If you can’t eat certain foods without getting an upset stomach, you’re not alone. About 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn at least once a month, meaning discomfort for an hour or more out of your day.
However, managing your symptoms isn’t hard as long as you follow through on a few simple home remedies for indigestion. If you’re not sure what kind of solution you need—or whether home remedies are right for you—here’s what you should know.
Why Use Home Remedies for Indigestion?
Instead of reaching for an over-the-counter antacid to treat indigestion, many people are turning to natural ingredients and pantry staples they have at home.
For mild to moderate conditions like indigestion, home remedies can be inexpensive, simple, and just as effective as their pharmaceutical counterparts. They also offer fewer unwanted side effects.
What’s more, home remedies offer trusted alternatives to potentially dangerous drugs. With the FDA pulling Zantac off the market in recent months, for example, it may feel safer to use natural ingredients from around the home. If you’re moving away from using Zantac and similar products, you can learn more here.
If you’re just getting started with home remedies, the five natural ingredients below are tried-and-tested tools to help you take your first steps!
1. Ginger
Ginger has been used to treat a variety of ailments for thousands of years, and it’s long been a go-to ingredient for fighting symptoms of an upset stomach. This root helps stimulate the enzymes that break down food, and it works well as a preventative treatment. Add fresh, ground, or crystallized ginger to your food, or find it as a daily supplement.
2. Peppermint
Peppermint has been shown to help reduce the severity of certain digestive symptoms or even prevent them completely. Peppermint tea can help, but your best bet is to use coated capsules of peppermint oil as a daily supplement.
3. Baking Soda
Because it helps soothe the digestive tract and neutralize stomach acid, baking soda can be an effective indigestion treatment. To add it to your daily intake, sprinkle half a teaspoon into a glass of water. Sip slowly to avoid creating excess gas and worsening your upset stomach.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
One of the most common indigestion causes is too little stomach acid, which is where this popular cure-all can help. Apple cider vinegar prompts your stomach to ramp up its production of acid. Add a teaspoon to a cup of water and drink it before a meal or whenever you need relief.
5. Fennel Seeds
Among other benefits, fennel has antispasmodic properties, meaning that it reduces muscle spasms. In other words, this herb can help soothe your painful cramping, bloating, or nausea. Boil ½ teaspoon of crushed or powdered fennel seeds in water for ten minutes, and drink whenever indigestion sets in.
Learn to Manage Your Indigestion
In addition to dietary changes, these simple home remedies for indigestion can help you keep the worst of your symptoms at bay. And as these common ingredients may already be lying around your home, you have no reason not to test them out the next time you need relief!
Want more of the critical health tips you need to know? Check out our other posts for additional insights.
