It’s Not The Fasting: The Real Causes of Ulcers 🦠

The Defense: People tell you, "Don't skip meals, the acid will eat your stomach." The Reality: Your stomach acid is supposed to be strong. A healthy stomach lining can handle it. When you get an ulcer, it's not because you missed lunch—it's because something else destroyed your lining's defense system.

If we want to avoid ulcers, we need to stop fearing the clock and start fearing the real causes.

1. The Invisible Enemy: H. pylori Bacteria

This is the number one cause, yet nobody talks about it at the dinner table.

The bacteria: Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that burrows into your stomach lining, weakening the protective mucus.
The result: Once that shield is weak, then the acid causes damage.
The fix: It requires antibiotics, not a sandwich. You can eat six times a day, but if you have this bug, you are still at risk.

2. The Medicine Cabinet: NSAIDs (Painkillers)

This is the most common self-inflicted wound. People who are terrified of fasting will happily pop pills for a headache on an empty stomach.

The Culprits: Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen.
The Damage: These drugs block the enzymes that protect your stomach lining. Long-term use strips away your gut's natural armor.
The Irony: You worry about "hunger pains," but the painkiller you take for your headache is actually burning a hole in your gut.

3. The Lifestyle Toxins: Smoking and Alcohol 🚬

We discussed how smoking fails you as a parent, but it also fails your gut.

Smoking: It slows down blood flow to the stomach lining, making it harder for cuts and sores to heal. It also increases acid production unnaturally.
Alcohol: It directly irritates and erodes the mucous lining.
The Truth: If you smoke and drink but blame "skipping breakfast" for your stomach pain, you are ignoring the arsonist while blaming the firefighter.

4. The "Fake Food" Factor

Going back to our previous realization: Ultra-Processed Food. While not always the direct cause of the open sore, highly processed foods causing systemic inflammation make it impossible for the gut to heal. You are feeding the inflammation while starving the repair mechanism.

Conclusion

Fasting allows your body to focus on Autophagy (cellular cleanup). It is the body's way of healing itself.