GHANA'S NATURAL SOLUTION TO STOMACH ULCER
A stomach ulcer can be an excruciating disorder. It is caused by a few factors including missing meals or going hungry for lengthy periods. I started experiencing symptoms in 2006 right after I completed SHS. This resulted from my frequent meal misses because I either did not like the food being served and had no time to get an alternative or just decided to skip lunch or breakfast. Over time, I begin to feel pain instead of the normal feeling of hunger. Within a year, it became worse and I had to go to the hospital only to be diagnosed with a stomach ulcer. Although I was told by health professionals that stomach ulcer has no cure and can only be managed, now I see myself cured! The information provided here is based on personal experience, not from a third party or research.
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| Stomach ulcer |
THE COMMON PRESCRIPTIONS FOR STOMACH ULCER IN GHANA
Most of the time, when the pain in my stomach re-occurs and I get to the nearest pharmacy or hospital, they usually prescribe these medicines for me:
a. Flagyl: a very unpleasant and bitter drug
I have taken Flagyl for God-knows how long as prescriptions from different pharmacies and hospitals but it never cured me of stomach ulcer. It is usually prescribed in combination with other drugs. It came to a point where I decided not to take it again when given because I didn't see any change in pain after taking it. If you suffer from a stomach ulcer, expect to see this given to you.
b. Omeprazole: easy to swallow and quite effective
One common medication I take is omeprazole. According to my instructions, this medication should be taken 30 minutes before or after meals. It is quite effective such that anytime I take it, it reduces my pains over time. Yet the pain kept recurring.
c. Ulcerplex: a local herbal prescription
When the above failed, I had to go herbal. I tried Ulcerplex, it has a sweet taste and had to be taken 30 minutes before meals. What I realized was, it makes me feel hungrier anytime I take it. It also helps with the pain though but upon taking 5 bottles (even beyond the recommendation), it reduces the pain but in no time, my problem resurfaces.
I tried one more herbal drug which I can't remember the name of, it was also effective but couldn't cure my ailment.
Now I always have to eat on time and worse, I feel pain instead of normal hunger, at times piercing and burning sensation in my stomach! A stomach ulcer is a truly dreadful disease.
PRODUCTS TO AVOID IF YOU SUFFER FROM STOMACH ULCER IN GHANA
It took me a while to learn about the different types of food and fruits I should eat. Some I got to know of via experience (especially how I feel after taking in such food or fruit) and others I was advised by Doctors.
1. ENERGY DRINKS
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| Stay away from all types of energy drinks! |
For your own sake and health, once you know you suffer from a stomach ulcer, kindly stay away from all forms of energy drinks! Anything that contains caffeine especially. You will only end up complicating your existing problem.
2. CITRIC FRUITS (ORANGES, APPLES, etc.)
Stomach ulcers are not friends with anything acidic, hence avoid all fruits that have an acidic tendency.
At all costs; avoid oranges and apples, especially in large quantities or on an empty stomach. Never do that unless you want to spend some time in the hospital.
3. COFFEE AND TEA BAGS
Take less coffee and tea made from tea bags.
If at all costs you want to take this type of tea, then always add milk, don't take it without milk, otherwise you will have yourself to blame.
4. EFPAC, PARACETAMOL, DICLOFENAC, etc.
These medicines and several others won't be good for you. Minimize, look for alternatives, or avoid them at all costs.
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| Efpac pain reliever |
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| Paracetamol Picture by: Joe Giddens/PA |
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| Diclofenac tablets |
The drugs above have the potency of worsening stomach ulcers, avoid them as best as you can and if you have to take them, they shouldn't be frequent, and not on an empty stomach too or before meals.
5. AVOID SPICES AND SPICEY DIETS
Another thing that can trigger stomach ulcers is spices. Avoid spices especially those that are quite strong in taste.
6. STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEPPER SPECIES ("KPAKPOSHITO")
Stay away from any pepper species hotter than cayenne, especially Habanero and Scotch bonnet. They are generally referred to as "kpakposhito" in Ghana.
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| Habanero pepper: Avoid this if you suffer from stomach ulcer |
Habanero pepper is common in Ghana and can be found in almost every market across the country.
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| Scotch bonnet pepper |
THE CURE FOR STOMACH ULCERS ALSO A SPECIES OF PEPPER!
Stomach ulcers are interesting, pepper can exacerbate and complicate the severity of their symptoms, whereas another type of pepper can cure them completely. The cure is in Cayenne pepper, eat a lot of cayenne pepper! You will be amazed but that's the cure! I was told it would heal me, I thought it was a joke, but now I am free as I type this article. I am healed!
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| Cayenne pepper |
I began adding a lot of cayenne pepper to my diet, taking it with other food in raw ground form, and in weeks I started feeling better. In about a month, I was okay and healed.
To deal with stomach ulcer, simply avoid the food and drugs above and pay attention to cayenne pepper and you will notice a great difference in a few weeks.
On the other hand, avoid any other type of pepper hotter than cayenne.
For almost a decade, I was fighting stomach ulcers, from drug stores to pharmacies, from clinics to hospitals, from hospitals to herbal drugs only for me to get cured by a household ingredient! Life is ironic indeed.
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| Cayenne pepper Photo source: author |
Another vegetable that can deal with stomach ulcers is Cabbage, yes, the cabbage you know.
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| Cabbage helps with stomach ulcer pains photo source: https://www.chefsteps.com |
I was advised to cook cabbage with a fair amount of water, then drain the water and drink it. I did and even ate a lot of cabbage, it was effective though as I realized it reduced the pain I was feeling by then. Though cabbage is effective, it wasn't as good as cayenne pepper. My journey with the battle of stomach ulcer has been years only to realize that the cure was something that can be found in the kitchen all along. Thanks to all those who assisted me(dead and alive) in discovering this remedy.
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