Dear patient,

Thanks for your health concerns; rather than focusing on the best foods to eat, in peptic ulcer the main focus should be on what things to avoid: coffee, tea, mint, alcohol, spices including heavy curry, hot peppers, carbonated beverages, tomato. Foods that make you feel better are usually alkaline type, such as milk.

For the other question, yes, they can heal on their own but chances are lower since acid is still there. My professional advise is to get tested for a bacteria named Helycobacter pylori (related to ulcers) and if positive patients in such situation take a two week course of antibiotics; if negative, then you could certainly benefit from the most effective medication for peptic ulcer, called a proton pump inhibitor, like omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, etc, which completely block the production of acid in your belly and allow that ulcer to heal.

Truly yours,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN

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