The Fat Resistance Diet

GASTRITIS (inflammation of the stomach):

The leading cause of gastritis in the U.S. is the use of aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). Other causes include regular use of alcohol, cigarette smoking and the irritant effects of medication, especially antibiotics. For some people, infection of the stomach is the underlying cause of gastritis. When the stomach is inflamed, it becomes sensitive to its own acid. The usual symptom is burning pain in the middle part of the upper abdomen, above the belly button. This pain is often affected by food (it gets worse or better) and may be associated with nausea and changes in appetite. Antacids like Maalox or Mylanta and acid-suppressing drugs may relieve symptoms by buffering or decreasing acidity, but do not address the underlying cause of gastritis.

The Fat Resistance Diet is helpful in preventing or relieving gastritis because it allows people to decrease their use of anti-inflammatory drugs, which are the number one cause of gastritis, and because it is free of major irritants like alcohol and cayenne.

Anyone with gastritis should be tested for bacterial infection of the stomach. A blood test for antibodies to Helicobacter pylori, the commonest cause of bacterial gastritis, is a useful screening test.

Dietary supplements can support healing of an inflamed stomach, making it less sensitive to its own acid. Scientific studies have shown benefits from the following safe and readily available natural therapies:

• Carrot juice and/or cabbage juice, one cup per day. The addition of aloe vera liquid, up to 4 ounces a day, can also help. Watch out for the laxative effect of aloe.
• DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice). This herbal extract, taken with meals, helps the stomach lining to heal, and can be combined with other soothing herbs, like slippery elm and marshmallow root.
• L-glutamine powder. L-glutamine is an amino acid that nourishes the upper intestine. A teaspoon of L-glutamine powder with each meal can help the healing of gastritis and even stomach ulcers.
• Mastic gum. The sap of the Mediterranean plant Pistaccia lentiscus, mastic gum has been used to treat stomach problems for centuries. It is also used as a flavoring agent in rice pudding. Now available in capsules, mastic gum at 1000 milligrams twice a day, taken after meals, is still useful for healing an inflamed stomach.

People who have been taking acid-suppressive drugs for several weeks or more on a daily basis may have difficulty discontinuing them. When the stomach is deprived of acid, it produces more acid-secreting cells in order to compensate. The result: even though the initial symptoms are not due to hyperacidity, attempting to stop the drug now creates hyperacidity. The solution is to slowly taper off the drug being taken, under a doctor’s supervision, while taking steps to remove the underlying cause, as described above.

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