Gastritis and duodenitis are inflammation of the stomach lining and duodenum respectively. The main symptom of this inflammation is a burning sensation in the upper abdomen. Many people don't even notice the burning sensation until they press on it. You can check your body for gastritis by pressing 2-3 inches into your epigastric area, the region above your bellybutton and near to the ribs. If you have a burning sensation there, you may have gastritis or duodenitis. Note: The above left picture shows gastritis (redness) with a deep gastric ulcer present.
Western herbalist differentiate between hot and cold gastritis. Hot gastritis is due to infections and irritants like coffee and alcohol. Cold gastritis is due to atrophy - poor digestive strength due to injury or old age. In atrophy, SIBO irritates the GI, causing inflammation.
In Ayurveda, gastritis is a pitta disorder associated with samana vayu and pachaka pitta. The cause of gastritis is poor digestion, which leaves your system vulnerable to infection and the other causes mentioned above.
Overeating may also contribute to gastritis. When your stomach is too small for such a large portion, the highly acidic contents in the stomach are shoved into the duodenum prematurely. The duodenum doesn't have time to neutralize the acid which then burns the lining in the duodenum. Stress may aggravate gastritis because it increases acid secretion while at the same time inhibiting digestive function.
A common instigator of gastritis is a bacteria called H. pylori. As many as one-half to two-thirds of the world's population are infected with H. pylori. Many people walk around without knowing these critters are gnawing away at their gut lining. To boot, only about 20% of those infected experience symptoms. H pylori are adapted to live in highly acidic environments and even have the capacity to change your stomach's chemistry. They may live inside you for years without causing symptoms or damage.
I contracted H pylori from traveling overseas in the early 2000s before I studied Ayurveda. During this time, I had burning sensations in my intestines. The burning was so painful it would wake me up at night. Gut pain that wakes you up at night is actually a serious condition. But I was ignorant of the importance of this sign. I also didn't know that chronic gastritis may eventually lead to ulcers. Or, that gastritis can erode the acid producing cells of your stomach, leading to permanent loss of stomach function (gastroparesis). My digestion was very poor at the time due to the inflammation.
First, I followed some general guidelines to improve my digestion. Bacteria feed off undigested food. Indigestion also saps your body of energy. Improving digestion increases your body's strength and resilience to fight disease. To improve my digestion, I made sure all my food was easy to digest. I ate my meals on schedule, the same time each day. I regulated my portions and stopped overstuffing myself with food, which was overwhelming my digestive tract. I kept myself well-hydrated. I also relaxed after each meal for fifteen minutes.
Second, I worked hard to release the tension I was carrying in my solar plexus (a collection of sympathetic nerves & ganglia in the epigastric area). Through gentle stretching I started to notice the tension whenever I felt criticized or threatened. I would tighten up my abdominal muscles, squeezing the organs of my upper GI into my chest. Belly breathing helped me loosen up that area with immediate results. Not only did I feel more grounded emotionally, but the pain reduced overnight. As I did these exercises, I could even feel stagnant food move out of the area.
Third, I addressed the gastritis directly by reducing the amount of burning spices I ate like chili and cayenne. I removed all digestive irritants from my diet. Then, I specifically added cooling, pitta pacifying foods like coconut water, pomegranate, cucumber juice, cabbage juice, and pear juice.
Finally, I took an antimicrobial herb formula. And after two weeks, I was pain free. By strengthening my digestive tract using Ayurvedic principles, and taking an herbal microbial, I kept my H pylori infection at bay.
Western doctors recommend antibiotics to eradicate H pylori. However, learning how to keep H. pylori at bay may be as important as eradication because the likelihood of re-infection is high. You can address H pylori by following the techniques listed above. Regular consumption of aloe vera gel and turmeric may be useful for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well. Check with your medical doctor to determine what course of action will be best for you.
Disclaimer: 'Gastritis' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.
If you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are becoming stronger and weakening your body's resistance. Most people have a weakness in one or more organs. These areas of weakness are the 'weak link in the chain.' They are first to succumb when an imbalance reaches a tipping point. Repairing imbalances in this category often represent your last opportunity to prevent disease. At any moment, these imbalances could overwhelm weakened tissue and develop into a disease. You may feel pain or discomfort in the weakened area. At this stage you will need to support the weakened tissue with specialized foods and herbs for the weakened tissue.
Symptoms Tell A Story
The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms. Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances. Symptoms show you where your body is weakened. Ultimately, all disease has a root in tissues too weak to defend itself. Ayurveda describes these patterns of weakness using doshas & biocharacteristics. If you notice a biocharacteristic or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms, it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.BIOCHARACTERISTIC | DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE? |
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PITTA | FIND OUT Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Pitta' dosha. |
DIFFICULT | FIND OUT Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you need to decrease Difficult to digest foods. |
HOT | FIND OUT Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Hot' guna. |
PUNGENT | FIND OUT Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Pungent' taste. |
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them. See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.
About the Author
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda biocharacteristics. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.John's interest in Ayurveda and specialization in digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, as well as public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and 6 kids, and pursuing his love of theology, philosophy, and language.