Feeling bloated or acidic after a heavy meal can take away all the satisfaction the taste of food gave you. Indigestion and gas are some of the most common gastrointestinal problems faced by people around the world. In most cases, indigestion is a result of bad food choices and unhealthy lifestyles. Thus they can simply be relieved at home and do not necessarily need medication. Here are 4 easy steps to lower heartburn, gas and indigestion.

1. Add more fiber to your food: Fiber is crucial to healthy digestion. It is easy to digest and help push waste out of the system by adding bulk. In this way, fiber helps detoxify the system as well. It also prevents diabetes, heart disease, hemorrhoids and other diseases. Add fiber to your diet in the form of whole grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts and plenty of water. Ideally, a woman should have 25gms of fiber a day and men should have 38 grams of fiber a day.

2. Healthy food eating habits: How you eat also makes a difference to your digestion. Instead of eating on the move, eat mindfully. Chew your food carefully to begin the digestive system. Eating smaller portions can also help improve stomach functioning. Avoid fast foods that are difficult to digest. Ensure that you do not eat anything for at least an hour before going to bed. Lying down immediately after a meal is one of the leading causes of indigestion.

3. Probiotics: Gut bacteria is essential for healthy digestion. This bacteria helps maintain a healthy inner ecosystem and help fight harmful viruses, yeast and other such microorganisms. This balance of gut bacteria can be affected by an unhealthy lifestyle like excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, stress and certain prescription drugs. Supplementing your natural probiotic enzymes with food rich in probiotics like yogurt or probiotic supplements can help make your digestion better.

4. Exercise Regularly: Exercise is necessary not only for a fit body but also for healthy digestion. Exercising also helps fight stress that is one of the leading causes of indigestion. Taking a walk after meals can help regulate the passage of food and gases in your digestive system. This prevents bloating and heartburn. Physical activity also helps stimulate your bowels to prevent constipation and prevent gaseous build up. Some forms of exercise you could try are yoga, swimming and cycling. A word of caution; always ensure that there is at least an hour's gap between exercising and your last meal.

Gas & Indigestion - 4 Things That Can Help Ease It!

Bacteria are the organisms that people must avoid. But is that true for all bacteria? According to many researches, the Gut Bacteria present in the digestive tract of the human body help in digestion and play an important role in the well-being.

These bacteria help to lower the probability of diseases like obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, depression, etc.

What is Gut Bacteria?

Gut bacteria live inside the gut and is a mixture of 300 to 500 different kinds of bacteria. These bacteria contain approximately 2 million genes. Not only bacteria, but they may also combine with other organisms like Fungi and Viruses to make Microbiome or Microbiota.

Like everyone s fingerprints are different, Gut mixture of bacteria also differs from person to person.

It depends on many factors like a person s lifestyle or diet. It also partly depends upon his/her mother s Microbiota.

How Gut Bacteria is Helpful to Lower the Risk of Diseases -

According to research, people who are sick have less amount or lack of bacteria variety as compared to a healthy person.

Although bacteria live throughout the body, bacteria inside the gut, intestine, or colon may be helpful for well-being and have the biggest impact on digestion. They also play a major role in everything from immune systems to hormonal balance to metabolism.

These friendly bacteria are helpful in the following illness:

1. Provides Immunity

According to a study published by the University of Chicago, bacteria play a vital role in the immune system. In this study, researchers introduced a bacteria strain with melanoma in the digestive tract of mice. These bacteria prompted the immune system of mice to fight against tumor cells. Bacteria in the body help the immune system make natural antibiotics. These natural antibiotics help fight against diseases.

2. Controls Mood

People may often think about how gut bacteria help maintain hormonal balance, but many studies and researches exist that shows the impact of these bacteria on the human mood or mental disorders. The doctors may call this link a "gut-brain axis.  According to Prof Dinan, people who are suffering from depression or any mental disorders have less microbiota than healthy people. Another scientist from McMaster University said that based on the mouse study, gut bacteria may play a major role in depression and anxiety.

3. Manages Appetite and Body Weight

Gut bacteria may also affect the metabolism of the body. They determine the calories the person gets from food, and the kind of nutrients he/she draws from it. High amount of Gut bacteria in the body may change fibers into fatty acids, which lead to the deposition of fats in the liver, and cause  metabolism syndrome.  This can even cause obesity. This shows that by maintaining gut bacteria, one can maintain his/her body weight.

4. Aids Nutrient Absorption

It is important to eat properly, but what if the food is not absorbed in the bloodstream of the body? According to a study at Washington University School of Medicine, gut bacteria play an important role in absorbing nutrients from food. This study indicates that irrespective of one's proper diet, gut bacteria are required to absorb vitamins and nutrients from food. These bacteria help in breaking down the food to provide nutrients to the body.

There are trillions of bacteria that live inside the digestive tract and contribute in many functionalities to the body. One should always eat healthy foods and exercise well to maintain the balance of these gut bacteria.

