Diet for Gastritis

Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. Hence, needless to say, your diet plays an extremely important role in your recovery. Your digestive system cannot be taxed during the course of this illness. Experts advise a stage by stage diet in order to best aid the healing process. At the onset of gastritis, the patient should fast for two or even three days, depending o the severity of the condition. During the fast, the patient should be fed only warm water. This eases the stomach and also cleanses your digestive system by flushing out excess toxic matter. After the inflammation subsides, you can adopt an all-fruit diet. It is imperative to consume lots of juicy fruits during this phase. Apples, pears, grapefruit, peaches, pineapples, oranges and melons are ideal. Also stick to a five hour interval between each meal. These fruits are easily digestible and the five hour interval makes sure that every meal is completely digested and that there is no stress on stomach tissues. This should be continued for at least five days.

You can then move on to a more balanced diet. You can start consuming vegetables and grains. However, make the transition gradual. Medical supervision too is advised before moving on to a heavy diet. During this stage, eat a lot of nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables. Consume a lot of yogurt during this phase. An ideal way to consume it would be in the form of buttermilk. Cottage cheese too is extremely beneficial. Eat a lot of high fiber foods like cooked dried beans and whole grains. Carrot juice will serve as an excellent dietary supplement. Combine it with spinach juice to ease your digestive system effectively. Mix six ounces of spinach juice with ten ounces of carrot juice to derive maximum benefit.

Alcohol, caffeine, tea and nicotine should be avoided. Also stay away from sweets, pastries, cakes and aerated drinks. Avoid tomatoes, peppermint and fatty foods. These may cause additional discomfort in the form of heartburn. Also stay away from spicy and highly seasoned food, especially foods cooked with onions, cinnamon, garlic and cloves. Foods that cause gas should also be avoided. In most cases, these are broccoli, cabbage and peas. Drink eight to ten glasses of water, but do not drink water along with your food as it dilutes digestive juices and delays digestion. Above all, do not try to rush through your meals. Chew your food well and eat slowly in a relaxed mood.