Chronic Gastritis

Gastritis means inflammation of the mucus lining of the stomach. Patients suffering from chronic Gastritis feel uneasy and uncomfortable during most of the day, and might also experience a persistent feeling of weakness.

The main causative factors of chronic Gastritis include excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, sour, spicy, acidic foods and white flour products. Stress, anger and exposure to heat also lead to the aggravation of this condition.

In Ayurveda, the condition of Chronic Gastritis is known as Urdhvaga Amla Pitta. It is primarily caused by an aggravation of Pitta Dosha (Ayurvedic humor representing Fire), which happens due to improper dietary habits and excessive consumption of alcohol or tobacco. Aggravated Pitta impairs the body’s digestive fire, leading to improper digestion of food and production of ama (toxins). Due to aggravated Pitta, this ama becomes heating in nature. This heating ama gets accumulated in the body and increases the levels of gases in the stomach, causing the condition of Gastritis.

Ayurvedic treatment of Chronic Gastritis involves the reduction of aggravated body energies and the restoration of the digestive fire using cooling herbal preparations and Pitta-pacifying diet. Ayurvedic techniques of reducing tension and stress are also proven to be effective in treating this condition.

• Patients suffering from Gastritis should fast for one or two days.
• They may be given warm water or juicy fruits such as grapes, apples, oranges, water melons, etc. during these days.
• The main idea is to detoxify the stomach by flushing out toxins.
• Stay away from coffee and carbonated or alcoholic beverages.
• Avoid processed and fermented foods.
• Also avoid rich gravies, sour, salty, and spicy foods.
• Do some amount of exercising daily; practicing Pranayama can be helpful.
• Drink at least 8-9 glasses of water in a day. Water will relax the stomach and clear all the toxins accumulated inside.