Gastritis patient

[Idapita]

What are some good foods to eat when you have gastritis?

[Paxiled]

Gotta save the little gelt I have left to pay someone to off me.  Not a kugel fan, but I do like me some good rugelach and mandel bread!  Happy new year.

[gymdandee]

No comeback! :>) The holiday was good. You know Lokshen Kugel, Potato Kugel, Rugelach and lets not forget  Mandel Bread.
Read my last journal entry!
On my way to Vegas for a few days do you want to help with some Gelt?

[Paxiled]

Can't wait for your comeback!  How were your holidays?

[Paxiled]

By the way, there's a reason I suggest a holistic nutritionist -- when you don't have a good understanding of nutrition it's really hard to tend to your stomach discomfort and still get the nutrients you need and also to learn about digestion.  A so-called bland diet can often be helpful in the short term, but if it doesn't solve the problem quickly you're left eating foods lacking in fiber and nutrition.  Fiber helps some people, and irritates others.  It depends on the symptoms, since gastritis, again, is just a general description, not a true diagnosis -- it could mean a lot of acid, it could mean otherwise.  Serving sizes?  The pretty much depends on the person -- athletic people need more than sedentary people, so there's no one serving size.  That's why I disagree with virtually everything mentioned by gymdandee in his answer -- it's not that it's necessarily wrong in every way, but it doesn't have much to do with what's bothering you and what you will tolerate.  Carbonated beverages?  Nobody should be drinking them, they're unhealthy other than carbonated water, so the fact you have gastritis doesn't make a food that might feel good temporarily a good food to eat.   That's very individual.  None of us can tell you what to eat because we don't know you, but seeing a holistic nutritionist can get you started to learning this stuff for yourself and might lead to a treatment that suits you.  In the meantime, remedies such as aloe vera juice, DGL, slippery elm, chamomile, peppermint oil enteric coated capsules might give you some relief and help to heal the inflamed lining of your digestive system.  A regular nutritionist won't know this, but a holistic nutritionist will.  Again, good luck.

[Paxiled]

I guess it won't come as any surprise, but I disagree with most of the above.  As a fellow sufferer of gastritis, remember that diagnosis doesn't actually mean anything -- it just means you have some inflammation and discomfort, but doesn't describe any disease state in the sense of why you have the problem.  Getting to the why if you can is the best solution, but that's not easy.  As for the foods mentioned, fruit can be hard on someone with acid problems.  Dairy is the main cause of gastritis for many people, and it doesn't in fact cut acid -- that's an old wive's tale when people with ulcers used to be told to drink milk.  Having had an ulcer many years ago, this was never true.  Dairy also doesn't contain Vitamin D -- that's added in as a supplement in some dairy products, but it's no different than taking any other Vitamin D supplement.  The problem with dairy is, adult animals don't do it and so don't have the enzymes to digest it, with a few exceptions of some tribes in India and Scandinavia.  Often cutting out dairy solves gastritis altogether.  And while dairy is high in calcium, it's deficient in magnesium, throwing them out of balance.  Now here's the real thing about stomach problems -- different people tolerate different foods differently.  If you're from a culture that is used to spicy food, those spices are often quite healing for stomach problems.  Cayenne is a good example.  But if you're not used to that, then it can be a problem.  So the best foods are the ones you tolerate well, but you still have to eat a nutritious diet, which rules out those enriched breads -- they're still bad for your sugar balance.  You don't want to create a new problem while treating this problem.  So it takes some experimentation, but again, finding the root cause is the only true solution. It can be stress or foods you're eating that your system can't tolerate, such as wheat or dairy, or allergies or gluten sensitivities or many things.  But as to which foods to eat, eat what doesn't bother you and don't eat what does.  And for help you might consult a holistic nutritionist.  Good luck.

[gymdandee]

Fruit contains vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants. If you have gastritis, you should have two to four servings of fruit per day.  Apples or apple juice, bananas, peaches, pears, applesauce and canned fruit, grapes, melon and kiwi. On average, servings are one medium piece of fresh fruit, 1/2 cup of canned fruit and 4ounces of fruit juice. You may need to avoid some types of fruit due to pain and irritation. These include orange and grapefruit juice, figs, berries and dried fruit.
Vegetables are also rich in nutrients. You should eat two to four servings of vegetables per day. 1 cup of fresh vegetables, 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, 4 ounces of vegetable juice or 2 cups of salad greens are a good way to increase vegetables in your diet. Some vegetables are gas producing and may cause discomfort. Try a variety of vegetables and determine which ones you should avoid. Vegetable juices, peppers, chilies, onion, garlic and tomato products tend to cause the most problems.
Dairy is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, making them necessary for a good diet. you should limit your intake of milk and other dairy foods to two to three servings per day. you should select low-fat or fat-free if possible. This will help control the production of stomach acid. Good sources of vitamin D and calcium are 1/2 cup of low-fat ice cream, 1 cup of low-fat yogurt, 2 ounces of cheese, 4 ounces of pudding, 2 eggs or 8 ounces of low-fat or skim milk.
Most meat, poultry and fish are pretty good. The best are lean, tender meats, skinless poultry, seafood, fish, shellfish, tofu and soybeans. You should eat two to four 3-ounce servings of these types of foods each day. NO fried, greasy or high-fat cuts and highly seasoned or spicy. Broiling, grilling or roasting are the best methods.
You should eat between six and 10 servings of grains per day. Enriched bread and cereals, whole grain bread and crackers, oatmeal, rice, potatoes, barley, graham crackers, pasta, noodles and macaroni products are good examples. A serving size is 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of rice, cooked cereal or pasta, 3/4 cup dry cereal or 6 crackers. Products that may cause you discomfort or irritation include coarse cereals and breads, seeds, potato chips or French fries, refried beans and fatty fried pastries.
Fluids are important to clean out your gastrointestinal tract and soften fiber.  Drink between six and eight 8-ounce glasses of liquid per day. Water is the ultimate beverage; it replenishes your body, has no calories and does not cause irritation. Fruit drinks, caffeine-free tonics, carbonated beverages and mild herbal teas are also OK if you can tolerate them. NO coffee, black tea, soft drinks, hot cocoa and alcohol because they will cause discomfort and irritation.