# Is there anything I can do to make my ulcer heal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-to-make-my-ulcer-heal/246081 "2004-05-20T01:05:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-to-make-my-ulcer-heal/246081/1 "2004-05-20T01:05:10Z")
I posted a thread a couple weeks ago about my ulcer, and after three weeks of treatment, it’s still bothering me quite a bit. Is there anything I can do to help it heal and make this pain go away? Are there any foods I should eat or not eat that will help? From everything I’ve read and heard, foods don’t affect it if it’s caused by a bacterial infection, but is there _anything_ I can do? This is really wearing me down. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-to-make-my-ulcer-heal/246081/2 "2004-05-20T13:41:04Z")
Don’t know what you can do, but I’ve had to stop eatting onions, period. I never much cared for them to begin with but I can not eat them at all now after I had ulcers two years ago. I get sick every time I eat them, this includes onion powder or anything that has even trace amounts of onions in them. You should try finding something in the store that doesn’t have onions in it, go on I’ll wait, you’ll be looking for a long time though as almost everything has onions in it in one way or another. After I finally found this out, and it took a long time, I asked my doctor and he said there are lots of people who can’t eat onions. It’s possible that you are having the same problems. I’m also the same way, though not as bad, with garlic. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-to-make-my-ulcer-heal/246081/3 "2004-05-20T14:21:32Z")
So there are foods that are better or worse for ulcer sufferers? I’ve been reading that foods don’t really affect an ulcer, but I’m starting to suspect that some things hurt more than others. I think nuts might be too hard on my stomach - sunflower seeds and peanuts seemed to have set off some big pain. I guess I’ll have to figure out what works and what doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-to-make-my-ulcer-heal/246081/4 "2004-05-20T15:43:32Z")
It really does take a while to start feeling better. You might also try DGL (DEGLYCYRRHIZINATED LICORICE), which you can get at health food stores. It has supposedly been shown to help heal ulcers in some reliable clinical studies. Make sure you get the deglycyrrhizinated type, though–regular licorice can raise your blood pressure. Other anti-inflammatory herbs like ginger and turmeric are also safe and easy to take.