CNM: Nutrition Advice

Your queries about natural health answered by Jacquie Lane for The College of Naturopathic Medicine

I keep getting mouth ulcers. What can I do to get rid of them and stop them coming back?
AA, Brighton

A mouth ulcer is a painful sore or lesion causing damage to the inner lining of the mouth or on the tongue or lips. They can manifest singly or in clusters.

Check with your dentist in case it’s a damaged tooth that’s causing the irritation. There are many other reasons why you may be getting ulcers, from stress or poor immune system, to food intolerances and sensitivities, such as to gluten. Nutritional deficiencies could be to blame, or skin diseases such as herpes or lichen planus. In rare cases, bowel diseases such as Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis or coeliac disease may be behind the occurrence.

I am assuming that you have checked all this out with your GP. In terms of diet, I recommend a gluten free diet, low in animal products, and high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables, salads, and grains like gluten free oats, quinoa, rice and buckwheat.

The B vitamin group is often low in people with recurrent mouth ulcers, as are the minerals zinc and iron, plus Vitamin C. Supplements could be your best option.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice tablets held in direct contact with the ulcer may
promote healing of the lesions. Let them melt in the mouth against it.

Can anything help prevent mouth ulcers coming back?

Following this advice may help:
• Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Change your lifestyle:
reduce stress and exercise
for 20 minutes a day.
• Change your diet: eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables; ensure that you have oily fish three times a week; drink plenty of clear fluids; reduce salt and get enough good fats in the diet through nuts, seeds and fish.
• Boost your immune system with diet, lifestyle and supplements.
• Keep a food diary and write down when you have a flare up to try to determine if specific foods are contributing to the problem.
• Find a qualified nutritional therapist to help put together a plan specifically for you.

CNM open evening
Interested in training to become
a nutritional therapist? Please book to attend a CNM open evening.
Next dates in Brighton:
1st May & 5th June.
Call 01342 410505
or visit www.naturopathy-uk.com

Jacquie Lane is both a lecturer and the Director of Studies at CNM, (College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Brighton.
Jacquie also runs her own nutrition clinic and manages a biological testing lab specialising in digestive issues.
Email Jacquie at: sunshinenutrition@hotmail.co.uk