Stomach aches are widespread. Everyone experiences this in their lifetime. They can happen to anyone from an infant to a senior citizen too. People often refer to stomach pain as abdominal cramps.
Abdominal pain is the pain that arises anywhere in the abdominal area of the human body. Organs of the abdominal area include the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Stomach ache has many causes. Most causes aren’t severe; thus, the pain stays for a short period. This pain is usually of no serious concern, and it can generally be treated at home using home remedies. Before telling you the home remedies of upset stomach, we will first see what are some causes of it.
Upset Stomach Causes
Indigestion
This affliction or discomfort in the stomach is caused when food in our body is not digested properly. This pain is felt in the upper abdomen. Indigestion itself is not a disease but is a cause of a problem, such as heartburn. Heartburn occurs in the body when the acid in your stomach backs up into your esophagus. The esophagus is a tube that helps food pass from your mouth to your stomach. Besides heartburn, you can also have indigestion if, for instance, you eat your food too fast, or consume alcohol before or after the meal.
Anxiety
It’s not an unusual feeling when you have a big event, or when you have to meet someone important that you start to feel nauseous or like your stomach is full of butterflies. Even when some unfortunate event occurs, people have this bizarre stomach ache. From happiness to sadness, or shyness, these all moods play a vital role in having an impact in your digestive system. Being in stress can send your digestive system into an overdrive, which can lead to a stomach ache or the nauseous feeling.
Food Poisoning
It is essential to keep track of what you are eating, how you are eating, and when you are eating. Your activities right before and after eating a meal can play a huge role in food poisoning. In the category of what you are eating, you should make sure the edible you are going to consume is safe, clean, and hygienic. It should not be old or expired. How you are eating tells us the way/combinations of food that go together and the way they should be eaten. Like leafy greens and vegetables, if taken raw, is then likely to lead to food poisoning. Lastly, when you are eating, eating a heavy meal and then going for a run, will make you very sick. Make sure to follow the three questions to avoid any issue.
Home Remedies for Upset Stomach
Medicines and hospital checks can consume a lot of money, time, and energy. Before going to check up from a doctor, one should see if home remedies work for them. The upset stomach remedies that we have brought for you today are from ingredients that are available in every kitchen household.
Water
Water acts as one of the solvents in our body, which helps in dissolving and absorbing nutrients. Drinking water regularly (8 glasses for adults) and (5 glasses for children) decreases the likelihood of getting an upset stomach.
Avoid lying down
When lying down, the body’s posture is in a horizontal position. This causes the acid in the stomach to travel backward and move upwards. This, in most cases, leads to heartburns.
People with an upset stomach should not lie down or go to bed for at least a few hours until the pain passes. Someone who needs to lie down should position their head, neck, and upper chest with pillows around them ideally at an angle of 30 degrees.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon includes antioxidants that help ease up the process of digestion and reduce the risk of damage in the digestive tract. It includes substances that help to decrease the pain of bloating or cramps. It also helps balance the acidity level of the stomach, which is very important to maintain.
Mix cinnamon in a hot cup of tea and sip it slowly. Repeat this twice or thrice a day to avoid any pain.
Aloe Juice
The substances in aloe vera juice are known to reduce excess stomach acid.
They also improve protein digestion, which helps in the digestion of our food particles. Moreover, they reduce any inflammation found.
- Drink 2 tsp of aloe juice every day.
Yogurt & Banana
The probiotic qualities of yogurt, (which are actually bacteria), make it an excellent cure to ease the discomfort of stomach pain.
During the stomach ache, take a bowl of yogurt and add banana’s cubes in it. The combination of these two has shown a very promising result since forever.
Peppermint
Peppermint is known to be a helpful remedy for upset stomach because the menthol in its leaves is a natural analgesic.
- Suck on a mint candy.
- Chew onto the peppermint leaves.
- Sniffing the extract of peppermint.
Rice
Eating well-cooked rice can help a person by adding bulk to their stool. It reduces cramps and pains because of the fact that rice contains high levels of magnesium and potassium.
Someone who is feeling nauseated/vomiting/ or has diarrhea should eat rice (½ cup). The rice should be nicely cooked and boiled.
For most people, the problem of the upset stomach can be easily cured using these home remedies for upset stomach, but if you have symptoms like fever, dizziness, pain in urination, blood in the stool, chronic constipation and difficulty in swallowing, then you should consult the doctor right away.