Ginger
Ginger is a well known natural remedy for nausea, diarrhea and stomach pain which is why, as reported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), it is found in many supplements that deal with flu or digestive issues.
My personal experience with ginger is that it is effective but I can’t take it in pill form. I bought ginger capsules for a flight once and was overcome with incredibly painful heartburn shortly after taking my first dose. The NCCAM reports heartburn as a common side effect of powdered ginger.
My recommendation is to drink a natural ginger ale (most effective for me), eat some mild food that has ginger as a seasoning, drink ginger tea, or juice a small bit of ginger (1″ cube or smaller) with some fresh fruit or veggies. You can even add juiced or grated ginger to seltzer water to get a fizzy ginger drink without all the added sugar. Start small; too much ginger can cause stomach issues instead of calming them.
Enzymes & Probiotics
If your stomach pains are caused by being irregular or are from eating too much or eating bad food, enzymes and probiotics can help ease your discomfort. Enzymes are what break down food in your digestive tract. Some foods are difficult to digest, like beans, and can cause gas, bloating and discomfort when eaten. Junk foods are also tough for our bodies to digest. Taking enzymes with a meal that may cause you trouble is an easy and natural way to help your body break down and process your food. Probiotics are bacteria that live in the intestines and help your body absorb nutrients from broken down food. Having too few of these can also cause digestive issues. A digestive system lecture from Clinton Community College in New York shows all the different enzymes needed to digest food and mentions bacteria’s role in the large intestine.
Taking a daily probiotic supplement helps to bolster your good bacteria count. I take both of these on a regular basis and it helps keep me regular and prevent gas and bloating from the heaps of beans I eat on a weekly basis.
Water
Dehydration can cause several issues, some of which are constipation and nausea. Drinking water can help to eliminate these issues and give relief. If I get pains in my abdomen signaling that I need to “go” but nothing is happening, I will drink a glass or two of room temperature water. Very quickly afterwards, I will often have a movement and feel much better. According to Clinton Community College, feces are made up of 75% water and 25% solids. So if you are dehydrated, you will have trouble having proper movements, which will cause abdominal discomfort.
I’ve also noticed that after being at the beach all day, I will experience dizziness and some nausea from being dehydrated. I will drink about 8 ounces of water at a time until the symptoms go away.
Breathing
Stomach pain caused from stress can often be relieved if stress is relieved. If I find myself very upset or angry and feeling the effects in my stomach, I take a few minutes out to just breathe slowly and deeply. I try to stop all my thoughts and just focus on breathing intentionally. This usually helps not only my stomach pains, but also my general state of mind.
Discovery Health’s website’s Alternative Health Center reports that deep breathing increases the amount of oxygen in the blood which, among other things, helps digestion and mental performance. So, take ten minutes to just focus on breathing deeply; make your lungs feel completely full and then completely empty. You’ll find that you feel calmer and your stomach should be settled.
Laying Down
Sometimes an upset stomach is caused by being over tired, sick or from experiencing motion sickness. In these cases, usually the best thing to do is sit or lie down until you feel better. After a long trip anywhere, I tend to feel tired and a little nauseous as I am very susceptible to motion sickness. 10-30 minutes of lying down followed by a glass or two of water always makes me feel better. Quickcare.org recommends inactivity until the nausea passes as motion can lead to vomiting.
These are the simple, natural techniques I employ whenever I have an upset stomach and they work just as well, if not better, than over-the-counter treatments. Keep in mind that Quickcare.org recommends seeing a doctor if you have vomiting or vomiting and diarrhea together for more than 24 hours. These tips are to help upset stomachs but are not cures for more serious conditions, like food poisoning. In a case of a more severe situation, contact your health care provider.
Sources:
Herbs at a Glance: Ginger.” National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Michael Gregory, “Digestive System Lecture.” Clinton Community College.
“Deep Breathing: It’s Easy When You Don’t Try.” Discovery Health Alternative Health Center.
“Nausea and Vomiting.” Quick Care’s Self Care Advisory Website.
