H Pylori: Symptoms, Causes and Natural Treatments
In this article, I will be explaining about the H pylori infection symptoms, it causes, and the treatment for it. H. pylori is known as Helicobacter pylori in the medical community. It's a bacterial infection that causes ulcers in your stomach and a lot of discomfort and digestive problems. H. Pylori infection symptoms are more common than you think.
As much as 66% of people in the world have this infection, especially in the developing world. But what causes H. pylori infections and can you avoid it?
If you have ulcers in the stomach and you face the symptoms I have listed below then it is H.pylori. The biggest problem is that doctors, especially in developing countries like in Asia, do not even check for H.pylori bacteria because it is expensive. The second biggest problem is that in order to kill H.Pylori if you have tested positive, you have to eat like 20 medicines, which is not very safe. We are left with only one option to treat this H. pylori. By increasing stomach acid.
Now, how to increase stomach acid, which will itself kill H.pylori infection symptoms automatically. This is catch. If you increase stomach acid and have stomach ulcers, you will get a burning sensation. So be very careful with the steps you take to naturally heal yourself from H. pylori causes and there is also a protocol discussed later.
H.Pylori Causes
1. Mouth-To-Mouth Contact and Exchanging Other Bodily Fluids
Lifestyle choices play a big role in the spreading of H. pylori symptoms. If someone is infected you can get infected by them, so make wise choices. H. pylori is also prevalent in crowded areas and communities. These conditions make it extremely easy for the H. pylori infection symptoms to spread. Poor sanitation and poor hygiene is also often a cause which is why it's so common in developing countries, especially in overpopulated and rural areas that lack proper plumbing.
2. Eating and Drinking Contaminated Food and Water
Contaminated water is a huge problem. With the lack of proper plumbing and filter systems, water is easily contaminated and people, unfortunately, have to drink the water. Food can also become contaminated causing people to take in this H. pylori infection bacteria. This can even occur in better-developed areas. It's always good to be aware.
3. Food Allergies
The third important H. Pylori causes can be food allergy. Often you may face a food allergy without realizing it. Food allergies can cause inflammation in your stomach as well as the rest of your body.
One of the biggest culprits is gluten which is found in grains wheat, rye, barley and the products like bread, soups, puddings, gravies, etc. Doctors don't often test for allergies without severe symptoms or without you requesting it.
If you suspect that you have a food allergy, you can try eliminating that food for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve. If you have been infected by H.Pylori, you will need to treat it, however.
4. Malabsorption of Carbohydrates
If you do struggle with this, you will likely know that something is wrong. When your body can't digest carbohydrates it causes a lot of gas and discomfort when eating grains, sugar, and other starchy vegetables like potatoes that contain a lot of carbohydrates. This happens when people over-consume carbohydrates, more so the less healthy forms like sugary foods or white bread and other goods baked with white flour.
Some people are lactose intolerant which means they can't digest the lactose which is the type carbohydrate present in milk. If they consume too much of it, or if they eat or drink a form of milk or milk products that their bodies can't digest properly, gas is released and they may get an upset stomach. The gas released during the attempt to digest the carbohydrates is hydrogen. H.Pylori uses hydrogen as an energy source so your risk for this infection increases, and once you have it, the bacteria is kept alive by the hydrogen.
5. Low Levels of Stomach Acid
Stomach acid doesn't only help to digest our food and absorb nutrients but is there to help kill off harmful bacteria that enter our gut, including H. pylori. If you don't have enough stomach acid, your stomach won't be able to get rid of H. pylori and other bacteria which will cause infections. Stress is often the cause of low levels of stomach acid and other digestive problems too. So if you are constantly stressed, try to relax more.
Sometimes the pH level of the stomach acid can change too. Stomach acid is very acidic so that it can break down food and bacteria, but if it becomes more neutral it can't do this as well, if at all. This can be caused by taking antacids that reduce stomach acid or change the pH level for too long.
