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The pain of a gastric or a duodenal ulcer is very unbearable. Fortunately, science has provided improved medicinal treatment to offer some pain relieve to ulcer patients. Ulcer patients evidently would attest to the unbearable pain they have to endure and would certainly advise all individuals to avoid being in their position. I believe these few steps will help readers to prevent the development of ulcers. Try your best to avoid smoking and alcohol intake because there is a higher incidence of ulcers among alcohol drinkers and smokers. This is due to the fact that, the two items above contribute to a significant level of gastric irritation. This is responsible for the development of ulcers. It is especially worse for people who drink alcohol on empty stomachs. Some studies have shown that taking little alcohol with one's meals does not lead to the development of ulcers. However, continuous use of alcohol surely contributes to ulcer development. It is therefore important to desist from its use. The simple and convenient habit of skipping meals, especially breakfast, is a sure route to developing ulcers. Due to loaded work schedules as well as the quest to beat the early morning traffic jam, most people are likely to leave their homes at dawn on an empty stomach. This practice is likely to cause the development of ulcers after a period of time. This is simply because the stomach suffers repeated exposure to gastric juices meant to work on the food that should have been there. In the absence of the food, the juices tend to rather erode the lining of the stomach, thus, leading to ulcers. People who are exposed to long periods of fasting fall prey to the development of ulcers. The passage of food through the gut; thus, from the mouth through to the anus is very important when it comes to the prevention of ulcers. This preserves the integrity of the cells lining the stomach and the intestines. Waiting long hours before meals can also lead to the development of ulcers. Some people also skip supper in a bid to keep their weight in check. They take their last meal of the day around 3p.m and their next meal is probably taken around 8 a.m the next morning. This evidently is a sure way of starving one's self and could result in a phenomenon which causes the release of gastric and digestive juices that can work in order to bridge the integrity of the gastric mucosa. It is therefore very important to have about three meals spread throughout the day. One other thing that can help prevent ulcers is regular exercise. Exercise helps to deal with excess gas that is likely to accumulate in the stomach. When this gas is removed, chances of developing an ulcer are also reduced. Exercising also helps to improve the efficiency of digestion and assimilation of nutrients, thus, enzymes and stomach acid are released in useful and needed quantities. This prevents a phenomenon such as excess stomach acid which leads to ulcers. Taking fruits in small amounts daily is a sure way of preventing ulcers. There are vitamins in fruits that helps in the proper growth and maintenance of smooth muscles that line the stomach and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. The writer of this article is a Dietician at Trust Hospital & Clinics. He is the founder of LETS Consult Diet Clinic. He is also the Author of �Your Diet & Your Health Magazine�. For copies contact Tel: 0244090262, Email: [email protected], Facebook: LETS Consult Diet Clinic, WhatsApp: 0244090262. WATCH OUT FOR A BOOK TITLED: "DIET, HEALTH & WELLNESS" FROM THIS AUTHOR.