What are they?
These are sores that tend to be white in the centre and surrounded by red inflammation. They can range in size from a small pinhead to quite large. They can appear quickly but may take one day to 10 days to disappear. They can be very irritating and quite sore, especially when in contact with food and drink.
Why do they occur?
▪ Possible food sensitivity, the most common culprits being milk and wheat.
▪ Severe gluten sensitivity associated with Celiac disease. Gluten is a protein found in most grains.
▪ Allergy to preservatives such as benzoic acid, methylparaben, dichromate and sorbic acid.
▪ Poor dental hygiene leading to high bacteria within the mouth area.
▪ High stress. Stress lowers the immune system and can therefore deplete the integrity of the mucosal protective lining found in the mouth.
▪ Nutrient deficiency. Nutrient deficiencies that appear to have a link with the prevalence of mouth ulcers are vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin C and zinc.
▪ Viral implications such as Herpes Simplex virus. This is the virus associated with cold sores.
▪ Dietary recommendations.
Foods to increase
▪ Ensure that your diet is as natural as possible. Highly processed, pre-packaged, ready-prepared food tends to be devoid of immune boosting nutrients.
▪ Include foods that are rich in carotenes. These are found in fruits and vegetables that are yellow, orange and red in colour.
▪ Include fruits that are rich in flavonoids. These are found in fruits that are red, blue, or purple in colour. Add these to desserts or natural yoghurts.
▪ Eat plenty of green vegetables. These are full of immune boosting vitamins and minerals.
▪ Raw vegetables included in salads may be of added benefit as vitamin C tends to be easily destroyed by light and heat.
▪ Make sure you include protein in your diet but be wary of the type of protein. Protein that is high in animal fats such as milk, cheese and fatty meats tend to promote the inflammatory response. Instead include eggs, nuts, seeds, lean organic meats such as chicken and turkey, fish, and vegetable protein coming from beans, pulses and rice.
▪ Drink plenty of water, at least six x eight ounce glasses a day.
Foods to avoid
▪ Elimination of the allergens usually resolves or brings about a substantial improvement of symptoms. The most common link with recurrent mouth ulcer is a gluten allergy. Gluten is a protein found in most grains but is particularly high in wheat products. Try eliminating all grains from the diet for a period of three weeks to see if symptoms subside. On reintroduction of wheat back into the diet watch out for a re-occurrence of the ulcers. Allergy can sometimes be ascertained by a simple pulse test. On refraining from the suspected allergen for at least a week, sit down and take your pulse. Then challenge the body with the suspected food. Take your pulse again after 5, 10 and 60 minutes. If the pulse is raised by 10 beats it will indicate your body is reacting to the food.
▪ Avoid acidic fruits and foods that can irritate the ulcers. These include citrus fruits, pineapples and tomatoes.
▪ Avoid chewing gum that can increase saliva that may irritate the sores
▪ Avoid any high sugar containing foods. Sugar in the form of glucose, fructose, sucrose and honey, or orange juice, coca cola, cakes, sweets etc can irritate and cause these ulcers, but also suppress the activity of the immune system.
▪ Lower your intake of alcohol as this can suppress the immune response.
▪ Avoid any saturated fats found in dairy products and fatty meats as these promote localised inflammatory mediators.
▪ Avoid any drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine can raise blood sugar levels and suppress the immune response.
By Elizabeth Hartland
|| features@algarveresident.com
Elizabeth Hartland has a Bachelor of Science Degree in nutrition, together with a Diploma from the Institute of Nutritional Therapy. She is married with two young children and has a passion for good nutrition and helping others to find better health. | 282 427 652
