An upset stomach is a common condition. Almost everyone suffers from this condition at some point in their lives. In most cases, stomach upset is caused by inflammation of the stomach wall, eating too fast, or drinking too much alcohol. However, some severe conditions may also be caused by underlying health conditions like indigestion.
If your stomach upset persists for a long time or the pain is severe, especially when some symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fever occur. Please consult your doctor as soon as possible. In addition, if the symptoms are relatively mild, you can also try some natural remedies. Although these methods are slower to take effect, they are relatively safe and effective.
Symptoms of Upset Stomach
1. Nausea: Nausea is a common symptom of an upset stomach characterized by a feeling of queasiness or a desire to vomit. It may be accompanied by a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen.
2. Abdominal Pain: Abdominal pain is a symptom of an upset stomach and can have a variety of causes. It can be sharp, dull, or cramping and typically occurs in the abdomen, but it can also be felt in the back, pelvis, or chest.
3. Diarrhea: Diarrhea is a symptom of an upset stomach characterized by loose, watery stools. It is often accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, and cramping.
4. Constipation: Constipation is a symptom of an upset stomach characterized by infrequent or difficult bowel movements. It can be accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, and a feeling of fullness.
5. Bloating: Bloating is a symptom of an upset stomach characterized by a feeling of fullness, tightness, or swelling in the abdomen. It is often accompanied by abdominal pain and cramping.
6. Loss of Appetite: Loss of appetite is a symptom of an upset stomach characterized by a decreased desire to eat. It can be accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, and fatigue.
7. Heartburn: Heartburn is a symptom of an upset stomach characterized by a burning sensation in the chest. It is often accompanied by abdominal pain and a sour taste in the mouth.
Common Causes of Upset Stomach
There are different reasons why upset stomach occurs; here are some common causes include:
1. Food Poisoning: Food poisoning is an illness caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, chills, and headaches. In some cases, food poisoning can be life–threatening.
2. Gastroenteritis: Gastroenteritis is an infection of the gastrointestinal tract that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. It is usually caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites that enter the body through contaminated food or water.
3. Stress: Stress can cause various digestive issues, such as stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It can also lead to decreased appetite, acid reflux, and indigestion.
4. Food Allergies: Food allergies can cause various digestive issues, including abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Common food allergens include eggs, fish, peanuts, wheat, tree nuts, and shellfish.
5. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): IBS is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that can cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. It is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
6. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): GERD is a condition where acid from the stomach backs up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest and throat. Symptoms include chest pain, heartburn, and a sour taste in the mouth.
7. Ulcers: An ulcer is an open sore or lesion on the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. It can cause pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting. Ulcers can be caused by stress, certain medications, and bacterial or viral infections.
15 Natural Home Remedies for Upset Stomach
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea contains some components that can reduce stomach lining inflammation, which may be the primary reason you feel some pain. The smooth muscle of your upper digestive tract will also be relaxed, so the pain will be lessened considerably.
Direction
- Pour boiling water over your prepared tea bag of chamomile.
- Cover your mug.
- Let the tea bag steep for about 15 – 20 minutes.
- You can let the tea become a bit colder by waiting a few more minutes before you can start sipping slowly.
Read: 18 Amazing Benefits of Chamomile Tea for Your Health
Rice Tea
Rice tea can be beneficial in settling your stomach, especially if it is upset because of something you ate.
Direction
- To prepare rice tea, boil half a cup of rice in water.
- Wait for about 15 minutes.
- Strain the rice and get all of the rice tea.
- You can add a bit of honey to make it taste better, but you can also take it independently.
- While it is still warm, sip slowly.
Burnt Toast
You will always hear that eating burnt toast is not suitable for you because it might contain carcinogens that can eventually contribute to cancer. However, when you have an upset stomach, you can always rely on burnt toast, as this can absorb the toxins that have caused your stomach to be upset in the first place.
Direction
- Toast a slice of bread until they start to turn black.
- You can choose to place a bit of jelly if you cannot taste it.
- Eat it slowly, and it will help calm your upset stomach.
Apple Cider Vinegar
If one item can be considered one of the usual home remedies you can try at home, it is ACV. This can be used to eliminate hiccups, especially if the hiccups have plagued you for quite some time. If you have a sore throat, this can help get rid of your sore throat as well. This can also eliminate your upset stomach because it will ease indigestion.
Direction
- Mix a tablespoon of ACV with warm water.
- You can also add a tablespoon of honey to make it taste better, and at the same time, honey can also help relieve an upset stomach.
- Drink the mixture while the water is still warm.
Ginger
The power of ginger to heal a lot of health conditions has been well-known since ancient times. People have used it to get rid of feelings of nausea. Some reports state that ginger can also be very useful in getting rid of an upset stomach. Ginger also has non-inflammatory properties that can help eliminate the stomach lining that may be causing the upset stomach.
Direction
- Slice ginger into small pieces.
- You can start chewing on the ginger slowly.
- If you cannot taste ginger, you may choose to make ginger tea instead.
- Place some slices of ginger in a cup of hot water.
- Let it steep for about 5 – 10 minutes.
