How to Get Rid of Indigestion Problems: 12 Effective Remedies

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Indigestion, or dyspepsia, is a pain or burning sensation felt in your abdomen or upper belly. This article will detail how to get rid of indigestion and the best methods for treating indigestion. We will also explain a number of natural indigestion remedies in the form or foods or herbs.

First, let’s further explain indigestion.

Dyspepsia is actually a common problem that affects up to 30% of the population. It is also important to note that indigestion is not a disease but rather a symptom of a disorder like peptic ulcer or a gallbladder disease like gallstones or cholecystitis.

Other possible causes of indigestion include:

• Pancreatitis
• Bacterial infections like Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Gastritis
• Gastroparesis
• Thyroid disease
• Food poisoning
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Hiatal hernia
• Esophagitis
• Food allergies or sensitivities
• Stomach cancer
• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Angina
• Certain medications like antibiotics, aspirin, birth control pills, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Lifestyle issues can also cause indigestion. Some of these include feeling stressed; smoking; having too much alcohol or caffeine; eating too much or too fast; and eating fatty, spicy, or greasy foods.

Some of the most common characteristics of indigestion include nausea, vomiting, belching, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, heartburn, a growling stomach, an acidic taste in the mouth, and sometimes diarrhea.

The rest of this article will cover what to do for indigestion relief. We will feature ways to prevent and get rid of indigestion, including home remedies for indigestion. Let’s get started…

How to Get Rid of Indigestion: Steps to Prevent and Get Rid of Indigestion Quickly

Want to know how to get rid of indigestion? You can get indigestion relief fast by following simple steps.

Since indigestion is a symptom, treatment will often depend on the underlying cause of indigestion. Indigestion will then go away within hours of treatment.

The following are some natural, cost-efficient ways to avoid indigestion:

Practice proper chewing: Avoid talking while chewing, eat slowly and chew food well, and chew with your mouth closed.

Practice proper eating: Avoid eating late at night, never lie down right after eating, and wait at least three hours after eating dinner before sleep. Consume five to six small meals rather than the traditional three large meals.

Avoid food triggers: Avoid processed foods high in refined oils, sugar, salt, artificial sweeteners, and synthetic additives; carbonated beverages and sugary drinks; alcohol and caffeinated drinks; fried foods and vegetables oils like canola oil; spicy foods; and sometimes acidic foods like garlic, onions, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.

Improve your diet: Consume more fresh and organic produce, especially high-fiber natural foods like leafy greens, cucumbers, asparagus, broccoli, and artichoke. Add foods like bone broth, grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, healthy fats like ghee and coconut oil, and probiotic foods like kimchi and sauerkraut to your diet.

Avoid drugs: Quit smoking and avoid harmful medicines like aspirin, NSAIDs, antibiotics, steroids, and birth control pills.

Supplement right: Some find supplements useful, such as a high-potency probiotic, digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid (HCl) with pepsin, and a magnesium complex supplement.

Exercise and manage stress: Stress and a sedentary lifestyle can worsen indigestion. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Consider stress-reduction techniques like massage, acupuncture, deep breathing, yoga, journaling, healing prayer or meditation, or using essential oils.

Raise your bed: A common way to improve digestive health is to raise the head of your bed four to six inches by using blocks. This can help keep acid in the stomach.

Wear comfortable clothing: Wearing comfortable clothing before a meal can help improve digestion, since tight clothing will squeeze your stomach and can cause its contents to move up into the esophagus.

How to Get Rid of Indigestion: Effective Foods and Herbs to Get Rid of Indigestion Problems

For centuries, ancient cultures and medicines, including traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, have used a number of foods and herbs to show us how to get rid of indigestion.

Read on to learn more about how some of these amazing herbs and foods help with indigestion relief.

1. Muscle-Relaxing Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) may be perfect when it comes to indigestion relief.

It has been used for thousands of years as an effective digestive remedy for constipation, bloating, gas, and other gastrointestinal disorders, while it is especially useful for dyspepsia.

A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology in 2011 found that taking three capsules or 1.2 grams (g) of ginger daily could help the stomach release its contents into the small intestine in those with functional dyspepsia—a condition where abnormal delayed gastric emptying is prevalent in 40% of patients.

Some of the active ingredients in ginger include gingerol, zingiberol, zingiberene, and gingesulfonic acid. Ginger may relax the smooth muscle in your gut lining, which helps food move through your entire digestive system.

There are many ways to use ginger for indigestion, including drinking fresh juices with ginger, eating whole fresh or ground ginger, and inhaling diffused ginger essential oil.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Fennel Seeds

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller) seeds and fennel essential oil are also used for acid reflux and indigestion relief.

Chewing fennel seeds after meals might be a great way to improve digestion. Some volatile oils found in fennel like lionene, a-pinene, and fenchone are known to stimulate the secretion of digestive and gastric juices.

At the same time, fennel can reduce inflammation in the intestines and stomach while facilitating proper nutrient absorption.

How do you take fennel for indigestion? Use a half-teaspoon of ground fennel seeds three times daily in water, or take it in fennel tea form. You can also take two teaspoons of crushed fennel seeds in a cup of hot water.

3. Acid Reflux-Fighting Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another popular natural remedy for acid reflux.

Although scientific evidence on apple cider vinegar for indigestion or acid reflux is limited, in one 2016 study out of Arizona State University, researchers found that raw or unfiltered apple cider vinegar could prevent heartburn.

There is also plenty of anecdotal evidence that supports it as a natural indigestion remedy.

The acetic acid, pectin, proteins, and enzymes in apple cider vinegar are components that are supportive of digestive function, including fighting indigestion.

