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Supporting your immune system naturally is a proactive way to enhance overall health. Here, we’ll explore key herbs, vitamins, and minerals, including the benefits of Vitamin D3 with K2, probiotics, elderberry, and other powerful botanicals and nu...
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Wild yam is a captivating plant with both a rich folklore and emerging scientific research. Known for its root, called wild yam root, this plant has been a cornerstone in traditional medicine for ages.
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On Monday 28th October, Medical Herbalist Wendy Kelly joined us for a free webinar discussing natural menopause support. Watch the full video here.
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Why Choose Natural Skincare for Sensitive Skin? For those with sensitive skin, finding the right skincare products can be a challenge. Many conventional skincare products contain harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, and synthetic preservatives...
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Alan is a fully qualified Five Element Acupuncturist and has been practising this wonderful system of medicine at Napiers Clinic in the West End of Glasgow for the past 18 years.
Angela practices Herbal Medicine at Napiers Bathgate, Edinburgh & Glasgow, as well as with the Napiers CLAID Clinic.
Audrey is a Medical Herbalist, graduating in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine & Phytotherapy from Edinburgh’s Napier University and is a registered member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (MNIMH). Audrey is a practicing member within the Napiers CLAID Clinic.
As a fully qualified, experienced Holistic Therapist, Bettina works with clients on a one-to-one basis to establish an optimal treatment plan or therapy to best support your skin health and well-being.
Cat offers a range of massage including holistic, deep tissue, trigger point therapy, advanced sports stretching and pregnancy massge.
Claire is an experienced Western Medical Herbalist (BSc), a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) and works at Napiers online clinic.
Clare is an experienced medical herbalist based in the West Highlands of Scotland, home to deer, livestock, ticks, and Lyme disease. She works for the Napier's CLAID clinic on a Thursday morning.
Clare began training at Edinburgh’s Napier University in 2005, gaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Herbal Medicine in 2009. She joined the Napiers Clinic team shortly after her graduation, initially working in the dispensary before beginning her herbal practice in 2010. Since then she has been a key member of our clinical team, working alongside Dee Atkinson in running the general herbal clinics, as well as heading the Baby & Child Clinic.
Cybele is a passionate Sophrologist and founder of Chamapola, Healing Yourself - Healing Together.
Dean is a Naturopathic Practitioner experienced in Nutrition and Herbal Medicine. With interests in nerve problems, cardiovascular health, digestive disorders as well as male and female reproductive system wellbeing.
Dee is the senior herbal practitioner at Napiers the Herbalists in Edinburgh. She runs a general medicine clinic with a special interest in women’s health, managing hormonal health and ageing. More recently, Dee set up the Napiers Long Covid Clinic to facilitate an integrated approach between doctors, herbalists and nutritionist to this new disease.
Isabelle has over 20 years helping individuals and couples achieve their fertility goals through nutrition.
Jill is a fully qualified and insured Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist offering Outcome Based Treatments
John is a friendly and experienced counsellor offering 1-1 sessions on Fridays at Napiers Clinic in Edinburgh city centre and online via FaceTime/Skype. He has worked in private practice supporting people for over 18 years and brings a wealth of experience.
Kate is a BANT registered Nutritionist who owns and runs the Edinburgh Clinic of Nutrition. She trained for three and a half years at Patrick Holford's renowned Institute of Optimum Nutrition in London and is currently studying with The Institute of Functional Medicine in the US.
Kim is qualified in Aromatherapy Massage and Indian Head Massage. Working with the needs of her massage clients led to a deeper interest in their health and Kim studied the BSc (Hons) Herbal Medicine degree at Napier University, Edinburgh. Kim is one of the lead herbalists within the Napiers CLAID Clinic and sees many patients.
Kirstin is a fully qualified member of the Society of Homeopaths and holds an RSHom distinction in Classical Homeopathy. Kirstin qualified from the Northwest College of Homeopathy's four-year training course in Manchester.
Lynn is a registered osteopath and has been practicing osteopathy for nineteen years. She studied osteopathy and cranial sacral therapy at the European School of Osteopathy and graduated in 1991. Lynn has a background in physiotherapy and is trained in structural, craniosacral, functional, fascial and visceral osteopathy.
