Table of contents:
- Eating too much can be a cause of ulcer recurrence
- Other habits that can cause ulcers
- Prevent ulcers with the following tips
You may consider that you rarely eat or eat late which is the usual cause of ulcers. This has a little bit of truth. The stomach that is left empty for a long time will be completely filled with stomach acid which can trigger ulcer symptoms. However, this is not a reason for you to just eat a lot immediately in the hope of preventing an ulcer from recurring. In fact, overeating can also cause ulcers to recur.
Eating too much can be a cause of ulcer recurrence
Eating a lot of food not only makes you sleepy and stomach upset, but also makes it easy for ulcers to recur. This is none other than caused by a distended stomach because your stomach is completely filled with food. What does a distended stomach have to do with an ulcer?
You see, your esophageal tract and stomach are punctured by a ring-shaped muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter muscle (lower esophageal sphincter) or LES. Well, the more distended your stomach is because you eat too much, it means that the stomach is also expanding to its tolerance limits. As a result, the sphincter muscle will also stretch so that the valve cannot close tightly.
The loosening of the sphincter muscle will allow the digested food that has been digested and accumulated in the stomach back up into the esophagus. Gastric acid reflux is what causes ulcers to recur after overeating.
Apart from being able to increase their food portions, some people can also eat too much without realizing it because they chew food at a fast tempo. The habit of eating fast can also cause the stomach to swell after eating, which triggers ulcer symptoms.
Other habits that can cause ulcers
If you have an ulcer, you should not get in the habit of eating while lying down or having dinner too tight at bedtime. Both of these habits can cause stomach acid to easily flow back up the esophagus due to the condition of the sphincter muscles that relax during this time.
Other ulcer-causing habits are:
Drink alcohol
The alcohol content in beer or other liquor can irritate and erode your stomach lining if consumed in excess. As a result, the stomach becomes more susceptible to the effects of stomach acid. This condition can also cause acute gastritis which is very painful.
Smoke
Not infrequently, people who smoke can get ulcers after eating. This is because cigarette toxins gradually weaken the LES muscle valve which can cause stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus.
Apart from daily habits, ulcers can also be caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori infection is usually passed from one person to another, but it can also be caught from unsterile food and drink.
Prevent ulcers with the following tips
The cause of recurrence of ulcers can generally be prevented by simply changing your daily diet to become more regular. Also adjust the frequency and portion of the meal so that it is not too little or too much.
Apart from that, there are a few more things you can do to prevent stomach ulcers from recurring.
- Get used to eat more often with smaller portions. If you usually eat 3 times a day, try changing it to eating 5-6 smaller meals a day.
- Reduce consumption of foods or drinks that are acidic such as spicy foods, oranges, and coffee. Acidic foods or drinks trigger pain in the gut.
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