What Are The Benefits Of Gut Bacteria?

It is important for you to know about inflammatory bowel disease or IBD, it is a group of intestinal disorders, which leads to prolonged inflammation of your digestive tract. The digestive tract is made of the mouth, stomach, oesophagus, small intestine and large intestine. It performs the task of breaking down food, removing unusable materials and waste products, and for breaking down nutrients from food. Inflammation along with the digestive tract causes disruption in this process. IBD is a fatal condition which can be life threatening in some cases.

Major types of inflammatory bowel disease
The term inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term under which many diseases are included. The two major and most common diseases under IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn s disease. Crohn s disease (a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, especially the colon and ileum, associated with ulcers and fistulae) can lead to inflammation in any part of your digestive tract. It commonly affects the small intestine s tail end. In case of ulcerative colitis, inflammation takes place in the large intestine.

Causes of IBD
Although the exact cause of IBD is not known, several factors may lead to this condition. They are as follows:

Genetics: You are more likely to develop IBD if someone in your family has the disease. This is because of the genetic component of IBD.
The immune system: The body s immune system plays a role in IBD. Usually, your immune system defends your body from pathogens. A bacterial or viral infection in the digestive tract may lead to an immune response. The digestive tract becomes inflamed as the body fights against the bacteria or viruses. The inflammation goes away when the infection is gone.
However, in the case of IBD, the digestive tract inflammation may occur without any infection. Your immune system attacks your body s cells. This is called an autoimmune response. IBD can also occur when the infection is cured, but the inflammation remains.

Symptoms
The various symptoms of IBD depend on the severity and location of the inflammation. They are as follows:

Diarrhoea which occurs when the bowel cannot reabsorb water.
Bleeding ulcers which cause blood to show up in your stool.
Stomach pain, bloating and cramping because of bowel obstruction.
Weight loss and anaemia, which leads to delayed development and growth in children.
In patients with Crohn s disease, canker sores may develop in the mouth.
Ulcers and fissures may appear on the anus or genital area.
IBD may also be associated with problems such as eye inflammation, arthritis and skin disorders.
The major complications which may arise from IBD include colon cancer, malnutrition with weight loss, fistulas, intestinal rapture and bowel obstruction. It is important for you to consult a doctor on noticing any of the IBD symptoms.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Know the Types!

Also known as flatulence, gastric problems do not really mean any kind of disease. Rather, these occur as a result of some underlying condition or some distress affecting the digestive system. Gastric problems generally take their toll on the health of the person by showing their effects either as stomach pain or by making the person lose his appetite. These gastric problems generally come along with some of the serious health conditions like diarrhoea or problems like indigestion. It is now easy to treat flatulence by using the remedies that are readily available in households. 

Forms of gastric problem
Gastric problems do not generally occur alone and they usually come along with other conditions like digestive distress, diarrhoea or even cramps. Commonly this condition can be seen in three forms in a person. One is burping, the second form is belching and the third is flatulence. Each has their own magnitude of impact on the person. All three causes annoying effects to the person and can be taken care of with the help of some home remedies. The gastric problem can be of two types. One is the acute gastritis and the other is chronic gastritis. The first problem can be cleared off within few days time and the second problem needs some extra care and treatment. 

Symptoms of gastric problem
Some cases of gastric problem can be minor and can be taken care of easily. These problems can be resolved in a matter of one or two days. Other forms of flatulence can be severe and can cause other weaknesses in the body. Doctors say that gastric problems can be identified with the help of few easily comprehensible symptoms. 

Some of the common symptoms of the gastric problems are: 
- Constant pain in the abdominal region
- Indigestion
- Loss of appetite 
- Repeated vomiting and nausea
- Increased pressure and pain in the chest area
- Persistent headache
- Sudden dizziness during work

Solution for the problem: 
There are some common home remedies for gastric worries which include: 
- A little cinnamon powder can be mixed with a glass of warm milk and can be taken along with honey.
- 2 spoons of apple cider vinegar must be mixed with a glass of warm water and cooled to the room temperature and drunk.
- Equal amounts of fennel, ginger and cardamom must be ground together and a pinch of hing must be added to it and mixed with a cup of water. It must be taken twice a day.
- 1 spoon each of carom seeds and black salt must be added to buttermilk and the solution has to be drunk.

Treat Gastric Problems Naturally

Bloating and gas are most commonly caused due to indigestion as well as excessive accumulation of gas in the abdomen region. This can lead to a feeling of tightness and swelling, along with debilitating pain and discomfort, in some extreme cases. The other causes for bloating and gas may include wheat or gluten allergy, irritable bowel syndrome, food that gives rise to flatulence, lactose intolerance as well as severe conditions like acid reflux.