Malgorzata graduated from the College of Naturopathic Medicine where she studied Western Herbal Medicine and Naturopathic Nutrition /Diplomas in Herbal Medicine (2017), Naturopathy (2017), and Naturopathic Nutrition (2020). She is also qualified in KORE Therapy, Anmo-fu - 5 Element Abdominal Massage, Craniosacral Balance and Stress Release Therapy and Cupping. Her first degree is a PhD in History.
Margaret practices Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy at Napiers Edinburgh.
Mark runs the podiatry clinic, offering diagnosis and treatment of various disorders relating to the feet, ankles, legs and lower back. He offers podiatry, chiropody, orthotics and nail surgery.
Mary is a qualified therapist in Swedish, Indian and Thai Foot Massage.
Mary trained in Edinburgh, and has been working as a complementary therapist since 1999, holding diplomas in Clinical Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Therapeutic Massage and Hopi Ear Candling gained from the International Therapy Examinations Council (ITEC). She is a member of, and is fully insured to practice with, the Complementary Therapists Association (CThA).
Melissa qualified from Middlesex University in 2000. She runs a general herbal practice from her boat, The Herbal Barge, which is based on the river Lea in North London. Melissa joined the CLAID Clinic Co-operative to work collaboratively in an integrated and specialised context to support patients with long covid.
Mike is a body worker and NLP Practitioner who is passionate about working with the person as a whole; offering treatments that integrate body and mind.
Monica has a Masters degree in herbal medicine from the University of Central Lancashire. She is the research herbalist heading up the Napiers CLAID Clinic. The CLAID Clinic specialism is Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi and co-infections - crypto-infections Bartonella, Babesia, Rickettsia, Erlichia, Anaplasma, Mycoplasma, etc. A research herbalist is not the same as a medical herbalist and Monica does not run a general clinical practice. This allows her to focus on Lyme disease and bacterial and viral infections.
Natasha is an experienced and qualified medical herbalist in Western herbal medicine, a forager and mycotherapist. As well as practicing as part of Napiers' general herbal medicine practice, she also sees patients as part of the CLAID Clinic.
Nikki was awarded a first class honours degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of East London and trained at clinics in Glasgow and London. She was also awarded the Arthur Barker prize for her final examination grades. Nikki also has ITEC Diplomas in Holistic Massage and Aromatherapy. She is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists which is the UK’s leading professional body representing herbal practitioners. NIMH members follow a strict code of conduct and are committed to ongoing and continual practitioner development and training.
Ona Madorell is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist, graduating with distinction from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM). She has further enhanced her expertise through a course in blood test interpretation and a postgraduate program focused on the microbiome.
Pearlyn is a licensed acupuncturist and a registered member of the Acupuncture Society, and is fully insured to practice acupuncture, tuina, cupping and moxibustion.
Rebecca is an Associate Nutritionist, specialising in gut health and women's health, from hormone imbalance to fertility, pregnancy and beyond.
Sara is qualified Medical Herbalist, Ayurvedic Therapist and Yoga teacher, holding an MSc. in Western Herbal Medicine from Middlesex University.
Satya trained at the School of Natural Medicine where she graduated with a Diploma in Healing Diets and additional immersion studies in Herbal Medicine, Healing Diets, Iridology & Naturopathy, Quantum Botanicals and Flower Essences. Satya has a Nonviolent Communication Leadership Certificate with Bay NVC and an MA in European Dance Theatre Practice from Trinity Laban.
Sheila is a Holistic Therapist who qualified in KCR in 2019 with the KCR Academy. After a long career in retail, an ankle injury led her to seek an alternative approach to healing.
Shona has worked at Napiers Clinic for 30 years where she has picked up a wealth of knowledge about various complementary therapies. She trained as a Food Sensitivity tester with The Health Partnership Company, where she was taught how to use the 3 point marker system.
Thanos is an experienced Medical Herbalist and practises as a Herbalist and Orthopaedic Acupuncturist at Napiers in Edinburgh and at Napiers Bathgate.
Wendy qualified in 2002 with a BSc(Hons) in Phytotherapy. Since then she has practiced in Fife, Angus and the Lothians. She is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.
Ulcers are sores that can happen in your digestive tract, including your lower throat (oesophagus), stomach and intestines. Ulcers are usually caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori that many of us have in our bodies already. The symptoms can ...
Ulcers are sores that can happen in your digestive tract, including your lower throat (oesophagus), stomach and intestines. Ulcers are usually caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori that many of us have in our bodies already. The symptoms can be made worse by your stomach acid.
