OPH Good Housekeeping & Homemaking bring you home remedies for indigestion. The following article will give you information on the symptoms and causes of the condition as well as steps which you can take to prevent you from becoming a victim of this common problem.
O.K.let's get started.
Indigestion Causes
In order to understand better the home remedies for indigestion we have on offer in this article we first need to bear in mind the causes of the problem in the first place.
Indegestion causes pain when the powerful acids contained within the stomach are allowed to come into contact with the walls of the stomach, oesophagus and/or intestines, which are normally protected by the a layer of mucus.
Where heart burn is concerned this generally occurs when the opening flap to the oesophagues doesn't do its job properly and allows reflux of our friend the stomach acid.
The main indigestion cause is eating too quickly, without chewing food properly. When we eat too fast the body or stomach - to be precise - doesn't know what has hit it, it'll find it difficult to start breaking down the food if it is overworked. The not chewing food properly part is related because people who tend to eat quickly very rarely chew their food adequetly enough for efficient digestion to take place. Therefore the food takes too long to embark on its natural journey. In addition leaving long gaps betweem meal times can bring about the problem too, as the stomach acid has more time build up momentum (this is due to the fact that food quells the acid).
Other factors which can induce indigestion include smoking and drinking too much, eating very large meals, drugs, stress, pregnancy, peptic ulcers, anti-imflammatory medication and conditions effection the function of the digestive organs.
Indigestion Symptoms
As well as the causes we need to also get to grips with indigestion symptoms in order to clarify that this is actually the problem at hand and not something different altogether.
Here we go, the main symptoms of indigestion are a senastion of feeling very bloated, pain or disconfort in the upper regions of the abdomen, loss of appetite, feeling sick and being very windy.
Home Remedies for Indigestion
The following home remedies for indigestion can be catergorised in two ways, namely re-active and pro-active or preventive measures. Obviously the former relates to alleviating the symptoms of indigestion once they have come into play and the latter stopping the conditon from occuring in the first place.
The first home remedy for indigestion is to mix a solution of 1 part baking soda, to 1 part water. This should be consumed immediately after preperation. This works because the mixture will help settle down the stomach acid.
If you find that the above remedy is not to your liking then how about this delightful home remedy for indigestion? Grab yourself a lemon and squeeze the juice out of it and add to a glass of warm water, give it a quick stir with a spoon and drink in one go.
Thirdly, cloves - which can be purchased from most supermarkets - are wonderful for indigestion as they contain properties which help the body secrete enzymes, which in turn temper the stomach acid.
If you fancy something a little bit more exotic grab yourself some ajwain seeds. These little beauties have aided indigestion sufferers in the Middle-East for centuries. They have a similar taste to thyme or caraway and when mixed with a pinch of rock salt wil help digestion no-end.
One of the nicest home remedies for indigestion is to have a nice cup of ginger tea with a slice of ginger cake. This is because the spice which they both obvioulsy contain helps promote efficient digestion.
The final installment of our home remedies for indigestion is to drink a glass of water with a few drops of mint essence added in order to settle things down.
The following tips should be seen as a pro-active apporach to indigestion treatment.
Home Remedies for Indigestion - How to Prevent it
As you might've have guessed most of thes home remedies for indigestion are based on factors that cause indigestion in the first place.
Firstly, ensure you eat smaller meals and chew food properly. This is because smaller amounts of food are easier for the body to digest. Next, see to it that you stay clear of fatty or spicey foods as these can cause the stomach acid to behave with greater velocity.
You should also think about introducing more fiber into your diet if you are plagued by indigestion problems as doing so will smooth the digestion process. Why not visit our High Fiber Foods page for some excellent tips on this matter. However, with this in mind foods which contain large amounts of yeast, such as bread and pizza's hinder the digestion process and therefore should be considered as a no-no.
Next, if you have a sweet tooth and are partial to the odd chocolate bar then doing so will not be helping your cause. This is because it contains oils, which are not very benneficial to your stomach.
If you are often stressed then try and think of ways in which you can relax and chill out; when your calm your stomach will take your lead.The last, but not the least of the home remedies for indigestion is to ensure that when you go to sleep at night that you try and sleep in a more upright position - perhaps by purchasing a few more pillows - this will help keep your stomach nice and calm.
One of the best indigestion remedies is to cut down on your sodium intake. This means cutting out foods that are high in salt or by reducing the amount of salt you add to your food. Salt bloats you and makes you feel sluggish because it will cause you to retain water.
Reduce alcohol and fizzy drink consumption. This down to the fact that fizzy drinks expand when they enter the stomach, because of the warm nature of it.
Barty Says "When we fly we often become sluggish and bloated, because at high altitudes the gases in our stomach expands. To reduce the effects of this avoid gassy foods such as beans, bananas, cabbages, fried foods, cafeinated drinks. And if possible avoid chewing gum or sucking hard boiled sweets, as this will make you swallow even more air. However you should aim to go drink plenty of fluids that contain electrolytes such as tomato or fruit juices. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about charcoal treatmens - although these take time to work they absorb the gasses and reduce the odour of any air travel flatulence. Thanks kind ladies and sirs. Keep smiling :-D "
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