Another problem is overuse of antacids / medicines like aspirin and ibuprofen affect the lining of our stomachs and how much stomach acid we produce. H. pylori symptoms thrive under these conditions. To read more about curing acid reflux, click here
H. Pylori Infection Symptoms
If you have H. pylori infection symptoms, you will definitely feel ill. You may experience a few of these symptoms or all of them. You might think about how to recognize "What are the first symptoms of H. Pylori" ?
Here are the symptoms to look out for:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Heartburn
- Bad breath
- Burping
- Unintentional weight loss
- Little to no appetite
- Feeling full even though you've had very little to eat
- Stomach pain, more so in the upper and middle abdomen at night and between meals
- Burning pain in the upper and middle abdomen at night or between meals
These H. Pylori symptoms will often be worse after eating fatty meals or foods.
In the worst cases, the H. Pylori symptoms could be:
- Severe stomach pain
- Vomiting up partially digested food
- Vomiting blood (it can look black or have black pieces in it)
- Blood in your feces (your stools will be dark in color or even black)
- You may struggle to breathe
It's important to treat H. Pylori infection symptoms, negligence to which can cause health complications, even lead to cancer, if left untreated.
Natural Treatments to Get Rid of H.Pylori Bacteria
You can take medication to treat H. pylori infection causes, but you will be taking many at once and the side effects can do more harm than good. Thankfully you can treat the infection naturally. Some of these treatments are even food items that you may already have in your kitchen and they are inexpensive. The others can easily be found in health stores, pharmacies and online.
To fix H.pylori infection symptoms include these treatments:
1. Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is the best choice since it has kept its nutritional value, unlike the refined olive oils. Olive oil contains antioxidants called phenolic compounds. The phenolic compounds have antibacterial properties that fight the H. pylori bacteria. To maintain the health benefits of the olive oil, do not cook with it. Rather use it on salads or in dips.
2. Fermented Foods
Fermented foods contain healthy bacteria, also known as probiotics. These bacteria help to improve your gut health which improves your overall health. This includes enabling your digestive system to fight off H. pylori symptoms. Fermented foods like milk kefir, coconut kefir, sour cream, yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, chutney, and other fermented vegetables (you can even make your own) are all good choices. Make sure that you choose organic fermented foods or organic vegetables if you plan to make your own over non-organic.
When your gut is already unhealthy, you do not want to be eating anything that carries pesticides or bacteria that can add to the problem. This is however a long-term strategy for better digestion. If you need immediate relief from H. pylori infection symptoms along with foods take Probiotics, minimum 35 Billion CFU 2X a day.
3. Baking Soda (Bicarbonate Of Soda)
Baking soda can neutralise stomach acid. While it is true that you don't want to neutralise your stomach acid unless you have a medical condition that requires it, it can be problematic if you have H.Pylori infection symptoms. The ulcers caused by H.Pylori become inflamed if they come into contact with stomach acid. This can cause very severe pain. Use this method only if you are in very severe pain.
Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking soda to a warm glass of water. Mix it well and drink it to relieve the pain. You can also try adding a few drops of lemon juice and adding it to the solution. You can put the lemon juice and baking soda in half a cup of water. Preferably use the lowest dose of ½ a teaspoon of baking soda.
4. Ginger Root
Ginger has been used for many years to soothe the stomach. It can help to ease the other symptoms like nausea, but more importantly, it helps to combat H. pylori symptoms and the resulting ulcers. You can make a tea out of it by adding a few slices, 2 or 3 should be enough, to hot water and letting them steep for half an hour. Drink the tea before meals. You can also add ginger to your meals for a delicious flavour and to help your gut.
5. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Make sure it's the raw and unfiltered variety. It will look cloudy. This unfiltered type of apple cider vinegar contains prebiotics that feed the healthy bacteria in your gut which improves the health of your gut. It also helps improve the acidity of your stomach acid which helps it to fight off bacteria and digest food properly. Drink 1 teaspoon of it in a glass of water. You can also use it as a salad dressing.
6. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is great for soothing your stomach. You can have some before or after a meal and before bed to help you sleep. It can also help you to relax if you are stressed out which can also help your stomach out. It's a nice alternative to ginger tea if you don't like the taste.
7. Aloe Juice
Aloe is another plant that has been used medicinally for many years. One of the ways it can help your stomach is by reducing gas and bloating. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which will help to treat H. pylori symptoms and the pain. Aloe juice can also act as a laxative so look for the supplements and juices that have had the substance that can help fix H.pylori causes. You can drink up to half a cup before meals to reduce your symptoms and get rid of H. Pylori.
8. Vitamin D
Check your Vitamin D Levels. It's cheap to get this checked. Vitamin D causes your body to produce Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs). These AMPs are one of your body's defences against bacteria, viruses and even abnormal cells that can cause illnesses like cancer. Making sure that you have enough vitamin D will help your body fight the H. pylori symptoms. Getting some sun is one of the best ways to increase your vitamin D levels because your skin reacts to the sun by creating vitamin D. 15-30 minutes a day will be enough.
Make sure that you expose your skin to the sun without sunblock because sunblock interferes with this process. If you do want to stay in the sun longer, put on sunblock after 15 minutes. Foods that are high in vitamin D include fish, eggs, and milk. You can also take a supplement of vitamin D3 but make sure that you get enough vitamin K2 otherwise your body won't absorb it properly.
9. Glutamine
This won't kill H.pylori but will repair the damage done by H.Pylori. Glutamine and its supplement form L-glutamine is an amino acid that heals the gut after an H. pylori infection. You can get it from vegetables as well as from animal products like dairy, beef, chicken, eggs, and fish. You can find the supplement in stores and pharmacies as L-glutamine.
10. Betaine
Betaine is a hydrochloric supplement. Hydrochloric acid is what your stomach acid is made of. Taking betaine can help you if your stomach pH is too neutral or if your levels of stomach acid are low. This will then help your digestive system to fight with the H. pylori causes and digest your food properly. Gently add HCL with Pepsin at mealtime and you will notice a great improvement with indigestion, burning and gastric pain.
You can find it in health stores and you can also try your local pharmacy. Use it as directed or if there are no instructions take enough to cause a slight burning sensation and then reduce your dosage by one for the rest of the time you take it.
Try Miduty Betaine HCL+ Pepsin
11. Slippery Elm
Slippery elm can be found in different forms such as tea or a tincture, lozenges, or capsules and can be used to treat stomach ailments. One of the biggest ways it can help is by causing your stomach to produce mucus which protects your digestive system from ulcers and if you have excess stomach acid this will reduce it. It also soothes your entire digestive tract from your mouth to your intestines which can give you some relief from H. Pylori symptoms.
12. Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant and is very effective at reducing the symptoms associated with H. pylori and acid reflux. You can find it in health stores and pharmacies. It's recommended to take 40 mg per day.
To read more about natural remedies to treat H. pylori click here.If the infection is severe and you need immediate relief is a protocol from UHN.
I can go on with the list. Basically, anything that has antibacterial effects will have positive effects on eradicating the bacteria. One must understand why this bacteria came into your system and why it can't be killed automatically. Simple answer: your stomach acid is not enough to kill this bacteria. That's why it is important for you to read this article to get rid of this bacteria and other stomach problems permanently.
Conclusion
- H. Pylori is a type of bacteria that causes ulcers in your stomach.
- H.pylori causes include contaminated food and water, exchange of bodily fluids, poor hygiene, food allergies, low stomach acid and digestive problems.
- Less severe H.pylori symptoms include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, bloating, loss of appetite and weight loss.
- More severe H.pylori symptoms include trouble breathing, vomiting blood and partially digested food, bloody stools, and severe stomach pain.
- Effective natural treatments include olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar, baking soda, Probiotics, Betaine HCL and Ginger.
