Does milk relieve ulcer pain?

Many people believe milk relieves ulcer pains and gastric irritation. Some ulcer sufferers take very large quantities of milk as a result of this belief, however, experts said the practice does more harm than good because it could induce the digestive juices and acid in the stomach.

According to Mrs Sarah Abagi, a dietician, milk can actually cause a bloated tummy and trigger hypersegregation of gastric juices (acids in the stomach) thereby causing more irritation to the ulcer than remedy.

Asked if other common practices such as soaking plantains, taking garlic, honey and ginger amongst others, relieve ulcer pain, she said in her practice as a dietician she was more familiar with people’s frequent use of milk and did not know much about other things that patients use or do except if they mentioned it.

“These days people do all manner of things and we are not in a position to know everything that people do that may not be encouraged,” she stated.

She advised that rather than using milk, people should use vegetable juices because of the alkalinity which helps naturalize acids in the body.

The dietician said people should not run away from vegetables when they have ulcer.

She said: “If they should take simple vegetable juices - like carrot, spinach or pumpkin juice - which are alkaline in nature, that would help naturalize the acid environment in the stomach so that it reduces the corrosion resulting from acid.”

She advised that people with ulcer should have normal vegetables servings in their diets and ensure they do not rush their meals.

“Take time to chew your food thoroughly so that you don’t have remains going to irritate the ulcer. Ensure that the diet has low fat, not too hot, cold and not too spicy,” she added.