Chronic Gastritis and LC WOE

daylitemag

Hey All,

It's been a long time since I frequented this board. I feel a little guilty slinking back only now that I need advice, but I'm a bit desperate. I was a regular contributor a couple of years back when I was actively changing my WOE and found the support here to be hugely helpful. I lost a little over 100lbs and have thus far managed to keep it off and I am grateful to the members here how provided support.

Well, enough of the good news and on to the reason I dropped by today. Over the past 8 months or so I have had a recurring digestive problem which has just been diagnosed as Chronic Gastritis. Basically, I get incredibly bad abdominal pain which has twice landed me in the hospital. My Doctor has done: colonoscopy, endoscopy, ultra sound and I am now on a Proton Pump inhibitor to try to reduce stomach acid. It is the acid which is damaging my stomach lining and causing the pain. I've had four "attacks" and so far can't really determine what could be causing them. For me the most likely culprits could be [1] Alcohol (I drink socially and in business) [2] Stress (I own an insurance business) [3] Dietary.

Today, I do not follow a strict Keto diet any longer, but would be considered a very low carb WOE. I no longer actively track my macros, but I would estimate that I eat around 50g of carbs per day. Mainly from: fruit, nuts, seeds, veg, condiments and a small amount of grains on occasion. I also do some intermittent fasting and generally eat two large meals per day, and a snack in the evening. Meaning, most of my meals are large and mainly high in protein and fat. Approx once per week I will do a 24 hour fast.

So, does anyone here have Gastritis, or have any clue whether or not my WOE may be the cause or contributing to the problem. Is Fasting hard on he stomach? Is animal protein and fat causing extra stomach acid? I am open to all suggestions and advice, Thank you!

nvmomketo

Hi again. Nice to "see" you.

Meat is typically easier to digest than plants so I would probably guess meats have a low probability of being the cause.

I wouldn't think fasting would be a problem unless you have an ulcer - did you get tested for H. pylori? I've heard it can be quite painful but antibiotics can clear it up.

I'm a celiac so I tend to be suspicious of grains first. A food sensitivity like that can have a reaction start up to 72 hours after eating it and can last days to weeks. If it has caused a lot of inflammation, it can take a few months for symptoms to disappear after dropping it.

You may want to try an elimination diet. They're tedious, and can take months, but it can help. You nay need to go very boring with your food for a while.

I'm sure others will chime in with better ideas.

daylitemag

Thank you for the info! I was tested for H.Pylori and it was negative. When I said that I eat some grains it's very limited. To my knowledge I've never had any difficulty tolerating gluten/grains. Certainly I used to eat a LOT of bread but not for nearly three yes now.

That's interesting what you said about meat being easier to digest. I thought it was the exact opposite. So much conflicting information out there.

nvmomketo

I could be wrong but I believe that I have read that meat is easy on our guts... cooked meat that is. I think cooked everything is usually easier on the gut, TBH.

I've been on a mostly carnivore kick lately, and my bm's are greatly reduced. Some may be due to less fibre, but to be honest, I wasn't eating a lot plant to begin with. I think it's just that meat is easy on the stomach for most. There's a few around here who are mostly carnivore for their stomach's sake. @Sunny_Bunny_ and @FIT_Goat

