Best Home Remedies for Upset Stomach
Indigestion Cures
The best home remedies for upset stomach are usually found in the kitchen cupboard or they are easily purchased at the grocery store. Most of these home remedies for indigestion have been
used for centuries and have proven their worth.
Common Indigestion Causes
The most common indigestion causes are improper food handling or cooking and poor eating habits.
Indigestion or upset stomach can be caused by:
- eating too fast
- eating a large quantity of food
- eating too much fat
- eating spicy food
- food allergies
- eating improperly cooked food
- eating "spoiled food"
- stress
Indigestion can also be caused by excessive smoking, excessive drinking of alchohol or coffee, or a lack of exercise. More serious causes are stomach cancer, gallstones, peptic ulcers, appendicitis, and food poisoning.
The symptoms of food poisoning can be mild to severe with vomiting, weakness, stomach pain and diarrhea. Home remedies for upset stomach will not help in the case of food poisoning and you may need to consult a medical professional if this is what you are suffering from.
Indigestion Symptoms
Symptions of indigestion include a burning sensation in the stomach, bloating of the stomach, burping and belching, acid reflux, heartburn, nausea, and even vomiting.
Most everyone experiences these symptoms from time to time and simple home remedies are all that is needed. Some people, however, have an upset stomach every day and since the cause may be something serious as mentioned above, a doctor should be consulted to find the cause.
Simple Home Remedies for Upset Stomach and Indigestion
- In my opinion the best home remedy for indigestion is
ginger. You can eat crystallized ginger which you can purchase at a health food store or make your own from ginger root. Or you can make a tea by steeping a few slices of ginger root in hot water. See Ginger Root Tea
and Crystallized Ginger Recipe for recipes. There is more information on ginger at Health Benefits of Ginger
- An old home remedy for upset stomach is drinking peppermint tea. You can buy peppermint tea bags at the grocery store or brew your own with dried peppermint leaves. For more information see Peppermint Tea Benefits.
- Squeezing some fresh lemon juice into a glass of water and drinking it will give fast relief of an upset stomach.
- Many people swear by apple cider vinegar as a cure for indigestion. Just add a tablespoon to a glass of water and drink it. Read about the many Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
- My grandmother's favorite remedy for indigestion was baking soda. Just add one teaspoon to a glass of water.
- Some people like to drink chamomile tea for an upset stomach. Add a squeeze of lemon juice if you like. See Benefits of Chamomile.
- To prevent indigestion eat some yogurt every day. Yogurt with the live L. acidophilus culture is an aid to digestion.
- You may have this home remedy in your back yard. A tea made out of dandelion root is good for settling an upset stomach. Boil some dandelion in hot water for 20 minutes, strain, and drink the tea. Read more about the health
Benefits of Dandelion.
- Neutralize stomach acid with goldenseal. Mix half a teaspoon of liquid goldenseal extract with a little water and drink it. Read more about this amazing herb at Benefits of Goldenseal.
- One of the often overlooked home remedies for upset stomach is the aperitif Compari. It has a very bitter taste and is made in Italy following a secret formula of roots and herbs. It is normally used as an alcoholic before dinner drink but I have found it amazing in its ability to cure an upset stomach. It only takes a small amount - about a teaspoon. Add it to water if you like.
- Artichoke extract has been proven to improve gastritis and indigestion. It is one of the ingredients in the Italian aperitif Cynar. Learn more about the benefits of artichoke extract.
-
Stomach cramps can be relieved by drinking a tea made from the Yarrow herb. Steep a teaspoon of dried Yarrow in a cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, strain and drink. Read more about Yarrow Herb.
- One of the very old home remedies for upset stomach is Agrimony. Make a tea from the leaves or dried powdered herb and sip slowly. Discover more benefits of Agrimony Herb.
- A cup of sage tea will settle an upset stomach. Just steep a few fresh or dried sage leaves in hot water, add some lemon juice, and strain into a cup. See Benefits of Sage Tea.
-
DigestAssist
is a herbal formula made by Native Remedies. It contains ginger, fennel, peppermint, and stomach bush which are all known to improve indigestion. Because it is a liquid it can begin to work right away.