- You can add honey if you want to improve its taste.
BRAT Diet
Many people are familiar with the BRAT diet, especially if they have had diarrhea. BRAT is typically composed of Banana, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast – these are the food products that will be eaten to get rid of an upset stomach. If you feel sick because of your upset stomach but know that you have to eat something, this may be the best one for you to try.
Direction
- You can start by over-testing the toast.
- You can add a bit of applesauce to make it taste better.
- If you cannot eat rice alone, you may add another food product that is not greasy or oily, which can further aggravate your stomach’s condition.
- Eat ripe bananas. The ripeness of the banana is essential. If you eat an unripe banana, this may aggravate your condition further.
Peppermint
This is very useful in getting rid of various stomach conditions, and your upset stomach is no match for peppermint. The menthol of peppermint can act as an analgesic. It can also help get rid of the pain.
Direction
- You may take the leaves of the Peppermint plant and place them in a cup of boiling water.
- Let the leaves steep for a few minutes with the mug covered.
- Strain the leaves, and you can start enjoying your peppermint tea. If in case you do not have peppermint, you can also make use of spearmint.
- Another option is to smell peppermint extract if you do not have access to leaves or if you do have leaves but have no time to make tea; you can chew on the peppermint leaves to get relief.
Read: 14 Amazing Health Benefits of Peppermint Tea
Heating Pad
What is usually the remedy that people think about whenever they encounter pain? It is the use of the heating pad. If you do not have a heating pad, you can also use a water bottle and fill it with hot water to be applied to your abdominal area.
Direction
- Place your heating pad on your stomach and lie down for a while.
- Keep still and relax because your condition will aggravate the more you get stressed.
- You will start to feel your condition improve afterward.
Lemon Water
If you are suffering from indigestion, this is the proper home remedy that you can try for your upset stomach. Lemon contains acid, which can further stimulate the construction of hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is in charge of breaking down the food in the stomach. You need to mix lemon with water to hydrate your body too.
Direction
- Prepare a whole lemon and squeeze it to get the juice.
- Mix the lemon juice with water. If you want the taste of lemon to be evident, place enough water to dilute it a bit.
- Sip slowly, and you will feel its effects after some time.
Read: 18 Amazing Health Benefits of Lemon Juice
Fennel Seeds
If indigestion causes an upset stomach, you can choose fennel seeds to help your body digest the food you eat faster. Fennel seeds contain anethole, an organic substance in the form of volatile oil that can help the production of digestive juices so that the digestion process can also be faster. If your stomach lining is inflamed, it can also act as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Direction
- Remember that if you are pregnant, you are not recommended to take Fennel seeds.
- Prepare a teaspoon of Fennel Seeds.
- Chew on it slowly.
Yogurt
If you would like to try something known to work in getting rid of an upset stomach, you can try to consume yogurt. Your choice of yogurt is crucial. You need to choose one that contains live bacteria cultures.
The most common live bacteria culture can be found in the Lactobacillus. The live bacteria can improve the number of good bacteria found in your stomach so that digestion will be faster.
Direction
- You are recommended to eat plain yogurt and add some fresh fruits if you want it to taste better.
- About 2 – 3 cups of yogurt are recommended per day.
- You may also include yogurt as part of your daily diet. You may eat this instead of other desserts when trying to lose weight.
Read: 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Yogurt
Bananas
When it comes to bananas, many people are confused about whether it is suitable for digestion. Some say that they become constipated after eating bananas, while some swear that their bowel movements improve tremendously because of eating bananas.
The important thing here is the ripeness of the banana. The riper the banana is, the better it will help with problems with indigestion and loose stools.
Direction
- Mash a ripe banana and place buttermilk on it to make it more useful.
- Do this twice a day.
- Do this for three days, and you will notice that you will have a more regular bowel movement.
Fenugreek Seeds
If you are trying to get rid of your upset stomach or are currently suffering from gastritis, you may need Fenugreek Seeds to make you feel better. Fenugreek Seeds contain mucilage in your stools so that you will have harder and more regular stools.
Direction
- You need to swallow a whole teaspoon of fenugreek seeds.
- To help you swallow, you may follow it up with water.
- You can follow up with a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with yogurt for the best results.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon may be best known as a fragrant spice usually added to many desserts, but this can also be used to treat your upset stomach. It can stimulate your digestive system to pass stools easier, which can lessen your discomfort because of your condition.
Direction
- If you have cinnamon powder, you can place a small amount of the powder in a whole cup of hot water.
- Let it steep for about 5 minutes.
- Stir it before you start sipping slowly.
- You can drink this tea about 2 – 4 times a day for a couple of days.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal has the same effect that burnt toast can give, so you know it will be instrumental in getting rid of your upset stomach. This is best if you suspect you have stomach problems because you ate or drank. The activated charcoal will search for the toxins causing the issues and remove them from your body.
Direction
- You may need to ask your doctor for the right amount of activated charcoal you can take daily.
- Use this every day for three days.
- Stop using after three days, as this can cause problems with how the body absorbs nutrients from the food you eat.
There are a lot of home remedies that you can try. What do you think will be the best one for you? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences.
