By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
This Sunday, we continue discussion on stomach ulcers and allergies. On stomach ulcers, we mentioned in a previous column stomach ulcers were unknown in our forefathers time and that stomach ulcers don’t occur instantly. Usually, it gives a warning in the form of recurrent painful tummy that is relieved by eating. The usual cause of stomach ulcers is the quality of our foods- this has changed drastically over the last two decades. I would say that our foods now are sweet…. but corrosive. Nice to your tongue but irritating beyond it. How misleading, isn’t it? Sugar is acidic…. unfortunately for the sweet tooth. We are aware that anything “acid” is corrosive. Another change in the quality of our foods is that they are easily swallowed- look at milk, bread, noodles, canned meats, oatmeal, cake, cerelac (yes, I know some people who love this). And if you care to read the ingredients of these foods, they contain sugar. Except for plain oatmeal and some noodles.
People now demand soft foods- soft fried chicken, ground meat, mashed cassava (in the form of cake or patupat), mashed potato. Now, our Creator did not place molars in our mouth for nothing. And do you think He placed saliva in your mouth for you to spit to your enemy? No, no. Saliva is there in our mouth to be mixed with food as part of the natural digestive process. Saliva is alkaline. The message is that we need to chew well before swallowing. So to make this task automatic (I mean, no-brainer), our usual food has to be firm or hard or not so soft. Try swallowing unpolished rice like you do with mami noodles. Wait, don’t! You might choke. So it is much healthier to eat unpolished rice than polished rice or bread or noodles.
Stress is one aggravating factor for stomach ulcer. How? When one is stressed, there is diminished blood flow thereby causing diminished mucus secretion in the body including the stomach. Mucus is a protective substance and in the stomach this mucus prevents the stomach from corrosive substances like acid so when there is less mucus, the acids will burn your stomach. What to do? Take slow deep breaths and feel the blood flow throughout your body.
Here’s a warning for those who take in painkillers at the slightest sensation of pain. Many painkillers irritate the stomach and some drugs just ulcerate the stomach without any warning. Meaning, you won’t feel any pain and will just be surprised later that your stools are tarry black (this is digested blood). We already know of patients who have been taking painkillers or painrelievers for their arthritis or rayuma and who later developed bleeding peptic ulcers. Some have died because of this bleeding. You won’t die of rayuma.
There is also a theory that a certain bacteria called H. Pylori causes stomach ulcer thus some patients are given antibiotics. There are studies, though, to show that a lot of people harbor this bacteria in their stomach without being sick. Some scientists say that this bacteria is part of the normal flora of our stomach. In fact, some researches show that H. pylori and other resident bacteria of our bodies may have a protective effect because people with H. pylori are less likely to have asthma and other chronic diseases.
We reiterate the goodness of rice coffee or rice tea for gastritis and ulcers. It has a calming effect on the “fire” in the stomach. Every home has rice so this should not be a problem. Rice coffee is also good for diarrhea and vomiting.
On allergies, what I missed to mention last time is that allergies occur on repeat exposure. You don’t develop an allergy to a food that you eat for the first time or to a substance that you experience for the first time. This is because allergy is an exaggerated reaction to a certain substance based on the memory of our cells (not our conscious memory). There is something wrong with the immune system so it responds abnormally. Allergy is one symptom of this. Again, there is a theory that super-hygienic conditions contribute to the development of allergy. This is similar to what I cited earlier that H. pylori in the stomach could have a protective role in our overall health.
Allergies, like stomach ulcers, are diseases of recent times. More and more evidence is coming out that milk, cheese and other dairy products contribute a lot to the development of allergy. That is the good news. Because we have the power to eliminate or minimize these things that cause gastritis, ulcers and allergies. Do you? Try your power this Lenten season. With God, nothing is impossible.**
