Once diagnosed with gastritis, you can be proactively involved in providing relief from the symptoms that may flair up from time to time or by preventing them altogether.
You can do this in the following ways:
- Your diet: If you tend to experience frequent indigestion, make an effort to eat smaller meals more often in the day (several small meals instead of 3 large ones) as this can help alleviate inflammation-related discomforts in your digestive system. You may also note that specific foods (spicy, fatty, fried or acidic) aggravate your stomach and cause inflammation in your digestive system. These can be reduced significantly in your diet or completely avoided. The same applies to alcohol consumption. Excessive amounts of consumption on a frequent basis does tend to irritate the lining of your stomach.
- Medications for pain relief: If, for any reason you need to take pain relievers on a regular basis, it is advisable to discuss options with your doctor to determine which would be less likely to aggravate your digestive system.
- Stress management: No matter the physical cause of your gastritis, symptoms will worsen if there is something particularly stressful going on in your life. Stress, in this day and age, is difficult to avoid, but coping mechanisms can help to better manage it. Calming activities such as leisurely walking, meditation, yoga or tai chi are useful for encouraging relaxation, for instance.
There are things you can do in the way of prevention, especially when it comes to bacterial infections. As Helicobacter pylori is known to be transmitted from person to person or through contaminated water and food, preventative measures against infection include frequently washing hands with soap and water, and consuming foods that have been cooked completely.