Sunny_Bunny_

If anything, it’s the reintroduction of grains that I would suspect is your problem.
I cannot eat plants at all but grains are particularly bad. Terrible gas pain and bloating happens. That happens even if I eat green veggies but it’s markedly worse with grains.
I once had one of those sparkling alcohol drinks in the cans that has no carbs and was super sick the next day. Turns out it was a grain based beverage as opposed to the Truly type which is sparkling water and not grain based.
Grains are terrible for the gut.
I would first and foremost eliminate all grains in food or liquid form and see what happens.
I personally feel wary about meds that affect digestion. I wonder if you truly do need to reduce acid, and many times that is a misdiagnosis, if sodium bicarbonate would be helpful or using some digestive enzymes?
I would be worried what a troubled gut would do to the long term ability to keep your weight off. I would definitely implement no grains immediately if I were you.
Meat is tremendously easily digested and most completely digested as well. Provides the most nutrients. I would not suspect meat in any way.
Lots of people go carnivore where they eat beef and drink only water as an elimination diet to discover what foods are troubling them. It’s considered the ultimate elimination diet because it’s so gentle on the digestive system.
Once they go a few weeks or a month, they slowly reintroduce things in small amounts and can easily discover what causes them issues.
That may be something to consider as well. If you don’t want to go that far, I would definitely cut out grains 100% and at least consider reducing most other plant foods that aren’t leafy greens.
The only other thing I can think to suggest would be really working on introducing good gut bugs. Eating refrigerated fermented foods with live bacteria or getting a good quality probiotic may help. It didn’t help me though I can tell you. I tried that route before going carnivore.
I hope you resolve the issue soon though. I know how bad that feels. That’s exactly why I eat carnivore.

tammyfranks2

Just don't know , I had gut pain when I ate crap and junk food and breads , and eating low carb and healthy , still have gut pain and going to the bathroom has always been the worse part of my day , still is , but it only happens maybe 2 times a day and then I am OK , some days I can not leave the house for hours . other days I don't go at all . so I am at a loss ,I do not know ...........this month i am having a colon test , so we will see , 5 years ago I had one and did have polyps had them removed and they were not cancerous.
I also think a lot of my pain is related to my periods , and I am having a test on that too this month , if I still have the growth I had 5 months ago , then I will have that removed . I have been on hormones trying to break it up naturally.

so to answer the question , I do not know what to do to help . because nothing I do helps LOL sorry !!

canadjineh

lifeextension.com/Magazine/2006/12/report_stomach/Page-01
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962080/ "A Zinc Morpholine Complex Prevents HCl/Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in a Rat Model"

Most of the remaining ulcers are associated with the widespread use of pain relievers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.1 Cells in the stomach lining require chemicals known as prostaglandins to produce a thick coating of gelatinous mucus. This mucosal lining acts as a natural defense by keeping acid contained in digestive juices from burning the stomach wall and by preventing harmful bacteria from entering the bloodstream or lymphatic system. NSAIDs block the production of prostaglandins, thus relieving pain and inflammation but also leaving the stomach lining susceptible to ulceration and invasion by H. pylori.
....Approved in Japan as a drug to treat ulcers, a novel zinc-carnosine compound has been found to strengthen the mucosal barrier, coat the stomach, and inhibit both the growth and damaging effects of H. pylori. These benefits of zinc-carnosine are enhanced by cranberry and licorice, two natural agents that also support gastric health.
...Zinc-carnosine has also been shown to enhance healing of the stomach epithelial lining, by inhibiting production of pro-inflammatory interleukin-8 and by preventing inflammatory white blood cells from adhering to epithelial cells.14,15 Additionally, scientists have noted that zinc-carnosine decreases the activation of nuclear factor-kappa beta (NFkB), a powerful inflammatory mediator that scientists believe plays a role in numerous chronic disease states such as cancer and arthritis.14 Scientists believe that strategies to reduce the activity of NFkB may benefit the entire body by helping to avert such diverse conditions as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Here's a site with some ideas about healing the mucosal membranes with slippery elm - maybe worth a try. Plus some other info about B12, gut bacteria, and Autoimmune Metaplastic Atrophic Gastritis. https://www.juliedaniluk.com/health-tips/gastritis-the-inflamed-stomach.html

daylitemag

canadjineh wrote: »

lifeextension.com/Magazine/2006/12/report_stomach/Page-01
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962080/ "A Zinc Morpholine Complex Prevents HCl/Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in a Rat Model"

