Indigestion – how to handle it

What exactly is indigestion?

Indigestion is a condition a lot of people suffer from and can cause a burning sensation in your stomach or upper abdomen, an acidic taste in your mouth, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation. Indigestion can be painful and very uncomfortable. It is not dangerous but it affects your quality of life. Indigestion is not the same as heartburn or acid reflux, which causes a burning feeling in your chest caused by stomach acid entering the oesophagus. Both these conditions however, usually happen at the same time.

Remedies to assist

Indigestion can usually be managed by changing your diet. Some of the main causes of indigestion are smoking, caffeinated drinks, excessive alcohol, fast food, acidic foods and fried, fatty, and spicy foods. Also, certain medications may cause issues. Eating slowly may help prevent the indigestion and apple cider vinegar, digestive enzymes, probiotics, licorice root and ginger can help provide relief.

Is it something else?

Sometimes people who suffer indigestion symptoms are actually suffering something else, and have an underlying condition. Some of the conditions these could be are IBS/IBD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcers, gallbladder issues or gallstones, coeliac disease, gastritis or anxiety and depression. This is why it is important to see a healthcare professional if you have had indigestion for more that 2 weeks or if you are in severe pain. If your indigestion also comes with unplanned weight loss, vomiting blood, extreme fatigue, black stools or if you are having trouble swallowing, these are all causes for concern and you should seek medical advice. If your indigestion includes shortness of breath, sweating, or chest pain that spreads to your arm, neck, or jaw go to emergency at a hospital.

Supplements and foods to help

To help avoid indigestion eat slowly, eat a healthy well balanced diet, wait two or three hours before lying down, don’t exercise straight after eating and reduce stress by meditating or doing yoga. There are some natural remedies which you can use for your indigestion. These include apple cider vinegar. Place a tablespoon in half a glass of water before or after your meal. Chew some fresh, peeled, raw ginger root before or after your meal or you can brew it as a tea. Also taken in the same way you could try licorice root. Eating half a teaspoon of fennel seeds after meals is also helpful. Place the seeds in boiling water, strain it and drink as a tea. You could also try black cumin seeds using the same methods. Peppermint oil is also good for indigestion as it helps relax the stomach muscles and it helps fight harmful bacteria. You can take this as a supplement or apply it to the skin as long as it’s blended with a carrier oil. However, be careful because if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease peppermint could worsen your symptoms.

Digestive enzymes can help with indigestion as they break down dietary fibre, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Sometimes our body doesn’t make enough which then results in indigestion issues. Probiotics support digestive health. Supplementing your diet with probiotics can help restore balance in the stomach. Baking soda is a popular indigestion remedy because it quickly neutralises excess stomach acid and re-balances the body’s pH. Just mix half a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water after a meal. Be sure to wait at least a couple of hours after taking medication before taking the baking soda. If you are having issues with indigestion or maybe something worse happening with your digestion give us a call to see how we can help 0414680713.

Acid Reflux and natural options to heal

Acid reflux is also known as heartburn, indigestion and pyrosis and it happens when food and stomach acid go back up into the oesophagus. Acid reflux can be very painful, cause burping, vomiting, choking and is dangerous long term as not only can you have a burnt oesophagus but it is believed in some more severe cases there can be chest pains that can feel like you’re having a heart attack. The acid can irritate the oesophagus and also cause scarring, swelling, ulceration and hemorrhaging. Some experts believe frequent acid reflux could lead to oesophageal cancer.

If you are a sufferer you may need to look at your diet and see if there is something that is causing it such as eating too late at night, too heavy meals, over eating, sweet foods like chocolate, coffee etc. Remedies involve foods with live enzymes, alkaline foods and remedies, slippery elm powder (not the tablets, the powder). All these remedies involve a balance of the hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach. By changing regular table salt to Himalayan crystal salt with many trace minerals that are good for you may get some improvement. Also Betaine HCL supplements before meals can help to balance the hydrochloric acid levels, some digestive enzymes and making sure you eat a lot slower.

Changing your diet can be helpful. If you are eating a lot of processed foods or sugars it will imbalance the bacteria in the stomach. Replace wheat and yeast with wheat free/yeast free products, go lactose free or cut out dairy completely and replace packaged foods with fresh fruit and vegetables. Probiotics and prebiotics will help balance stomach bacteria.

Calm your stomach with one tablespoon raw organic apple cider vinegar in water if you are not sensitive to this food as it will help to promotes digestion. Do a sensitivity test to check what foods you are sensitive to and which cause inflammation. Also organic Aloe Vera is good for calming the stomach and supports digestion.

Our clinic assists with changes in diet, healthy eating plans, sensitivity testing and balancing your inflammation levels.