Gastric problems are common digestive issues, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and indigestion. Common gastric problems include gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic diarrhea or constipation, gastroenteritis, or gastric ulcers. Home remedies and lifestyle changes can help you deal with these health issues.
If home remedies or healthy lifestyle changes affect gastric health, consult a gastroenterologist at your earliest possible.
Highlights
- Drink water and eat a healthy diet to promote gastrointestinal well-being.
- Opt for healthy lifestyle changes such as yoga to cure gastric problems permanently.
- The medicinal properties of herbal teas can regulate digestion.
Tips to Cure Gastric Problems Permanently
If you often experience gastric problems, opt for a healthy lifestyle change to get relief. These changes involve both alternative dietary patterns and workouts. Some of the tips you can follow include:
1. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration disrupts the production of stomach acids, which irritate the stomach lining and promote gastric problems. To reduce this condition, drink plenty of water or these drinks:
- Cold dairy beverages: Chilled dairy drinks, especially milk or buttermilk reduces acidity by providing lactobacillus bacteria. These bacteria maintain an optimal gut pH of 7.5, reducing the frequent episodes of gastric problems.
- Lemon juice: The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties of lime reduce stomach inflammation, which regulates digestive health.
In rare cases, lime juice or milk may aggravate gastric issues. If you experience gastric symptoms after consuming these drinks, it is advisable to seek medical attention.
2. Eat Nutritious Foods
Appropriate dietary choices can help manage and prevent the frequent onset of gastric problems. Down below, is a list of healthy foods which can heal your stomach:
- Fruits: Berries, apples, strawberries, and bananas contain an abundance of fibers that regulate bowel movements.
- Aloe vera: The anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective properties of this succulent inhibit excessive secretion of gastric acid. Consuming its two spoons can reduce acidity.
Avoid processed foods as they cause gastric problems or can aggravate your existing gastric issues.
3. Practice Yoga
Physical activities like walking and yoga promote muscle movement in the gastrointestinal tract. This helps reduce bloating to promote healthy digestion. Follow these yoga poses regularly:
- Pawanamuktasana: This gas-releasing pose cures constipation by allowing you to twist your lower body.
- Balasana: Also called child pose, balasana promotes blood circulation. It diminishes bloating, nausea, and heartburn, reducing acidity and constipation.
- Vajrasana: If you’re experiencing hyperacidity, practice this pose. It can improve blood circulation in your lower abdomen by stimulating digestion. It also evacuates excessive gas, which prevents acidity and stomach ulcers.
4. Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Making healthy lifestyle changes and avoiding bad habits can potentially reduce gastric problems. Some of such changes you can make include:
- Regular meals: Empty stomach increases gas and acidity. Therefore, don’t skip meals. Instead of heavy meals, eat smaller meals four to five times a day.
- Quit smoking: Smoking causes heartburn and acid reflux, aggravating digestive health issues.
- Take adequate sleep: Poor sleep patterns disturb healthy digestive functioning. Take at least 7-8 hours of sleep to have a healthy body and mind.
- Don’t lie down after eating: Lying down immediately after eating stimulates the backward flow of stomach acid into your esophagus. This increases gastric issues.
5. Use Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies are known for providing immediate relief from gastric issues. It also regulates digestion and improves digestive health, improving overall well-being. You can use the following herbal remedies for gastric health:
- Carom seeds: The antibacterial properties of thymol in carom seeds fight digestive bacteria, which heals stomach infections. Soak carom seeds overnight. Drinking this water in the morning on an empty stomach can relieve bloating.
- Cumin: The antispasmodic effects of cumin seed contract abdominal muscles. It increases digestive juice and acts as an excellent detox for the gastrointestinal tract. Drinking cumin tea thus alleviates acid reflux.
- Asafoetida: This herb stimulates the production of pancreatic, gastric, and salivary juices in the gastrointestinal system. A 2012 study declares asafoetida tea the best remedy for flatulence.
- Fennel seeds: Fennel is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers. These nutrients relieve gastric symptoms and improve digestion, especially in pregnant women. Also, the antioxidants in fennel tea diminish symptoms of the mucosal stomach lining. This relieves abdominal pain, gastric ulcer, and spastic gut disturbances.
