Originally published December 22 2012
Four easy home remedies for chronic indigestion
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) Indigestion has many aspects, from simply feeling bloated and too full to full blown IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). The latter includes both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
Basic eating habits can prevent simple indigestion and keep gastrointestinal disorders away or minimize them if they already exist. Start with a good eating environment that's without stress, bad feelings, or talking about stressful activities. Actually, too much of any gabbing interferes with good digestion.
That's because digestion begins with enzymes and beneficial bacteria from the saliva in the mouth. Cramming in to much food with each bite and swallowing after only two or three chews overwhelms the beginning of digestive function.
It's also a good idea to avoid cold beverages while eating. Liquids should not be cooler than room temperature. Ayurveda and Chinese medicine point respect to what they call the fire of digestion that begins in the stomach. Also, drink sparingly while eating, lest you drown the fire of digestion.
The foundation for proper food mixing is based on not mixing foods that require different time spans for complete digestion. Animal foods, especially meats, take the longest. Next comes complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. Then simple carbohydrates, refined grains, etc.
Fruits are digested the quickest. That's why they should be eaten away from main meals. The same goes for processed carbohydrate or sugary desserts. When slower digesting foods mix into the faster digesting foods, fermentation can occur leading to indigestion.
It's also a good idea to include soluble fiber foods with insoluble fiber foods, with an attempt toward eating soluble fiber foods first. For example, your main dish with rice or potatoes (soluble fiber) should precede salad (insoluble fiber). Source [1] below contains lists of soluble and insoluble fiber foods.
Herb and spice remedies for indigestion
(1) Aloe vera juice is great for digestive problems and healthy in so many other ways. It can be regarded as a miracle plant juice. Look for unadulterated, unsweetened, unpasteurized, and non-irradiated aloe vera juice, whether pressed from whole leaves or the fileted gel within the leaf.
The whole leaf versus gel only controversy is one you should explore to decide what makes sense to you. Aloe vera is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer. It requires only a little aloe vera consumption to handle digestive problems, but much more to cure cancer. It also facilitates detoxification.
Aloe vera has been clinically proven (though not publicized by MSM) to handle both extremes and a lot of health issues in between. (http://www.naturalnews.com/021858_aloe_vera_gel.html)
(2) A simple technique of thoroughly chewing a handful of dry fennel seeds after eating can facilitate good digestion. These are usually available in Indian restaurants the way mints are up for grabs in many western eateries. But you can have them on hand at home cheaply. Some swear by fennel tea for indigestion.
(3) Ginger and coriander aid digestion. Ginger powder or ground ginger root can be used as a spice. Ginger tea or capsules soothes many digestive disorders or upset stomachs from motion sickness or other causes.
Coriander seeds or powders are used in Indian and Chinese cuisine. Their additions are great for promoting good digestion. Using the coriander anti-inflammatory plant leaves, commonly known as cilantro, helps remove heavy metals from your system. (http://www.naturalnews.com/035741_heavy_metals_cilantro_detox.html)
(4) Fermented foods contain naturally produced probiotic beneficial bacteria. They should be eaten often. They include sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, pickles, aged cheese, "live" yogurts, and fresh sourdough bread baked without bromine and without preservatives.
Making your own milk or water kefir helps you maintain the proper beneficial to pathogenic balance of 85 to 15 in your gut. (http://www.naturalnews.com/036419_probiotics_immunity_bacteria.html)
Reversing or reducing this optimum ratio leads to Candida overgrowth and a plethora of weird symptoms too difficult to diagnose for most MDs.
Less sugar and fewer refined carbs in your diet will also help maintain that intestinal flora balance. Avoid antibiotics. Be prepared to take heavy doses of probiotic supplements if you're forced into antibiotic use.
Sources for this article include:
[1] Souble fiber foods http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber1.asp and Non-soluble fiber foods http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber2.asp
http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/product/fennel.aspx
http://www.herballegacy.com/Baldwin_Medicinal.html
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