notes by dr Claudio Italiano
Gastritis is an acute or chronic inflammatory process of the gastric wall,
related to acidity or not. The classic symptoms of the disorder are acidity,
which the brain generally interprets as "swollen stomach feeling". Digestion
becomes slow and laborious, with acid eructation, bitter taste in the mouth, or
more correctly as pain, burning and stomach cramps. , followed by vomiting and
nausea, with a feeling of dizziness and cold sweating. At other times the
patient eats and lies down and after a while he feels that the food comes back
into his mouth in the form of acidic regurgencies, with a sense of bitterness in
his mouth and suddenly awakens with palpitations.
It is clear that in all these conditions nutrition must be adequate and be an
integral part of patient care. But not always the cause of gastritis is to be
found in the hypersecretory dispeptic syndrome, ie in the excessive production
of acid, but also in the abuse of alcohol that is at the base of the same
gastritis, called "alcoholic".
In fact, we start drinking the sweeter and more palatable liquids, those
advertised on TV, mixed with soda and fruit juices or digestive bitters to
become alcoholics and drink spirits !. Those who are psychologically fragile,
those who are depressed and under stress must absolutely avoid the so-called
"social drinking", that is, the drinks of Saturday night at the bar, when one is
looking for friendship. But returning to us and to the topic, we will say that
alcohol (except for two fingers of red wine that contains antioxidants) is the
basis of poor digestion; at other times the use of gastroleptic drugs, as a
result of aspirin, painkillers and antiplatelet drugs can cause ulcers and
gastritis. Furthermore, smoking is one of the main factors of gastritis and
acidity.
In the presence of abdominal pain and slow and laborious digestion, with
sensation of acid, the first thing to do is:
-go to the doctor and perform the instrumental investigations, paying particular
attention to the approach to the gastroenterological patient, comparing the
right laboratory investigations of the case, for ex. to evaluate the presence of
iposideremica microcytic anemia.
In fact, behind the symptoms can be hidden pathologies ranging from gastric ulcer to specific gastritis and ulcers and duodenal, up to the cancerous ulcer of the stomach, chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter Pylori, that is to the infection of this scammer bacterium that induce between the folds of the stomach and which causes gastritis to recur. In these cases it is advisable to implement a so-called "eradicating" therapy, ie using 3 antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor twice a day. To be specified that even the simple test of faecal antigens of Helicobacter Pylori, can already direct the doctor to the gastric infection caused by this bacterium. But if we assume that you have performed gastroscopy, that you have emerged that you are suffering from acute gastritis, that your doctor has already visited you, then what diet will be correct?
The diet for gastritis is based primarily on the observance of some very simple
behavioral rules such as:
- eat slowly. "First digestion fit in mouth", the Latins wrote, so a good
chewing is the basis of proper digestion and not overloaded with work this poor
stomach, which as you know, functions as a kind of machine shredding food,
especially in its region antral. Moreover, when one eats, one is calm, one does
not nervously discuss with the partner of money and euros, of this damn euro
that has impoverished us all and creates stress and gastritis and irritable
bowel syndrome! Especially when approaching the installment of the mortgage to
pay and there is acid and bitter in the mouth! Meals will be small and frequent
in order to exploit the buffer action of food on the acidity of the stomach.
Recommended foods are: (see also the ulcerative diet)
the milk for breakfast, preferring the skimmed milk, with barley, without
coffee, not the cappuccino that is integrated with the espresso! The milk, being
an alkaline food, has an immediate positive effect as its basicity goes to
counteract (buffer) the acidity of the gastric contents. In fact, coffee, tea,
and chocolate are "nervine" foods that stimulate acid secretion; some biscuits,
not fat, of jam on bread, can complete breakfast, without exaggerating with fats,
sausages, bacon and eggs that use english people! Instead you prefer a yogurt and light
foods.
At
lunch will always be indicated light foods, that is not processed, not cooked
with gravies! To understand the pasta with fresh tomatoes and raw oil, at most
topped with the basil leaf and a thin sprinkling of Parmesan, not spicy
pecorino!
Never consume meat broths or meat soups or soups made with diced meat!
The lyophilized meat, in fact, is a powerful secretagogue of acid, that is, it
stimulates the acidity and you have a burst pain in the stomach and you feel a
sense of fullness and nausea and you belch !
By the way, never use spices, no chili pepper and peppers or "piparelli",
which aren't the classic Sicilian biscuit with almonds but chili peppers
from Calabria, South Italy!
The second course
will consist of tender beef, preferably meatballs, or grilled burgers, defatted;
better still the boiled fish, the white meats, the fresh digestible cheeses, the
fresh ricotta cheese of Sicily, with great content of calcium. The boiled egg is fine too.
The fruit is fine; also of the Italian grapes, a ripe apple, a ripe pear, ripe
bananas;
Never consume citrus or oranges or lemons because they are acidic, never
vegetables that scratch the stomach while they are digested like artichokes
Boiled beets, potatoes, soft and well cooked courgettes are good, with raw oil,
little.
Do not eat sweets, no nougats, nuts, nuts and hazelnuts. Do not drink alcohol,
sodas, coca, pepsi, quinotto, orangeade
It is ok to drink alkaline waters, it is good water that buffers acidity