It is not entirely clear why ulcers start but stress and diet, especially a fatty diet, are big contributing factors. A higher intake of fat can greatly increase your chance of getting an ulcer in the first place and cause other gastrointestinal problems. High salt intake is also implicated.
You can treat ulcers. A doctor will recommend antibiotics to kill the bacteria, a medical herbalist will recommend herbal antibiotics such as goldenseal.
Carefully controlling your diet is crucial to successful treatment. This is to make sure that your stomach produces less acid when digesting your food. Eating large meals requires the stomach to produce large amounts of stomach acid. So it is best to eat small meals. Ideally, you should be having 5 to 6 small meals a day and not 2 or 3 large ones.
Your meals should be low in fat and sugar and high in fibre. A diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains is just that. The reason for avoiding fatty foods, is that they are harder for you to digest, so your body then produces more stomach acid and aggravates your condition. Foods that are low in fat can speed up your recovery.
Herbal teas will also help you to feel more comfortable and support the body's healing process, especially herbs such as marshmallow root, liquorice, chamomile and peppermint.
Red meat can be fatty, which will make your ulcer worse. Meat also contains a lot of protein and, even if you don’t have an ulcer, it takes longer to digest. Because it takes longer, it stays in the stomach for longer - therefore more acid is released to digest it.
Most red meat is higher in fat content than white meat. You can’t always see this as the fat is marbled right through the meat, giving it its flavour. So just trimming off visible fat is not enough. Ideally avoid red meat until your ulcer has healed.
If you do eat meat, stick to very lean cuts and eat tiny portion sizes (4 oz or less) to make it easier for your body to digest. Cut off any visible fat before eating. Eat the meat at least three hours before bedtime to give your body a chance to digest it. If you eat meat too close to bedtime, you may feel worse when you lie down.
You need protein in your diet. Eat white meats such as chicken or turkey and fish. Remember to remove the fatty skin from chicken.
Oily fish, like salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring contain omega-3 fatty acids. They help to reduce the risk of ulcers by producing compounds called prostaglandins, that help to protect the lining of the stomach and intestines (Mori et al, 2006).
Omega oils contain EPA and DHA which are the active compounds in this case, so if you are not eating a lot of fish take a krill oil, cod liver oil or seed oil supplement that is high in EPA and DFA. Prostaglandins appear to have a similar effect as the drug omeprazole prescribed for excess stomach acid, but without the drug’s side effects that trouble so many people.
You can also use low-fat cheese, yogurt and peanut butter, as well as tofu and other soy products.
Eat more vegetables and fruit, such as carrots, kale, broccoli, red/green peppers, cabbage juice, grapes, apricots and kiwi fruit, for their beta-carotene and vitamin C content, in order to help protect the lining of the stomach and intestine.
Many fruits such as berries contain high levels of antioxidants which lower the risk of ulcers and ease symptoms when an ulcer has already developed.
There is a lot of scientific evidence that seaweeds have an antiulcer effect (Mori et al, 2006). This is because, like oily fish, they release prostaglandins. If seaweed is hard to incorporate you can take seaweed as capsules but ideally the powder from the food should be added to your food as a seasoning.
Vitamin E from foods like wheatgerm, hazelnuts, cold-pressed sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, will help along with zinc, found in seafood and whole grains.
Amino acids also have a healing action. Good food sources include: seaweed, wheatgerm, cheddar cheese, almonds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Alternatively, L-Glutamine can be taken to help an ulcer improve.
Slippery elm has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been clinically proven to improve IBS symptoms (Hawrelak & Myers, 2010), is also used to treat stomach ulcers (Langmead et al, 2002) and is a key ingredient in the Essaic Formula used to support people with stomach cancer (Seely et al, 2007). It works by making a viscous mucilage that lines the stomach and intestines, calming inflammation, absorbing toxins (Choi et al, 2002) and destroying free radicals.
Slippery elm foods are mixed low fat and soy milk powders, with other herbs or antioxidants that benefit and protect the stomach lining. They can be made into a drink, milkshake, added to yoghurt or smoothies. Slippery elm should be taken before every meal in order to protect the gut.
Foods and drinks that contain, like chocolate, coffee and soft drinks, can make your ulcer worse. Avoid them. Some people even find decaf coffee is irritating.