Homeopathy is an age old medical science that seeks to treat these and many other kinds of ailments with the help of its natural medication. However, in order to get the right treatment, it's important to visit the doctor and allow him to examine you properly and prescribe the right combination of medicines. The better the doctor understands your condition and symptoms, the better treatment he can offer.

Bloated abdomen refers to a feeling of fullness, tightness and distension of abdomen. There is also an excessive accumulation of gas in abdomen. Bloated abdomen can be painful, with cramping as well. 

The main causes behind bloated abdomen are constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, wheat allergy, taking flatulent (gas-forming) food, overeating, food intolerance like lactose intolerance, and acid reflux (Dyspepsia). 

Over-the-counter instant gas-relieving pills and tonics can only provide very temporary relief, the causative agents remain firmly in place. Homeopathic medicines can completely cure bloatedness or bloated abdomen. Made from natural substances and free from any side effects, Homeopathic remedies for bloated abdomen can provide complete recovery by striking at the root of the problem, while ensuring there is no recurrence.

Homeopathic Treatment for Bloating and Gas-

Homeopathic medicines are very efficient in treating bloated abdomen. Sourced from natural substances, Homeopathic remedies are very beneficial in treating cases of bloatedness. Homeopathy provides complete recovery from bloatedness. The Homeopathic treatment for bloated abdomen is also of great help in releasing the wind from abdomen, thereby providing relief to the patient. The pain in the abdomen, burning and other associated symptoms also disappear with the use of natural Homeopathic medicines. Here is a list of some medicines that your homeopath might use to treat gas and bloating-

Graphites: This is one of the most commonly used and most efficient elements in Homeopathy. Graphites can help in treat abdomen bloating, which is accompanied by constipation on a prolonged basis. When this gas gets obstructed, instead of being allowed to see itself out of the body, the gas gets accumulated and causes a lot of discomfort and pain within the abdomen. Also, when there is an offensive odour in the gas that manages to pass through, one can use this medication.
Carbo Veg: This is one of the best homeopathic ways of resolving bloating and gas. This medicine is most commonly prescribed when there is belching along with the gas accumulation and bloating. The wind that accumulates in the abdomen may also give rise to breathing difficulties for many patients, in which case such a medicine is known to work wonders.
Abies Can: This is a natural Homeopathic cure for painful bloating which also comes with heart palpitations. In such cases, the doctor may prescribe this medicine to fight the gas that is busy burning in the abdomen. Other symptoms treated by this medicine include a sudden spike in the appetite as well.
Magnesium Phos: This medicine can help in treating gas and bloating that becomes colicky and gives rise to a lot of unbearable pain eventually. Also, it can be used for treating a feeling of fullness in the stomach due to the accumulation of gas. Further, the other symptoms treated by this medication include belching and hiccups.
Raphanus: When the gas obstructs the normal digestive process of the abdomen. This medicine can also be prescribed for successful treatment. It can also be used when the abdomen becomes hard due to the gas, which does not escape as flatulence or even as burps.
China: This is a Homeopathic medicine that can help in relieving symptoms like fullness, tightness, pain and even heaviness in the abdomen. It helps the patient in passing better motions so that the symptoms may be eliminated.
Homeopathy is an age old medical science that seeks to treat these and many other kinds of ailments with the help of its natural medication. However, in order to get the right treatment, it's important to visit the doctor and allow him to examine you properly and prescribe the right combination of medicines. The better the doctor understands your condition and symptoms, the better treatment he can offer.

Homeopathic Remedies for Bloating and Gas

Foods That Make Your Stomach Bloat

Do you feel your stomach bloat after meals? If you notice, this doesn't happen after every meal? Only at times. And at other times when you eat specific foods. Well, there are foods cause your stomach to bloat, so the wise thing to do is to know about them and avoid them!

Here are a few of the biggest criminals:

1. Cold drinks: Yes, these carbonated drinks have numerous side effects on your health. One of them is that they bloat your tummy. Beer happens to fall in this category too.

2. Dairy Products: For the lactose intolerant, dairy products are almost like poison. The intolerance can be mild, moderate of severe, but one of the symptoms is gas. You can try to limit your consumption of dairy products.

3. Apples: Apples and pears are known to contain a high percentage of fiber. While they are important for us and should be eaten, if is good to know that they can affect sensitive tummies. Eat bit by bit, and if it helps, peel the skin and then eat.

4. Few Vegies: While they are excellent health foods, asparagus, cabbage and broccoli are the vegetables which cause gas in the stomach, which in turn leads to bloating of the tummy.

5. Sodium: Sodium is also another reason for bloated tummies, so it is advised to limit salt intake.

6. Fast Foods: Fast foods like sausages, fried foods, ice cream, sweetened products , etc are known to cause the belly to bloat.

7. Rice Preparations: Rice is known to swell up inside the stomach once it gets water, hence making the stomach feel bloated.

8. Hard Drinks: Alcohol is also said to add weight near the stomach and make it feel bloated.

The 8 Foods That Bloat Your Belly!

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