If you suffer from indigestion or acid reflux, or any digestive issue, try consuming one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in about eight ounces of water, five minutes before a meal.

4. Soothing Herbal Tea

Drinking herbal tea after a large meal in general is excellent for digestion issues like indigestion.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) teas in particular are thought to help calm stomach and digestive troubles by reducing inflammation in the digestive tract.

Use dried herbal tea prepared in tea bags. Consume chamomile or peppermint teas up to three times daily for indigestion relief.

5. Gas-Relieving Carom Seeds

Carom seeds are also called ajwain, caraway seeds, or Bishop’s weed. The plant is popular in India and the Middle East.

These seeds contain carminative (gas-relieving) and other digestive properties that help treat diarrhea, IBS, and indigestion. The thymol in carom seeds has antibacterial properties that could relieve problems in the digestive system.

How would you use carom seeds for indigestion? Simply grind some dried ginger and carom seeds into a fine powder, and add one teaspoon of it with some black pepper to a cup of warm water. Drink it twice daily.

Alternatively, you can eat one half teaspoon of carom seeds for indigestion relief.

6. Anti-IBS Cumin

Cumin is the dried seed of Cuminum cyminum. It has a long history in Ayurveda for digestive problems such as gas, diarrhea, nausea, and indigestion. It also stimulates the secretion of pancreatic enzymes that benefit digestion.

The antispasmodic, carminative, and astringent properties in cumin are responsible for treating digestive troubles like indigestion. A study published in the Middle East Journal of Digestive Diseases in 2013 showed that cumin essential oil improved IBS symptoms like indigestion in 57 IBS patients.

To use cumin for digestive problems, mix a teaspoon of roasted cumin seed powder in a glass of water, and drink.

7. Anti-Spasmodic Coriander

You may also know coriander (Coriandum sativum) by the name cilantro or Chinese parsley. Whatever name you call it, coriander is used as a common and effective treatment for digestive problems like indigestion and gas.

Researchers have found that coriander works like antispasmodic drugs, and it can relax contracted digestive muscles that cause IBS and other digestive problems like indigestion. A study published in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences in 2006 found that a preparation with coriander would reduce IBS symptoms in 32 IBS patients.

How do you use coriander for digestion? Simply combine a teaspoon of coriander seed powder to water, and drink twice daily.

8. Antacid Baking Soda

What about baking soda for indigestion? Since indigestion and heartburn are often the result of high stomach acid, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) will work like an antacid to alleviate the problem.

To use baking soda for indigestion, simply stir a teaspoon of baking soda with a few drops of lemon juice into a glass of water, and drink it to neutralize the acid in your stomach and relieve bloating.

9. Bloat-Fighting Cinnamon

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is a powerful herb with carminative and antispasmodic properties that help with gas, bloating, and indigestion relief.

To use cinnamon for indigestion, you can make cinnamon tea by adding a half-teaspoon of cinnamon powder to a cup of boiling water, and let it steep for a few minutes. Drink the tea while it is still warm for best results.

10. Absorption-Boosting Coconut Water and Oil

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) in general is the perfect anti-inflammatory prescription for indigestion. The tropical fruit could improve digestion by helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, as well as magnesium and calcium.

Coconut oil contains lauric acid that could potentially boost immunity, fight inflammation, and improve bacteria and digestive health by destroying bad bacteria and candida. Candida imbalance can then reduce stomach acid.

Try to consume one tablespoon of coconut oil per day.

Also, drink a glass of coconut water daily to control indigestion. Coconut water is high in electrolytes like potassium that help with hydration. You can also make coconut water into kefir, which adds probiotics to those with acid flux problems.

11. Upset Stomach-Settling Artichoke

Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) extract may be another safe and effective treatment for dyspepsia.

A study published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2015 found that a formula with ginger and artichoke extract could improve indigestion symptoms.

Compared to those taking a placebo, the participants that took ginger and artichoke extract for four weeks had reduced symptoms of fullness, nausea, pain, and bloating.

The research team concluded that the artichoke extract supplementation is highly effective for treating functional dyspepsia.

12. Enzyme-Loaded Pineapple and Papaya

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) and papaya (Carica papaya) are similar foods used for indigestion relief. This is because both contain special enzymes: pineapple contains bromelain and papaya has papain.

Research from 2006 has shown that bromelain improves gastrointestinal motility by boosting digestion.

Eating pineapple or papaya will help break down proteins into amino acids and peptides. As a result, this can ease symptoms of acid reflux and indigestion.

For those with indigestion, simply drink a half glass of pineapple juice after eating, or eat a cup of fresh, non-GMO papaya at the onset of indigestion symptoms.

You Can Fight Indigestion Naturally

That burning sensation of indigestion can be quite a nuisance. It is important to know the possible causes of indigestion, which may include a peptic ulcer, gallbladder disease, H. pylori, thyroid disease, GERD, IBS, food allergies or sensitivities, and various medications like NSAIDs, birth control pills, or antibiotics.

This article featured ways to prevent and how to get rid of indigestion. To get out in front of indigestion, it is essential to focus on appropriate lifestyle and diet measures, including chewing your food properly.

You should not feel the burn. The next time indigestion comes up, try the foods and herbs mentioned above, including ginger, fennel seed, apple cider vinegar, chamomile and peppermint herbal teas, carom seeds, cumin, coriander, baking soda, cinnamon, coconut oil and coconut water, artichoke, and pineapple and papaya.

Also Read:

• Dyspepsia Home Remedies: 21 Natural Remedies to Soothe Upset Stomach
• 6 Herbal Remedies to Help Treat Indigestion
• 12 Home Remedies for Stomach Pain
• Stomach Pain after Eating: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention Tips
• Stomach Pain at Night: 10 Causes and Treatments