Ulcers in the stomach, intestines and esophagus have been traditionally thought by the medical establishment to be caused by stress and/or anxiety, as these conditions tend to elevate the production of stomach acid in many cases. This excess acid can burn through the protective mucous membranes and attack the tissue beneath, leading to an ulcer, and the unpleasant problems that go with it. The treatment by conventional medicine has been to prescribe an antacid. While lessening the pain, this is only a treatment of the symptoms and can be a cause of other digestive and absorption problems.

Some fifty years ago, veterinarians and farmers knew that it was the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori that caused ulcers in pigs. The cure was to administer an antibiotic together with bismuth. The Laboratory that I use for various screening purposes told me that when they first started testing (1996) for Helicobacter Pylori with patients diagnosed with ulcers, that virtually all the tests were positive. They were concerned that the test or the procedures may have been flawed, so they sent their positive samples to several other laboratories for re-testing – with exactly the same results!

Human medical research relating to ulcers in the body has taken fifty years to catch up with the veterinarians and find that, in ninety-five per cent of cases, ulcers are caused by Helicobacter Pylori! Your GP can find out if you are infected with bacteria, either from a blood or breath test. The blood test is more reliable. If you test positive, it is well worth trying the amino acid L-glutamine at a dose of 500 mg four times daily with water, half an hour before food. Continue this for one month. If this does not cure the problem, it will be necessary to use an antibiotic, which under the circumstances is justifiable, in my view.