PRESIDENCIA CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (2010- 2014)

I have read many studies regarding foods that may “kill”

H pylori. Whilst I certainly believe that chemicals in these foods can have an antibiotic effect, I am not completely convinced that, on their own, they are powerful enough to eradicate the infection. If you read a study, or some information on the Internet, stating that a food inhibits H pylori this does not necessarily mean that the food is capable of eradicating it. The two words inhibit and eradicate have completely different meanings.

An additional problem when reading studies is that many of them report the effects of foods in vitro. In vitro means

“outside the body” and studies conducted in this manner usually involve growing H pylori in cultures and then exposing them to a certain food or herb to see if that substance has any effect on the bacteria. Even if the food or herb inhibits or kills the bacteria in vitro, there is no guarantee that the same effect will occur inside the stomach or intestine. Unfortunately many companies are looking to make a fast profit by

promoting foods and products that have not been shown to exert a positive effect inside the body, or in vivo.

A third problem is that although certain foods have been shown to inhibit or kill H pylori both in vitro and in vivo, we still do not know how much of each food needs to be eaten, how often it needs to be eaten, or for how long we need to eat it!

Nevertheless, as you read through the following pages you will learn that these foods can be incorporated in your programme in a number of different ways.

Based on extensive research, I have compiled a list of foods that have been shown to either inhibit or kill H pylori in vitro.

Although these foods may not necessarily eradicate H pylori, incorporating them into your diet may be of benefit.

Berries (bilberry, blueberry, elderberry, raspberry, strawberry) Cranberry

Broccoli Garlic Olive oil Tomato Chilli Ginger Turmeric

Let’s take a look at some of these potentially beneficial antimicrobial foods in detail. A detailed reference list can be found at www.H-Pylori-Symptoms.com/h-pylori-studies Cranberries

Cranberries may help to inhibit the growth of H pylori. A 2008 study on a group of 271 children with H pylori showed very interesting results. Children who consumed cranberry juice showed an eradication rate of 16.9%, versus an eradication rate of only 1.5% in the control group.

In 2007, a group of researchers in Israel reported that cranberry juice may enhance the ability of antibiotics to clear H pylori from infected patients. Results from the trial involving 177 patients with H pylori infection, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, suggested that drinking cranberry juice during and after a weeklong antibiotic course enhanced the eradication of the bacteria by about 10 per cent.

Broccoli & Broccoli Sprouts

Broccoli contains a compound known as sulforaphane.

Broccoli sprouts are known to contain the highest amount of

It should be noted that other cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts also contain sulforaphane and may also inhibit H pylori. Indeed, ‘vitamin U - which is not actually a vitamin at all - found in cabbage and cabbage juice is know for its ulcer-healing properties.

Olive oil

Olive oil can be used as the base for salad dressings but I recommend against cooking with it too much because it is not very stable at high temperatures. If you do want to add it to sauces, add it at the end of your meal preparation once the food has started to cool down. In other words, do not expose olive oil to high temperatures for long periods of time.

A recent study conducted by researchers from the Spanish Institute de la Grasa showed that chemicals called polyphenols contained within olive oil exhibited antibacterial activity against eight strains of H pylori. Three of the H pylori strains were said to be resistant to antibiotic treatment. Olive oil is a health promoting oil so, irrespective of whether it does kill H pylori in vivo, it is still good to consume it on a regular basis.

Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, which has strong antibacterial properties. Juicing one half of a fresh clove of garlic with vegetable or fruit juice consumed with a meal, or even eaten raw on its own, may help to kill unwanted organisms in your digestive tract. Be careful with garlic because too much can certainly cause unwanted bad breath and body odour as well as having the potential to irritate your digestive lining. One clove per day ought to be enough. Please avoid using a lot of garlic if you are taking blood thinning medications.

Although garlic has been shown to exhibit antimicrobial properties, its use against H pylori remains controversial. Some studies have failed to reveal beneficial effects on H pylori in people who have taken garlic in an attempt to clear the infection.

Green Tea

A recent study showed that certain components in green tea have been shown to inhibit H pylori and H felis in vitro.

The green tea also helped to reduce the development of inflammation in the stomach of mice. As with other foods, the study did not indicate that green tea can eradicate H pylori.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne does not specifically work against H pylori, but it is believed to increase the levels of secretory IgA (sIgA) in the mucosal lining of the digestive tract. SIgA is your first line of immune defence against organisms such as H pylori, parasites and yeasts but its levels drop in the presence of gluten

sensitivity, digestive infections and stress.

Cayenne may help to increase sIgA levels, probably by increasing blood flow to gastric mucosa. It may therefore improve the first line immune response in your stomach and intestines. You can add quarter or half a teaspoon of cayenne to a juice mix or to water. However, please be careful not to add too much cayenne as the spice may cause discomfort.