Lifestyle or Medication - Treating Peptic Ulcers
HCA/240
December 15, 2013

Lifestyle or Medication - Treating Peptic Ulcers While many people can live their whole lives without developing peptic ulcers even if they do not eat the right foods, peptic ulcers are one major gastrointestinal disease that can be controlled by changes in an individual’s lifestyle. It is important for everyone to eat the right foods and maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce the chances of this disease occurring. Peptic ulcers are sores that are open and start on the inside lining of the stomach, the upper portion of the small intestine, and in rare cases, the esophagus because acid in the digestive tract eats away at the inner lining of these parts. As a result, the acid creates an open sore that is very painful and may also bleed (Mayo Clinic, 2013). However, there are many lifestyle changes individuals can make to prevent or to control peptic ulcers. By eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain will help keep the digestive tract healthy, while also drinking plenty of water (Mayo Clinic, 2013). Furthermore, the risk can be reduced by not smoking, avoid alcohol, and making changes to your diet like eating smaller portions at more frequent times (WebMd, LLC, 2013). Although, some of these lifestyle changes could be challenging for some people, especially for those who smoke cigarettes. Breaking this habit can be very difficult for many therefore they should seek out advice from their doctor on the best course of action. In addition, people may also find it difficult to change their eating habits, in which they should also seek the advice of their doctor and a nutritionist who could help with this factor. To this end, I would much rather try and change my lifestyle versus taking prescription medication if I were diagnosed with