Most of the remaining ulcers are associated with the widespread use of pain relievers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.1 Cells in the stomach lining require chemicals known as prostaglandins to produce a thick coating of gelatinous mucus. This mucosal lining acts as a natural defense by keeping acid contained in digestive juices from burning the stomach wall and by preventing harmful bacteria from entering the bloodstream or lymphatic system. NSAIDs block the production of prostaglandins, thus relieving pain and inflammation but also leaving the stomach lining susceptible to ulceration and invasion by H. pylori.
....Approved in Japan as a drug to treat ulcers, a novel zinc-carnosine compound has been found to strengthen the mucosal barrier, coat the stomach, and inhibit both the growth and damaging effects of H. pylori. These benefits of zinc-carnosine are enhanced by cranberry and licorice, two natural agents that also support gastric health.
...Zinc-carnosine has also been shown to enhance healing of the stomach epithelial lining, by inhibiting production of pro-inflammatory interleukin-8 and by preventing inflammatory white blood cells from adhering to epithelial cells.14,15 Additionally, scientists have noted that zinc-carnosine decreases the activation of nuclear factor-kappa beta (NFkB), a powerful inflammatory mediator that scientists believe plays a role in numerous chronic disease states such as cancer and arthritis.14 Scientists believe that strategies to reduce the activity of NFkB may benefit the entire body by helping to avert such diverse conditions as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Here's a site with some ideas about healing the mucosal membranes with slippery elm - maybe worth a try. Plus some other info about B12, gut bacteria, and Autoimmune Metaplastic Atrophic Gastritis. https://www.juliedaniluk.com/health-tips/gastritis-the-inflamed-stomach.html

Thank you for this advice. ^^^^ this is helpful.

daylitemag

Just by way of an update. H.Pylori was ruled out by tests.

I do eat a lot of meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds. Those would form the main part of my diet. When I say I eat some grains, it is very limited. I might eat one small tortilla shell every couple of weeks. Once in awhile i will have a small piece of very good quality, stone ground (heritage grains including all the germ, etc) bread toasted with peanut butter...maybe once a month.

I really don't think it is grains. I've had occasions when I've eaten more grains than described above (while on holiday) with no reaction.

My Doctor is fixated on Alcohol as the culprit. Which until recently I 100% agreed with, but then I had an attack but had not had very much alcohol at all as I was still recovering from the last bout.

I do not want to stay on the Pronton Pump Inhibitors for ever. The long term side effects can be serious so both me and the Doctor would like to eventually phase them out. Right now however my stomach lining needs to repair itself and reducing stomach acid is the recommended way to go.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. You are all too kind for words!

canadjineh

Maybe a combination of temporarily reducing the stomach acid while trying some other methods to rebuild the mucosal lining will work for you, @daylitemag. I know lots of the time H. pylori is mentioned but I think because it's the cause in most of these kinds of issues that articles default to that. There certainly are other reasons though.
This scientific journal might be a jumping off point for you - Journal of Mucosal Immunology - https://nature.com/mi/

Sunny_Bunny_

daylitemag wrote: »

Just by way of an update. H.Pylori was ruled out by tests.

I do eat a lot of meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds. Those would form the main part of my diet. When I say I eat some grains, it is very limited. I might eat one small tortilla shell every couple of weeks. Once in awhile i will have a small piece of very good quality, stone ground (heritage grains including all the germ, etc) bread toasted with peanut butter...maybe once a month.

I really don't think it is grains. I've had occasions when I've eaten more grains than described above (while on holiday) with no reaction.

My Doctor is fixated on Alcohol as the culprit. Which until recently I 100% agreed with, but then I had an attack but had not had very much alcohol at all as I was still recovering from the last bout.

I do not want to stay on the Pronton Pump Inhibitors for ever. The long term side effects can be serious so both me and the Doctor would like to eventually phase them out. Right now however my stomach lining needs to repair itself and reducing stomach acid is the recommended way to go.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. You are all too kind for words!

But you still had some alcohol?
I don’t think you can say it isn’t alcohol if you still had some. Less doesn’t equal none.
It may be the type you’re having also.