Indigestion seems to be a part of life. Blame it on the busyness of daily life, poor food choices, or unbalanced food acidity. Whatever the causes, the symptoms can be uncomfortable, embarrassing or downright painful.
Common Symptoms of Indigestion
- Abdominal pain and/or bloating
- Belching
- Burning sensation in the upper abdomen
- Flatulence or gassiness
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Some of the causes for indigestion are these
- Stress
- Chewing with open mouth or talking while chewing
- Drinking with meals
- Lack of digestive enzymes
- Too much or too little hydrochloric acid in the stomach
- Food allergies
Simple Changes for Better Digestion
Some simple changes can vastly improve digestion. It’s important to eat in a relaxing environment. And of course, mom was right when she said, “Chew with your mouth closed.” This prevents too much air being swallowed with food. Drinking enough fluids between meals will prevent thirst at meal time.
Limit Liquids at Meal Time
Drinking with meals hampers digestion in two ways. Adding liquid to the stomach with food dilutes necessary stomach acid and slows digestion. As a result food may begin to decay causing a build up of gas in the stomach. Also, whatever enzymes are ingested with raw foods and produced in the mouth are washed away when fluid is swallowed with the meal. This prevents the enzymes from having the time needed to begin digestion in the mouth. When the enzymes reach the stomach, it’s pretty much too late for much enzymatic digestion to happen since stomach acid destroys enzymes in a short period of time.
Importance of Enzymes
As people age, they are less able to manufacture the enzymes necessary for digestion and metabolic repairs. That’s why it’s so important to eat mostly raw foods. The enzymes needed for digestion are packaged within raw foods. Heating destroys these enzymes, forcing the body to produce them.
Supplementing the diet with a broad spectrum of plant-based digestive enzymes may help indigestion. Check with a naturopath or knowledgeable staff at a health food store.
The Trouble with Antacids
Though many people eat antacids like candy to alleviate symptoms of indigestion, antacids may do more harm than good. Some people suffer from a lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. This can be more of a problem with age. Antacids only further hamper digestion in these cases.
Self-Test for Stomach Acid Deficiency
According to Prescription for Nutritional Healing (James and Phyllis Balch; Avery Publishing Group, 1990) a simple self-test can be performed to determine whether low hydrochloric acid is a problem. If taking a tablespoon of lemon juice improves indigestion symptoms, low stomach acid is likely the problem. Sipping lemon juice in water before or with meals may help digestion in this case. If the lemon juice worsens symptoms, too much stomach acid is likely the problem.
Here are some natural remedies that may also help:
- Aloe vera juice
- Acidophilus or probiotic supplements
- Garlic capsules
- Alfalfa tablets
- Chamomile tea
- Slippery elm
Disclaimer: This article is for your information only. It is not intended to take the place of professional medical advice or care. Please consult a qualified physician with your health concerns.
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