Indigestion is one of the seemingly universal maladies of life. You can get indigestion at any age, usually from eating too much or too many rich foods that your body just can't handle. If you eat too much, like at Thanksgiving, the stomach needs to go into overdrive in order to break down your banquet. It winds up making much more stomach acid than usual, which can escape and go back up your esophagus. Not only can you get heartburn, but bloating, painful gas and problems moving your bowels. These suggested cures for indigestion are not miracle workers. But if you make changes to your lifestyle and diet, you can make these cures for indigestion a lot more efficient.
Peppermint
Peppermint relaxes all of the muscles in your body and helps relieve cramps and nausea. Since your stomach and esophagus muscles will be relaxing, be sure to sit up while taking the peppermint. If you really can't abide the thought of drinking peppermint tea or eating an after dinner mint, then you can massage peppermint essential oil on your abdomen. Mix the peppermint oil with carrier oil like olive or jojoba if your peppermint essential oil is undiluted. Use one of part peppermint oil to nine parts of the carrier oil. Massage gently and try to breathe deeply to help you relax. Most people find massaging their bellies clockwise as cures for indigestion. Peppermint essential oil is not recommended for pregnant women after their first trimester.
Chamomile
Some people find the taste of peppermint too sharp and prefer the gentler chamomile. You can sip chamomile tea (hot or iced) or massage your cramps away with chamomile essential oil. You use the same method with chamomile essential oil as you would with the peppermint essential oil. Chamomile essential oil is very expensive; so what some people like to do is make a warm compress, soaking a clean rag in warm chamomile tea. When the rag is cool to the touch, you can place it on top of your abdomen. Chamomile tea is one of the most inexpensive cures for indigestion there is. Chamomile is gentle enough for children, the elderly and pregnant women.
Wear Looser Clothing
Wear looser clothing not just after your Thanksgiving meal but also during any meal. Clothes with tight waistbands like designer jeans, figure shaping girdles or even belts can press your digestive muscles together uncomfortably. Sometimes giving the body room to work is one of the best cures for indigestion.
