So far, no one has figured out how to stop an ulcer from developing. But its impact can be minimized by certain simple precautions. The most obvious is to stop smoking and drinking as these could well be the cause of an ulcer. Avoiding aspirin in such situations is also a good idea. “Eating at regular intervals goes a long way towards this,” says Dr Chatterjee. So does cutting down on tea, coffee, colas and other carbonated drinks.
Losing weight is also a good preventive tactic, according to Dr Singh. “In obese people, abdominal obesity increases the pressure in that part of the body, and forces the oesophagus to open up, and this causes acid reflux,” he explains.
One of the best ways to keep an ulcer under control is particularly useful as summer approaches—drinking lots of water. “Water washes away the excess acid in the stomach,” Dr Chatterjee says. It’s one thing Kocchar sticks to, though she still has a hectic schedule. As she puts it: “It’s best to be careful, I never want to go through that agony again.”
Write to us at businessoflife@livemint.com
Tags - Find More Articles On: