One of the common problems of aging is INDIGESTION, it is a known fact that as we age, gut health does take a toll. Heavy meals, overeating, greasy or spicy food, late meals, etc., are likely to have much more effect on the stomach, as compared to when young. Indigestion can be felt in many ways like stomach ache, bloating, discomfort, gastric issues or passing gas, heartburn, fullness in the stomach, belching, etc.
When indigestion happens, the usual temptation is to reach out to some over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like Gelusil, Eno, or some tablets. While these may be effective in relieving the symptoms, it is good to avoid the causes like overeating and others mentioned above. Also taking OTC medicines on regular basis may not be good as well. There are some natural ways to counter indigestion so that you don’t end up with more problems.
Stay hydrated
It will not just help you avoid indigestion, but can also help you ease the issues caused due to it. Water helps in digestion and thus helps prevent indigestion issues. Also, it is better to avoid lying down when having indigestion, as the acid in the stomach travels back, causing more heartburn and reflex issues.
Ginger
It is an excellent home remedy for digestion issues. One may wash, chew it and swallow the juice, which can help a lot in easing the problems and aid in digestion. However, if one is not used to that, you can also boil ginger in a cup of water and drink ginger tea. Ginger contains certain compounds called gingerols and shogaols that can help in speeding up digestion through stomach contractions.
Lemon
Drinking a glass of lemon juice, with a pinch of baking soda can help relieve the indigestion symptoms and ease digestion. The acid and nutrients in the lemon juice will help absorption and also reduce the gas in the stomach. It will neutralize the bile acids, and thus you start feeling better.
Cumin (Jeera)
It is an ancient cure for gas and indigestion. One of the reasons why Indian cuisine uses these spices like cumin and ginger is to ensure that digestive issues are taken care of. One of the best ways of using cumin to cure indigestion is to dry roast a handful of it, and then boil in a cup of water and reduce it to half and consume the same. This ‘Jeera Kashyam’ or ‘Kadha’ is highly effective in relieving indigestion. You could also try mixing jeera powder in a glass of buttermilk and consuming it. If a pinch of Hing or asafetida is also added to this, it makes a powerful drink aiding in digestion. If nothing you can chew a few jeera seeds, and even that can help in easing the symptoms.
Coconut Water
In certain areas where coconut is available in plenty, people use coconut water for aiding hydration and indigestion issues. It contains nutrients like potassium and magnesium, and these are good at relieving issues like muscle cramps, and pain, and also aid in the digestion process. This can be consumed on and off throughout the day, without any side effects.
Cinnamon (Dalchini)
It is not known to many that another spice that we often use in cooking is cinnamon. It is a good home remedy for indigestion. This spice contains a few antioxidants that can help in reducing gas, indigestion, bloating, heartburn, stomach irritation, cramps, belching, etc. You can add a pinch of cinnamon powder to your meal, or try regular cinnamon tea, just like the ginger tea mentioned earlier.
So friends, next time you have some indigestion issues, then instead of reaching out to some OTC medicines, try these home remedies.
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Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
13th July 2022
Prakash mahadalkar
Good home remedies for indigestion and gut health. Doctors say that poor gut health is the root cause for so many health problems. So these easy remedies can help a lot.