- Ginger: The culinary spice alleviates nausea and stomach acidity. Moreover, antioxidants in ginger tea promote gastric motility and neutralize toxins & acids.
- Cinnamon: A 2013 research pinpoints that the anti-gastric properties of cinnamon can effectively diminish diarrhea, dyspepsia, and hyperacidity symptoms. Eating half a tablespoon of cinnamon seeds can maintain body temperature and reduce excessive bloating.
- Mint: It reduces indigestion and heals an upset stomach. According to 2009 research, the healing properties of peppermint oil reduce digestive gas and acidity.
- Garlic: Eating garlic cloves regularly diminishes diarrhea symptoms. One research study published in 2017 also claims that the medicinal properties of garlic can cure gastric problems like stomach ulcers, which are primarily caused by excessive aspirin intake. It also decreases acidity and improves gastric mucosa.
- Chamomile: Digestive ulcers and inflammation can be reduced with chamomile tea. The soothing properties of this medicinal herb dispel digestive gas, soothe the stomach and relax gastrointestinal muscles.
Types of Gastric Problems
Patients experiencing gastric problems may have any of the following gastric problems:
- Gastritis: It is the inflammation of your stomach lining due to bacterial or viral infection. Prolonged use of certain medications – especially NSAIDs and stress also cause gastritis.
- Peptic Ulcer Disease: Bacterial infection or oral medication, especially NSAIDs leads to painful sores on your esophagus or stomach lining.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Also called GERD, it is a chronic gastric problem that causes your stomach acid to flow back into your esophagus. It causes heartburn and regurgitation.
- Gastric Polyps: These are the tiny growths on your stomach’s lining and can be benign or cancerous.
- Gastric Cancer: Patients suffering from gastric cancer often experience the symptoms of gastric problems. In such conditions, the growth of malignant tumors in your stomach’s lining causes abdominal pain and vomiting.
- Gastroparesis: Stomach muscles are impaired, leading to reduced bowel movement. It may lead to bloating, nausea, vomiting, and early satiety.
Symptoms of Gastric Problem
The symptoms of gastric problems vary depending on the specific condition and individual health. However, a few common symptoms associated with gastric issues include:
- Abdominal pain: Patients may experience a dull to sharp cramp-like pain in their stomach. However, the severity and duration of pain varies from person to person.
- Heartburn: You may experience a burning sensation or discomfort in your chest and a sour taste. This symptom is more common in GERD and acid reflux.
- Nausea or vomiting: Frequent episodes of nausea or vomiting symptoms may occur in gastric problems such as gastritis, peptic ulcers, or gastroenteritis.
- Bloating: You may feel gas or bloating in your stomach, which causes abdominal discomfort. It is a common symptom of dyspepsia or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Changes in bowel habits: Gastric problems may alter your bowel habits, causing diarrhea or constipation. These changes may become mild or chronic and depend significantly on your dietary patterns.
- Appetite loss: Gastric issues usually result in appetite loss. Patients also sometimes feel satiated even after having a small meal.
- Unexpected weight loss: People suffering from gastric issues often experience unexpected weight loss. This symptom is more common in the advanced stages of gastric cancer.
- Poor digestion: Also called dyspepsia, indigestion may result in digestive discomfort and poor dietary patterns. Poor digestion leads to belching or nausea.
- Blood in vomit or stool: Gastric problems cause gastrointestinal bleeding, which may lead to bleeding during vomiting or passing stool. Patients experiencing these symptoms must seek immediate medical attention from a highly-qualified gastroenterologist.
Conclusion
Subsequently, gastric problems can’t be cured permanently. However, yoga, a nutritious diet, healthy lifestyle changes, or herbal remedies can provide immediate relief from a number of gastric disturbances.
However, if gastric problems persist with these tips and tricks, it might be an indication of some serious underlying condition, requiring immediate medical attention of a gastroenterologist.
FAQs
1. Is yogurt good for gas?
Yogurt contains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria, which break down and digest carbohydrates. This helps regulate the gut microbiome, improving digestion.
2. Can stress cause stomach gas?
The body experiences a “fight-or-flight” response during stress, changing normal digestive functioning. It also increases muscle tension in the abdomen to reduce digestive gas.