If you’ve ever had an upset stomach after a spicy meal, a particularly stressful day, or just when you try out new foods (and it’s too late to visit the pharmacy), you know that your stomach is in need of some home stomach remedies.
But, the answer may not lie in running to the pharmacy and grabbing something off the shelf, anyway. When stomach trouble hits (and even before in some cases), consider home stomach remedies as your first line of defense.
Before we go any further, here are some of the common symptoms of stomach problems:
- wind,
- bloating,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- abdominal pain,
- burning feeling in the stomach and/or throat.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you probably have some sort of digestive problem that requires attention.
What Kind of Stomach Problem Could you be Suffering From?
The more common stomach issues that we encounter are heartburn, upset stomach and constipation.
(There are others and if you experience chronic stomach issues or something with ever increasing intensity of symptoms, see your doctor immediately!
Prolonged conditions can lead to a number of more serious disorders that require a comprehensive medical examination and, usually, specialised treatment.)
Top 10 Home Stomach Remedies
Home remedies are more natural than many treatments you’ll find over the counter. For occasional symptoms of stomach discomfort, give these a try first.
1) Eat caraway seeds
You may have seen these little seeds and their cousins, fennel, on foods. But, eaten alone, they can help resolve such symptoms as gas and slow digestion. Gas produced and trapped in your body can be painful. If you’ve ever had lower back pain during a sour stomach episode, it’s probably due to gas.
Eat about a teaspoon of them with water, or steep them in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes; strain and then drink.
Chewing caraway seeds after a meal also helps to keep your breath fresh.
2) Chewing gum
When your tummy is rumbling, the last thing you want to do is chew, but gum helps to increase saliva production which,in turn, decreases stomach acid production. Choose a natural chewing gum – preferably sugar free -and chew to decrease your symptoms.
3) Baking soda
It’s an old household remedy often referred to as “the poor man’s antacid” but it works (boy! does it work!!). Just add about 1/2 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate to a glass of water & drink it down – it tastes pretty awful, but it’s worth it. Bicarb helps to neutralize stomach acid and upset stomach. Be warned, though. It makes you belch!
If you have high blood pressure, don’t use this one regularly.
4) Increase your fibre.
Fibre keeps your digestive system moving. Insoluble fibre such as wheat bran, takes more energy to process so it keeps the digestive system occupied whilst helping to improve peristaltic action (the muscular waves that move digested food through your system). Increasing fibre over time can help prevent constipation.
5) Honey
Honey contains natural products that can benefit the human body in several ways. Taking a tablespoon of it can help with constipation and also ease any throat pain that can result from heartburn.
6) Ginger
This ancient remedy has anti-inflammatory properties to ease digestion and associated stomach pains, whilst also stimulating the digestive process. Steep fresh ground ginger with hot water; strain and drink. Or, if you don’t mind the taste, nibble on a little bit of it.
7) Mint
Peppermint or spearmint varieties can quiet nauseous stomachs and helps food to pass through your digestive system more easily. Either nibble on some fresh leaves, or steep dried ones in hot water to make a mint tea.
A note of caution, though. If you suffer from acid reflux (or GERD), peppermint should be avoided as it can make this condition worse.
8) Lemon water
A natural detoxifier, lemon in warm water can help with stomach pain associated with upset stomach. It also seems to help reduce bloating.
9) Aloe Vera
The juice can be just as soothing to the inside as the gel is to the outside. It can ease pain in the esophagus as well as in the stomach. It can also work as a laxative – so be careful how much you drink.
10) Sesame seeds
Snacking on about half an ounce can keep the digestive system moving and combat constipation. For some people, unfortunately, sesames seeds can act as a trigger for heartburn, so be careful when you first try this remedy.
So there you have it, 10 really simple, readily available home stomach remedies that you’ve probably already got to hand.