Diet and Gastritis

Generality

What is gastritis

Gastritis is an acute or chronic inflammatory process of the gastric wall.

Symptoms

The classic symptoms of gastritis are:

Stomach acidity
Stomach burns
Stomach cramps
Nausea
He retched.

Mild and severe gastritis

The medical approach to chronic gastritis involves carrying out in-depth diagnostic investigations and targeted drug therapies.

On the contrary, for the milder and / or sporadic forms are sufficient: rest and decreased nervous stress, assisted by a light and adequate diet; a pharmacological approach is rarely recommended.

Causes of mild gastritis

Gastritis is often caused by bad eating habits and more generally by a bad lifestyle:

There are some seasonings and foods that are irritating to the gastric mucosa
Alcohol abuse
Excess of spicy spices
Nicotine addiction
Excessive or poorly performed intake of certain drugs with gastrolesive effects (aspirin and the like).

Dietary principles

What are the basic principles to follow in the gastritis diet?

In the presence of gastritis, it is very important to avoid all products that further insult the already inflamed gastric mucosa due to the disorder.

These dietary and behavioral norms are indicated both in sporadic and in chronic forms:

In the first case, they are able to resolve the inflammation
In the second case, specific medicines are needed.

In both cases, it is necessary to go to the doctor to make a diagnosis and establish specific care.

Medical check: what is it for?

The medical check is used to monitor the progress of gastritis.

However, while for sporadic and / or mild forms the medical check-up is advised above all to detect any complications early (ulcers, Helicobacter pylori infection, stomach cancer etc.), for severe forms it primarily takes on the role of monitoring progress in treatment (dietetic, behavioral and pharmacological).

Drugs for chronic gastritis?

The specific medicines for the treatment of gastritis are: antibiotics, gastroprotectors and drugs able to regulate the motility of the digestive tract (prokinetics). For further information, read: Medications to cure gastritis

Important Tips

What are the most relevant suggestions in the gastritis diet?

The diet for gastritis is based primarily on compliance with some very simple rules; for example, comply with behavioral rules, change the composition and size of meals, respect the list of recommended foods and limit / avoid the products advised against.

Eat meals in a relaxing environment. Chewing, digestion and gastritis improve as nervous tension decreases
Prevent the consumption of meals in conditions of considerable nervousness and fatigue
Eat at regular times, without ever skipping a meal or delaying it too much
Properly share meals throughout the day
Consume at least two, or better three, snacks a day; mid-morning and mid-afternoon are indispensable, because they contribute to stopping stomach acid and preventing it from rising too much due to prolonged fasting
Avoid a big dinner; must always be quantitatively less than lunch
In general, it is good to limit the bingeing, because too abundant meals require a very high gastric permanence, fatigue the stomach and require an acid secretion so relevant as to cause discomfort to the already irritated mucosa.
Chew slowly, because a correct and complete mastication makes digestion easier, reducing the time of gastric stay of food
Pay close attention to the chewing of the toughest or most complicated foods (especially when the teeth do not allow it)
It is advisable to remain in a sitting position for at least ten minutes at the end of the meal.

What to eat

Which foods and cooking methods are recommended and not recommended in case of gastritis?

Recommended	advised
Light foods with low lipid content: white meats, lean fish, non-fermented low-fat cheeses	Cooking techniques that require a lot of fat: especially frying, but also those in the pan or pan with a lot of fat
Recipes prepared with light cooking methods: boiling, stir-frying with extra virgin olive oil or cooking on the grill, taking care not to burn any parts of the food	Foods rich in fat: cured meats - especially sausages - fat cheeses - especially those fermented like gorgonzola and pecorino
With regard to milk and yogurt, consume them in moderation and preferring those that are partially skimmed	Greased condiments and various sauces
Do not consume in the same dish proteins of different origin such as eggs and legumes or meat and cheese: obviously in small doses such as a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on the lean ragù of pasta such associations are allowed	Preserved foods: salted, in oil, smoked, etc.
Fruit juices, except those very acidic (grapefruit juice or other citrus fruits	Alcoholic beverages (especially spirits), tea, coffee, carbonated soft drinks
Cooked vegetables, artichokes, cabbage, nettles, potatoes, bananas	Cold foods (frozen drinks, ice creams, granitas) especially on an empty stomach
	Uncooked foods
	Acidic fruit (lemons, mandarins, oranges, cedar, pineapple, currant, pomegranate) and dried fruit (too rich in fats and proteins), white wine, vinegar, tomatoes, peppers, tomato juice
	Spices (especially pepper, garlic, chilli), pickles, brines, cream-based pastries.

Additional Advice

Drink more water: saliva and liquids protect the esophageal mosses from gastric juices.

If the symptoms of gastritis are particularly intense and result in vomiting and / or diarrhea, it is important to prevent dehydration by increasing the consumption of liquids: water or specific drinks that can be purchased in pharmacies; avoid tea, coffee and sugary drinks instead.

A walk at the end of the meal can be useful to promote digestion.

Milk, being an alkaline food, has an immediate positive effect as its basicity goes to counteract (buffer) the acidity of the gastric contents. Above all the whole one, however, is also rich in fats and proteins that increase gastric acidity and slow down the emptying of the stomach. It therefore has an immediate beneficial effect but, especially if you overdo it with quantities, after the initial relief it can cause a rapid reappearance of symptoms.

In respect of subjectivity, listen to your body and avoid the foods and drinks to which you attribute past episodes of poor digestion. When the acute phase of gastritis has passed, make tests, ingesting small amounts of certain foods. In fact, there is a certain individual variability due to which some foods that are contraindicated for someone could be well tolerated by others, and vice versa.