Stomach upset

Many people who have been diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Disorders have found that these home remedies that are right in your kitchen can help the most common ailments such as heartburn, nausea, overly full belly, gas and bloating, pressure and indigestion.

The following home remedies are simple and the ingredients are easy accessible. Please seek the advise of your health care provider if you think you may have a sensitivity to any. These are only home remedies and not meant to replace the advise of your physician or medicine.

1) Baking Soda. Dissolve1/2 tsp baking soda into 6 ounces of water and drink. This is especially helpful for heartburn, gas and bloating and indigestion. Due to the sodium properties of baking soda, this is not the remedy for you if you have a sodium restricted diet or have been diagnosed with High Blood Pressure. If unsure, please consult your health care provider. If you have a problem with tomato based sauces, add 1 tsp. baking soda to the sauce right before serving. It is tasteless and cuts down the acidity in the sauce, lowering your chance of heartburn.

2) Mint Leaves. Add 1 tsp. dried mint leaves or seep a small bunch of crushed fresh mint leaves into 1 cup boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes, drain and sip. This is great for calming an upset stomach and indigestion. I always need to add a little bit of honey or sugar to sweeten it up a bit. I grow fresh mint in my kitchen herb garden and it makes a great addition to many desserts. The mint leaves can also be dried and used later in the season. I like to add mint leaves to any type of hot or cold tea. It is refreshing as well as stomach soothing.

3) Eat Cinnamon. It has been an old remedy in my family forever. I have always been told that it helps settle your food and aides in digesting. I always feel better after eating it., so I am a true believer of this one. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon into or onto something. Lightly buttered toast or sprinkle onto a cup of rice or tapiocca pudding. If you are unable to eat at that time, dissolve it into some boiling water and drink cinnamon tea. Sweeten with some sugar if you like. Drink the tea up to 4 times per day.

4) Saltine crackers is one of the best things to eat to soak up some of the extra acids in your stomach. If you are running on an empty stomach and do not have time to eat a meal you can calm the burning acids almost immediately by nibbling on crackers. Saltine crackers seem to work the best for me, but any crackers will do, it is just a matter of preference and taste.

5) Heat is one of the best things for me when I have a hard time with digesting. The bloating and pressure can be so uncomfortable. I set my heating pad on medium or low and place it across my abdomen. It helps relax things and gets things going a little bit easier. A hot water bottle will work the same. My grandmother used to get that big red rubber bag out. I used to be a little scared of it but curious at the same time and she always explained that it would make my tummy feel better. She was right.. Of course, now I use the new technology of a heating pad, but it has the same rewarding effect. It also works great for menstrual cramps, gas, bloating and pressure.

6) Carbonated Soda. Drink some soda pop. The best choice to drink is Ginger Ale. Non-caffeine drinks are acceptable. Ginger ale has always been served in hospitals after surgery. It helps get the intestinal tract rumbling and moving and settles an empty stomach, when you have been going without solid food as you do with abdominal surgery. Cola is another great home remedy for nausea. You can get Cola Syrup at some old time pharmacies. Just pour it over ice chips and sip. Flat caffeine-free cola will have the same effect. I used this one with my children when they were little. I never had a problem getting them to sip it. The nausea would pass in no time.

7) Thyme from your spice rack was also one of my grandmother’s favorite home remedies. She put it in soups when we were sick and sprinkled it on our pasta and potatoes. She was a firm believer that it was great for cramps and bloating. Menstrual cycles have been eased by Thyme in my family for years. Seep 1 tsp. dried Thyme into 1 cup boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes, drain and sip. Drink 3 to 4 per day.

8) Ginger from your spice rack is also another great home remedy for nausea and gas. Mix 1/2 tsp ground ginger into your favorite tea. My mother and grandmother always used to sprinkle ginger into crushed pineapple and serve it over vanilla ice cream. If you tummy can handle the ice cream and pineapple this is delicious and very stomach smoothing.

9) Caraway Seeds are a strange home remedy but unbelievably they work. Seep about 1 tsp of seeds into a cup of boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes and drain. Sip this tea on an empty stomach. Drink 2 or 3 cups per day. It has been known in history as well that the people of the Middle East chew on caraway seeds after meals. I have never chewed them, but I do know that it is a great home remedy for settling an upset stomach. Honey works great for a sweetener.

10) Fennel Seeds are another odd but wonderful home remedy. As with the caraway seeds, seep 1 tsp of fennel seeds into a cup of boiling water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain and sip. Drink 2 or 3 cups per day. You can add honey to sweeten it up a little bit.

There are great medicinal properties to alot of spices that are in your kitchen already. With today’s top notch pharmaceuticals we forget about the old home remedies that worked for years and years for our families before us. I have been lucky to have been given all of the recipes from my grandmother. I hope that someone finds this information helpful.