More than 50,000 research papers have been published on Helicobacter pylori with an astonishing 1.300 papers published this year alone.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria which lives in our stomach’s mucous lining.  Normally, it regulates the acidity of the stomach, helps to maintain the mucous lining which is the barrier which protects the stomach lining from stomach acid and, it may help boost the immune system by alerting it to foreign substances in the stomach itself.

It is a curved, spiral-shaped bacteria which has a tuft of four to six flagella (tails) which makes it mobile in the mucous of the stomach lining. H. pylori seems to only inhabit humans and no other animal species.

When H. pylori infection is observed with symptoms, it is usually associated with conditions such as gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), peptic ulcers (sores in the stomach or small intestine), and an increased risk of certain types of stomach cancer.

Symptoms can be upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, bloating, loss of appetite, indigestion and heartburn, and hiccups.

The reasons why some individuals develop complications while others do not are still under investigation and likely involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and microbial factors.

The current treatment of H. pylori is usually combination of antibiotics and acid-reducing medications. The most common treatment approach is known as triple therapy, which involves a combination of three medications; a proton-pump inhibitor which helps reduce stomach acid and a combination of two different antibiotics to target the H. pylori.

Alongside this treatment, a more natural approach can be taken to assist in any side effects which may be experienced.

Probiotic supplements can help digestive problems such as gastritis, indigestion and feelings of nausea by boosting the gut biome and the body’s immunity.

Despite what the adverts say, even a good helping of natural yoghurt, although beneficial in supporting overall health, does not contain enough good bacteria to replace those lost with antibiotic use.

Ideally, you should consume at least 20 billion probiotic organisms (don’t worry, that’s still just one capsule) for a suitable dose – and that dose should contain a mix of different strains of probiotics to fully colonise the digestive tract.

Meadowsweet is a herb which is sometimes known as the meat eater’s remedy, helping relieve acidity and poor digestion. The therapeutic value of meadowsweet is much like over-the-counter antacids, but it does not have the adverse side effects.

It contains tannins, brownish compounds found in plants which historically have been used to tan and dye leather. Tannins function like astringents and draw tissues together in the digestive tract. This makes meadowsweet perfect for healing peptic ulcers and treating gastritis.

Gentian is another powerful herb which can help settle the digestive system and relieve bloating and indigestion. It is a plant remarkable for its intensely bitter taste, invaluable in herbal medicine. Before the introduction of hops, gentian was occasionally used in brewing and is the principal ingredient in Agnostura bitters.

A delicate looking herb which packs a flavourful punch, thyme is a wonderful addition at the dinner table to help boost meat and vegetable dishes and it can also keep you healthy.

Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with digestive and lunch conditions. Only recently, however, have researchers pinpointed some of the components in thyme that bring about its healing effects such as the volatile oils thymol and carvacrol.

A research paper published in 2023 showed the volatile oils found in thyme, and other herbs such as oregano and sage inhibited H. pylori by acting on the stomach’s mucous lining.

Dried thyme is available in your local supermarket throughout the year but it’s easy to grow your own in tubs or in your vegetable patch where it likes full sun and not too much water.

HOW TO MAKE: THYME TUMMY SYRUP

Making a tummy syrup is easy and it helps make the medicinal taste of thyme go down without too much bother.

Take one cup of freshly chopped thyme (or 2 tablespoons of dried thyme) and simmer gently in 100mls of water until it reduces by half.

Strain the thyme from the water and place the water back into a saucepan. Add 75gm of sugar and the juice of half a lemon and simmer until the liquid becomes clear.

Cool slightly before pouring into bottles. To support good gut function, take 10mls of thyme syrup diluted into a half glass of water.

H. pylori can be detected by a simple breath test called the ‘C-Urea Breath Test’, by an endoscopy or blood tests when visiting your GP.