There are many different issues regarding digestion.
The two main types of digestion problems that people usually discuss or search the Internet for are constipation and diarrhea.
Here are some natural remedies for these two.
Other problems include heartburn or acid reflux, nausea, and gas and bloating.
Natural remedies for upset stomach
Home remedies for upset stomach and indigestion include:
1. Drinking water – This is one of the most important things to do for constipation. The typical adult should drink at least 8 or more cups of water a day. Children should take in less water but not by much; maybe 5-6 cups of water a day. After vomiting or having diarrhea from being sick, a person can get dehydrated very quickly and so it’s important to drink water especially after and while being sick. A lack of water leads to constipation as well so drink, drink, drink water.
2. The BRATy diet – This has always been known as the BRAT diet; meaning you eat Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast when you have diarrhea or have vomiting issues. But this is starting to change. People (very wisely) are now calling this the BRATy diet. If this is the first place you have seen this, congratulations. We wish we were the first to mention this but alas we are not. So first let us tell you why you should have the BRATy diet and than why it is (more often lately) called the BRATy diet.
When someone has diarrhea, they need something that won’t irritate their system and yet be able to eat. So eating bland foods such as Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast that also have the nutrients like magnesium and potassium that are lost through vomiting and/or diarrhea has always been the standard. Doctors even recommend this. Except, there’s always been one missing piece; probiotic. So the “Y” has been added for probiotic. If your stomach is all out of order from diarrhea and vomiting, you have lost not just nutrients but your microbiome in your stomach has been affected. So you need to replace the good bacteria with probiotics. It’s up to you how you replace it. Personally, we would probably throw up eating yogurt after vomiting or having diarrhea. Our personal choice is either kombucha or kefir. There is a great list of probiotic foods you can find anywhere but here is a short list (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, miso, kombucha, pickles, traditional buttermilk, natto, some types of cheese like gouda, mozzarella, cheddar and cottage cheese). I think it is safe to say drinking traditional buttermilk might not be a good idea, but try the rest.
3. Apple cider vinegar – This is one of the greatest things you can do for your overall health and your digestion specifically. Take a glass of warm water (about 1/3 full) and pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons of ACV (apple cider vinegar) and then for an added option put a little honey into it to make it easier to drink. Drink the whole thing down. It’s not easy to drink. I personally will pour a glass 1/3 full of water, 1/3 full of apple juice and add 1 to 2 tablespoons ACV and then drink that down quickly. I find it easier than the other way. The benefits are great. Because it has enzymes, proteins, and friendly bacteria and has chemicals known as polyphenols, it helps with digestion, it’s good for the skin, it helps kill harmful bacteria, and it helps lower blood sugar levels. It also stops cell damage that leads to other diseases like cancer. Some studies say it may even aid in weight loss. So ACV is like a wonder drug without actually being a drug because it’s natural.
3. Ginger – Ginger is a great natural remedy for indigestion or an upset stomach. You can go out and buy ginger root or do the easy thing and buy ginger tea. A bag of ginger tea in a hot cup of water is an easy way to take yourself from being full of gas, constipation and upset stomach. If you have something that needs to get out of your system, ginger will most defiantly help that come out quicker (like a large bowl movement that is stuck or diarrhea that is waiting to come out but stuck inside. The chemicals shogaols and gingerols are chemicals in ginger that will speed up and move foods through quickly that are causing you indigestion. Upset stomach? Try ginger tea or an all natural ginger ale with real ginger in it.
4. Mint – Mint is a great way to help relieve pain and prevent diarrhea, vomiting, and reducing muscle spasms. You can find it raw, leaves to be cooked in a boiling pot or just buy a box of peppermint tea.
2. Don’t lay down – If you lay down the acid in your stomach is going to travel back and forth and make it’s way up your esophagus causing you heartburn. Lay on an angle with your lower body downward and your head up or sit up. Do this for at least a few hours to allow things to pass. The same goes for if you feel like you are going to throw up. An ideal thing to do would be to gently stroke your stomach in a downward motion. The stomach creates waves and you can have an affect on them by stroking your stomach downward gently. This will also help (possibly sometimes) your urge to throw up.
6. Drink alkaline water – Drinking alkaline water when you have an upset stomach will relieve some of the pain, balance out your acidity, and make you feel better in a general sense. There is a great deal of argument and conversation about how much difference drinking alkaline water will do to your overall health. And we are not here to tell you that drinking alkaline water will change your cellular structure or cure any disease. We are simply saying that if you don’t feel good due to eating too much acidic food like fried foods and fatty foods, drinking alkaline water will balance you out.
7. Warm water with Lemon – This is an old one. Two things about this. Lemon is acidic but it turns alkaline in your body. It has a ph balance of about 2 but when you drink it, it metabolizes and turns into alkaline. You can drink this in the morning as a detox drink or drink it after every meal as a way to stabilize and balance your digestion.
This website, like your life, is a work in progress. It is May 8th, 2020 and we will be coming back here with lots more information. When I say “lots more information,” take a look at our page on depression. That’s what we mean by “lots more information.” So please come back and see what we add.
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