Medically known as dyspepsia, indigestion is a gastrointestinal problem people commonly complaint about. Its symptoms can be bloating, belching, burning sensation and nausea. Gas and indigestion are problems occurring from the secretion of the digestive juices in our stomach.
When the acid present in the stomach begins to irritate the lining of the stomach or reaches to our oesophagus, commonly known as acid reflux, one experiences discomfort and a burning sensation in chest and stomach.
While indigestion and gas can be a result of eating spicy or oily food or overeating, at times it also signals towards an underlying serious problem. Here are 15 simple yet very effective home remedies you can try out to get some relief from indigestion and gas problems.
Indigestion, also known by the medical term dyspepsia, is due to a problem in the secretion of digestive juices in the stomach. Usually indigestion occurs after eating spicy or fatty foods or overeating.
It can also be triggered or made worse due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome, stress or anxiety, obesity, ulcers, stomach infection, thyroid disease, smoking and certain medications.
Some symptoms of indigestion are bloating, gas, growling stomach, abdominal pain, burning sensation in the upper abdomen, acidic taste and vomiting.
You can easily get relief from indigestion symptoms using ingredients from your pantry. For instance, sipping a little water at the first sign of indigestion can give you some relief as it helps increase the gastric pH.
1. Coriander
Out of the many health benefits of this herb, treating indigestion is one. Coriander can help in settling your stomach and getting you relieved from the burning sensations gas and indigestion has been causing. You can add roasted coriander seeds to half a glass of buttermilk or use one teaspoon of dried leaves per cup boiling water.
2. Fennel Seeds
While suffering from gas and indigestion due to spicy or fatty food, having fennel seeds can help cure your problem. The oil contained in fennel seeds reduces nausea and controls flatulence. Dry, roast and grind fennel seeds to make a powder. Take half teaspoon of this powder twice a day along with water. You will see some results.
3. Black Pepper
During the condition of lack of hydrochloric acid in our stomach black pepper can be very effective to cure the problem. Black pepper can increase the flow of gastric juices and thus help in digestion. Powdered black pepper with crushed jaggery can be taken along buttermilk during indigestion. Or a fine powder of black pepper, dried mint leaves, ginger powder and coriander seeds, all taken in equal amounts, can be consumed twice a day (one teaspoon) to treat gas and indigestion.
4. Cloves
The dried flower buds of Eugenia aromatic, clove is known to have a number of medicinal and culinary uses. Cloves can increase gut motility and gastrointestinal secretions thus helping in digestion and curing gas and indigestion problems. Pieces of cloves can be directly consumed or clove oil can be used to get rid of stomach irritability.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
A lot of medical journals will tell you how indigestion is not caused by excess acid on the stomach by due to the lack of it. This is why apple cider vinegar works in relieving you from both gas and indigestion. Apple cider vinegar helps in providing our stomach with the much required acid. To treat indigestion it can be taken with water and honey and it will give effective results. Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 1 cup water and add 1 teaspoon honey. Drink this solution two to three times a day.
6. Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a wonder remedy when it comes to treating indigestion and gas. It is easier to digest than milk and contains more lactic acid. Buttermilk is already recommended to keep yourself cool in harsh summers and its digestive benefits just give you another reason to drink up a glass of buttermilk.
7. Baking Soda
To combat extra acid in your stomach baking soda is an effective and a commonly available antacid. The basic nature of soda neutralizes the excess hydrochloric acid in the stomach forming salt and water. Mix half teaspoon of baking soda in half a glass of water and drink the solution on an empty stomach. It will get you fast relief from gas and indigestion.
8. Herbal Tea
People drinking herbal tea right after a heavy meal used to confuse me. If you have already ate heavy then why would you consume something more? But herbal teas work effectively in easing digestion. Mint, raspberry and blackberry tea can be taken after a heavy meal to reduce indigestion. Peppermint and chamomile work as great stomach pain relievers too. One can dip a herbal tea bag in warm water and enjoy the warm herbal tea. Fresh mint leaves or dried chamomile flowers can also be dipped in water.
9. Garlic
You may run away from the smell of garlic that might linger in your mouth but this little ingredient has phenomenal properties to stimulate your gastric system helping you get relief from gas and ingestion problems. The pungent heating quality of garlic is what makes it work so efficiently. Consume garlic in a soup where the hot water helps it to get absorbed by your digestive system faster. Or boil ground garlic in water for few minutes and add some black pepper and cumin seeds. Strain this mixture and let it cool. Drinking this two or three times a day will get you fruitful results.
10. Ginger
Now I get it why my mother always insists on adding some chopped ginger to the Indian curries. Not only does it add an aroma and spiciness to the food but ginger is well accepted as a traditional cure for indigestion. Ginger as a food ingredient or in a strong ginger tea helps in causing stimulation of saliva, bile juices and gastric juices while all these play important roles in digestion. Drinking ginger tea is certainly much more beneficially to get rid of gas and indigestion problems than coffee and soda.
11. Cardamom
One common kitchen spice that can be very useful in comforting your stomach gas indigestion is cardamom. The volatile oil present in it helps to cure a number of digestive disorders include gas and indigestion. The cardamom seeds can be consumed alone or one can add roasted cardamom powder to the vegetables while cooking. Cardamom tea is also an excellent way to treat indigestion. Drinking the tea several times a day will speed up your digestive process.
12. Lemon
This tangy little citrus fruit is known to have a lot of health benefits. Preventing and curing indigestion is one of them. Mixed with hot water, lemon juice can help you get rid of nausea, heartburn and belching. It acts as a blood purifier, as a cleansing agent and stimulates digestion by helping the body to produce bile juices. Drinking fresh lemon water first thing in morning can help you prevent many kinds of digestive disorders and have a healthy digestive system.
13. Asafoetida
Another digestive spice also known as Hing, asafoetida is cultivated in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. It is an effective remedy that can cure many digestive problems like flatulence, stomach-ache and constipation. A pinch of asafoetida can be added to a glass of warm water and consumed two to three times a day.
14. Carom seeds
Exclusively found in certain parts of Asia, carom seeds, or “ajwain” has been grandma’s recipe to cure indigestion since ages. It is one of the most useful herbs that can cure almost all the stomach problems. Carom seeds or ajowain facilitates the release of gut juices thus increasing the digestive function of our intestinal tract. The simplest way to consume ajowain is swallowing 5-10 seeds with a pinch of salt and washing it down your throat with water, it will give an immediate relief.
15. Warm water
Oh yes! Besides being the most used solvent to other herbs and spices, warm water alone can also get you some immediate relief from gas and indigestion. It helps cleaning our body by flushing out all the toxins present and also breaks down the food to make it easier for our body to digest it. Having a glass of warm water in morning is a healthy practice and will keep your digestive system on track. Also having warm water after meals proves to be beneficial for your stomach.
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