Many dairy products are high in fat. Avoid them or use low-fat alternatives. Spicy foods and seasonings Avoid chili peppers, black pepper, mustard, curry and other strong spices.
There is evidence that people with a Helicobacter pylori infection who have a high salt intake are at greater risk of developing stomach cancer (Kuriki et al, 2007). Reduce your salt intake. Try using seaweed instead of salt to provide flavour.
Foods commonly high in sodium include: canned soup, tortilla chips, potato/corn chips, salted nuts, salted meats (eg. bacon), blue cheese, cornflakes. There can also be a lot of hidden salt in soy sauce, pickled vegetables some preserved or canned vegetables, packaged and processed foods, and pre-prepared meals. Read the labels and choose low sodium varieties.
Cut out smoking and alcohol. They interfere with your stomach lining and increase production of stomach acid.
Slippery elm food mixed into low-fat yoghurt
A bowl of oatmeal with berries
Or scrambled egg on wholemeal toast
Marshmallow herb tea
Oatcake with hummus
Liquorice herb tea
Cold turkey
Whole grain bread
Low-fat cheese
Carrot sticks
Bottled or filtered water
Fresh fruit such as grapes or kiwi
Steamed fish or baked chicken seasoned with seaweed
Mashed potato mixed with chopped kale
Lightly steamed broccoli or french beans
Peppermint tea
Dry roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
Chamomile herb tea
Slippery elm bark is a soothing and nutritional food supplement that helps to calm and protect an irritated gut lining.
If you have health concerns or over the counter remedies do not help as much as you would like, we advise you to see a medical herbalist.
You can find a qualified herbalist at Napiers, NIMH or the CPP or email us for advice
Avoid spicy foods, acidic foods like citrus and tomatoes, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and fatty or fried foods, as they can irritate the stomach lining
Foods that are generally safe include non-citrus fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and foods rich in fibre. Probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt can also be beneficial.
It's best to limit or avoid coffee, as it can increase stomach acid production and irritate the ulcer.
Milk may provide temporary relief, but it can stimulate acid production, potentially worsening the ulcer over time.
A stomach ulcer diet focuses on reducing irritation to the stomach lining, promoting healing by avoiding foods that trigger excess acid production.
While a proper diet can help manage symptoms and promote healing, it's important to follow medical advice and take any prescribed medications.
Healing time can vary, but with the right diet and treatment, many ulcers begin to heal within a few weeks to a few months.
Yes, spicy foods can irritate the stomach lining and exacerbate ulcer symptoms, so they should be avoided.
Alcohol can irritate the stomach lining and increase acid production, so it’s best to avoid alcohol until the ulcer heals.
While stress alone isn't a direct cause, it can worsen symptoms and slow the healing process. Managing stress is important in ulcer treatment.
by Monica Wilde
10 Nov 2012.
References
Abbreviations used:
EPA eicosapentaenoic acid
DHA docosahexaenoic acid
IBS inflammatory bowel syndrome
Bhattacharya A., Ghosal S. and Bhattacharya S.K. (2006) Effect of fish oil on offensive and defensive factors in gastric ulceration in rats. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 74(2):109-16. PMID:16352428
C Choi HR, Choi JS, Han YN, et al. (2002) Peroxynitrite scavenging activity of herb extracts. Phytother Res. 16(4):364-7.
H Hawrelak J.A. and Myers S.P. (2010) Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 16(10):1065-71.
Kuriki K, Wakai K, Matsuo K, Hiraki A, Suzuki T, Yamamura Y, Yamao K, Nakamura T, Tatematsu M, Tajima K. (2007) Gastric cancer risk and erythrocyte composition of docosahexaenoic acid with anti-inflammatory effects. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 16(11):2406-15 PMID:18006930
L Langmead L, Dawson C., Hawkins C, et al. (2002) Antioxidant effects of herbal therapies used by patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an in vitro study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 16(2):197-205.
M Mori J, Hayashi T, Iwashima M, Matsunaga T, Saito H. (2006) Effects of plastoquinones from the brown alga Sargassum micracanthum. Biol Pharm Bull. 29(6):1197-201. PMID:16755016
S Seely D, Kennedy DA, Myers SP, Cheras PA, Lin D, Li R, Cattley T, Brent PA, Mills E, Leonard BJ. (2007) In vitro analysis of the herbal compound Essiac. Anticancer Research. 27(6B):3875-82. PMID:18225545