Pregnancy is one of the most natural phenomena of nature. Also, it is one of the most variable occurrences. While one woman may just sail through symptomless, complication free pregnancy, another woman might have every classical symptom of pregnancy with complications now and then.
So I always tell my pregnant clients (not patients! As pregnancy is not a disorder or disease)-
“Just as every child is special, every pregnancy is also very unique.”
Gastrointestinal disorders (GID) is one of the most frequent complaints during pregnancy. Some pregnant women suffer from GI disorders that are unique to pregnancy while other pregnant patients present with chronic GI disorders that require special consideration during pregnancy.
Women with peptic ulcer may belong to either of the two categories. The cases of aggravation of existing peptic ulcer are more than developing a peptic ulcer during pregnancy.
Good news is that usually increased levels of some hormones during pregnancy and physiological changes happening in the body create conditions for “healing” of stomach ulcer.
Causes Of Peptic Ulcer
Of course, when you find about your pregnancy everyone quits smoking and alcohol consumption. But some habits and indigestion of the past might come and haunt you during pregnancy in form of digestive troubles and ulcers.
- Helicobacter Pylori infection
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Stress and worrying
- Too much fatty foods
- Too much hot, spicy foods
- Eating late nights
- Eating before previous meal is digested
- Medicines such as NSAIDS, Aspirin
Symptoms Of Peptic Ulcer
- Dyspepsia
- Pain in central upper abdominal region
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heartburn
- Regurgitation of food
- GI bleeding
- Perforation
Nausea, vomiting, heartburn are the most common symptoms of pregnancy. So having these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a peptic ulcer.
However in case you suffer from any of the symptoms given below consult your doctor immediately:
- Pallor
- Dizziness
- Faints
- Vomiting with blood
- Sharp belly-aches
- Cold sticky sweat
- Cold extremities
Tips To Manage Peptic Ulcer
Milk Or No Milk
It is a common practice to reach for cold milk, ice creams when suffering from GI symptoms. But that is a big no from an Ayurvedic perspective.
- Hot milk (⅔)+ hot water (⅓)+ pinch of cardamon powder + natural sugar candy is extremely beneficial.
- Drinking raw goat milk is also an effective method for treating peptic ulcers.
Eat Every Two Hours
Rather than toiling your tummy with infrequent, heavy meals eat small, frequent, light meals.
Reducing Irritating Foods
Tomatoes, eggplant, capsicum, onions, chilis cause irritation to the stomach lining and ulcer due to their seeds as well as other properties.
It is best to avoid these foods along with other irritating substances such as excessive salt, spices and sour foods, junk food and refined floor, refrigerated and stale foods.
Beneficial Foods
Broken rice, green gram, parched rice, homemade butter, cow’s ghee, natural sugar candy, banana, gooseberry, almonds in paste form, berries, pomegranate juice, cabbage juice, boiled bottle gourd, pumpkin soup, sugarcane juice and drumstick soup.
Beneficial Herbs
Drinking an infusion of the herbs:
- Licorice + turmeric + clarified butter is said to stimulate mucus secretion by the stomach and heal the peptic ulcer.
- ½ tsp overnight soaked fenugreek seeds also help in the healing of peptic ulcer.
- Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) granules in ½ milk + ½ water (boiled) are also beneficial in peptic ulcer.
- Sandalwood powder + turmeric powder mixed in curry leaves pulp is a great remedy for peptic ulcer during pregnancy.
Pregnancy and peptic ulcer may become frustrating for a mom-to-be. But additional stress, nervous tension and mood swings will just lead to further aggravation of symptoms.
So be positive and simply follow the above given simple instructions. They will help you sail merrily through your pregnancy and also heal your ulcers.
