“Life is calm until you have an upset stomach – the life-ruining problem you could ever have!” That must be the first thought which strikes in your mind when this happens to you. Small yet a painful problem that leaves the stomach feel miserable and tired within. Few common symptoms of upset stomach are vomiting, indigestion, bloating, constipation, nausea and diarrhoea. There are various reasons that lead to an upset stomach such as food poisoning, overeating, high acidic foods or spicy foods. However, treatments are also there to overcome this situation depending upon the cause.
When your stomach growls and you constantly have to rush to the restroom, it drains out all your energy leaving you exhausted. This is because your body loses a lot of water for this. To get over this uncomfortable situation, Clinical Nutritionist Priyanka Aggarwal often advices to replenish your body with plenty of water and fluids. Adding, “You would also feel happy to know that interestingly there’s a list of foods which you can add on your plate to treat your upset stomach at home without any medication.”
So, let’s see what super foods she has in her list to suggest.
Bananas: Why bananas first? Well, bananas are easily digestible by your body and it provides you instant energy. Also, it is considered as a non-irritable food for your stomach and upper gastrointestinal tract. Significant content of potassium found in bananas helps to get back to normal digestion whereas, the starch present in it help absorb water and salt in the colon thus, making stools firmer. And the fibre content in bananas helps restore normal bowel activity.
Papaya: A popular fruit help in curing upset stomach and diarrhoea by treating indigestion, encouraging digestion and relieving from constipation. A powerful enzyme called papain and chymopapain in it breaks down the proteins in the food you eat, making it smoother to digest and absorb easily. Eating papaya on regular basis reduces both, bloating and constipation. And, papaya also soothes your stomach by promoting a healthy acidic environment inside.
Probiotics: Probiotics like yogurt and buttermilk have live bacteria which are good for your gut health that help treat an imbalance in your stomach while reducing upset stomach symptoms like bloating, gas and irregular bowel movements. Yogurt particularly rich in live bacterial culture help relieve constipation and diarrhoea. Whereas, buttermilk help alleviate diarrhoea and may also aid in relieving constipation.
Herbal Tea: Peppermint, chamomile, and ginger tea are among those herbal teas that can ease your upset stomach. Peppermint has soothing effects on upset stomach due to its minty coolness enabling to heal bloating, indigestion and flatulence (gas builds up in the stomach). Camomile tea, another herbal tea contains anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and carminative properties soothing your upset stomach issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion and abdominal gas. It shouldn’t come with a surprise that ginger tea too cut upset stomach issues like bloating, vomiting and nausea.
Fennel Seeds: Phytonutrients present in fennel seeds offer an anti-oxidative property which effectively aids in reducing bloating and gas. Chewing fennel seeds or making a tea of it stimulates secretion of digestive enzymes that further reduces inflammation in your stomach and intestine. Having a spoon of fennel seeds every day after a meal shows remarkable stomach soothing benefits.
Boiled Sweet Potatoes: Boiled mashed sweet potato with a dash of salt and pepper aids to recover safely from loose stools as it’s a starch diet which is often recommended at this time. Your body gets nourished with vitamin C and B6 which gets lost during loose stools. Complex carbohydrates content acts like a sponge that soaks toxins in your digestive tract which are easy to digest at the same time.
Bland Carbs: Bland carbohydrates such as rice and oatmeal often suggested to treat an upset stomach. Moreover, it is also reported that bland carbs (rice and oatmeal) are easy to break down and tolerate than other foods. A light khichadi made from rice and moong dal gets easily digested, makes your stool more solid and provides you the required energy and strength. Oatmeal absorbs water in the gastrointestinal tract and adds firmness to stools. Note- Avoid adding milk to it.
Words of Wisdom
The listed superfoods to help treat your upset stomach is quite accessible. But remember, don’t just force yourself at any point in time to eat all of these foods together. Rather, stick to one food of your choice and don’t overeat to prevent the worsening consequences. Do and eat what best works for you! And, at the end stay hydrated when feeling sick or nauseous and in case you still feel nauseated after a day or two, head off to your doctor and consult him for the same.
