irritation to your gut, increasing your symptoms. During gastritis, your colon can lose much of its healthy bacteria that keep your bowels regular. Yogurt helps replenish these bacteria to restore normal bowel function. Results of the first human clinical studies confirm that a new yogurt fights the bacteria that cause gastritis and stomach ulcers with what researchers describe as almost vaccine-like effects. Japanese scientists will report this news today at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Researchers have long known that yogurt, a fermented milk product containing live bacteria, is a healthy source of calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Some brands of yogurt are now made with certain types of bacteria called “probiotics.” The new yogurt represents a unique approach to fighting stomach ulcers, which affect 25 million people in the United States alone, and is part of a growing “functional food” market that now generates $60 billion in sales annually. “With this new yogurt, people can now enjoy the taste of yogurt while preventing or eliminating the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers,” says study coordinator Hajime Hatta, PhD, a chemist at Kyoto Women’s University in Kyoto, Japan.