Most people have experienced stomach ache at some point in their lives. People who are affected with digestive disorders suffer from reduction in the digestion potential, which leads to insufficient conversion of nutrients to usable forms. There is a wide range of stomach disorders that people suffer from, ranging from the functional disorders to irritable bowel syndromes to constipation and several others.

Functional disorders of the stomach
Functional disorders of the stomach occur when the bowel movement appears normal, yet they do not function in the proper way. It is one of the most common gastro-intestinal problems and affects the rectum and colon, including constipation. It is mainly caused due to various reasons like regular consumption of a diet containing low fibre content, not getting enough exercise, and consuming a large amount of dairy products. You are likely to suffer from functional disorders of the stomach when you are stressed or resisting the urge of a bowel movement. Some people have the tendency of consuming laxatives without following any kind of regulation, and it leads to weakening of the stomach muscles in the course of time, and gastro-intestinal issues.

Common problem of constipation
Constipation is basically the restricted bowel movement and is caused due to an insufficient amount of roughage or fibre in the diet. It causes an individual to strain while passing stools and leads to hard and small stools, and eventually causes chronic problems like fissures and haemorrhoids. You can avoid these issues by including more roughage in your diet and by exercising daily. Although laxatives can alleviate the condition, it is crucial to understand that it is not a permanent solution, and you must consult your doctor for a sustainable solution.

Getting rid of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Also referred to as spastic colon, IBS is a clinical condition where the colon muscles can contract almost instantly. There are numerous factors that can lead to this problem, such as certain medicines and foods as well as emotional stress. The most commonly seen symptoms are abdominal cramps and pains, excessive gas formation and bloating, and alterations in bowel habits. If you are suffering from IBS, then it is important to stay away from caffeine at all cost. Also monitor the foods that trigger IBS and stay away from them.

If these remedies are not able to offer a solution to your suffering, then it is crucial to speak with your doctor and seek treatment to get rid of your stomach problems.

3 Common Types of Gastro-Intestinal Disorders

A bloated abdomen is very upsetting, both for cosmetic reasons and also because it makes one feel lousy and lethargic. Also, it can bring your energy levels down in a big way. However, the good news is that bloated belly can be managed by making some basic changes in the way you eat and/or drink.

Knowing what causes bloated belly is the first step towards managing it.

Using a straw: Whether you are drinking a smoothie or shakes, coffee or tea, drink it directly from the glass. When sipping through a straw, a lot of air is consumed along with it, and that leaves you with a bloated feeling. If it is coke or aerated drink that is being consumed, it makes it even worse.
Packaged foods: While packaged foods help you by saving cooking time and provide a quick fix for the hunger pangs, they also come packed with loads of sodium. This leaves you with a bloated feeling, and if you are someone who uses packaged foods at each meal, it is almost there to stay. Switch to fresh foods and see how your bloating disappears.
Low-calorie foods: As we all are busy watching calories, we have started using aspartame. Be it artificial sweeteners for the coffee or diet cokes, these contain substances which take much longer to digest and so they stay in your tummy for a longer period of time. They are not recognized as foods by the stomach and so it takes time to digest. Switching to a no-sugar diet (minus the aspartame) or using palm jaggery can instantly provide relief.
Legume/Bean family: While legumes are known as the best protein source, especially for vegetarians, they are also loaded with gas. Whether it is the regular beans, green peas, double beans, or kidney beans, they all have a great tendency to bloat you up. The carbohydrate in these are not easy to digest, giving the gassy bloated feeling. Taking an anti-gas agent when there are too many beans on your plate is very much recommended.
Excessive use of gums or candy: For those who are used to chewing on gums or candies, there is a lot of air that is swallowed during this process. An alternative is to keep taking small sips of water, which will not leave you feeling bloated. The water also helps reduce bloating by keeping a constant movement of the intestine.
Eating too fast: As we are all pressed for time, there is no time to sit down and eat. However, eating too fast leads to bloating in two ways. Firstly, by taking in a large amount of air along with the food. Secondly, by not chewing the food properly, bigger pieces of food reach the stomach and leave you feeling bloated. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

Bloated Belly - 6 Possible Things That Can Cause It!

Indigestion spares nobody. No matter how healthy you are, at some point or the other, everyone suffers from acidity, bloating and gas. On its own these problems are rarely serious but they can leave you feeling quite uncomfortable and can be embarrassing as well.

Homeopathy can be very effective when fighting against indigestion of any kind. This form of treatment has negligible side effects and hence can be given to both children and adults. Homeopathy does not address only the symptoms but goes to the root of the problem. Thus it also stops the problem from recurring. Here are few common homeopathic medicines that can help ease indigestion.

1. Nux vomica
Nux vomica is known as the remedy for overindulgence. This homeopathic medicine can be used to treat stomach problems of all kinds. It is very effective against bloating and gas and is also often used to treat constipation. Nux vomica is also known as the best homeopathic remedy for heartburn associated with excessive alcohol or caffeine.

2. Pulsatilla
This is often used to treat gastric problems that follow eating heavy food like pastries, ice cream and food fried in ghee or butter. It can also be used to treat loose motions.

3. China
China is an effective form of treatment against bloating and build up of gas. Abdominal pain caused by gas can also be treated with china. This homeopathic remedy can also be used to treat diarrhea that is accompanied by extreme weakness.

4. Arsenic album
Gastric troubles that are triggered by food poisoning can be effectively treated with arsenic album. Some of the symptoms it treats are nausea, loose motions, abdominal pain and vomiting. Acidity and a burning sensation in the stomach can also be eased with this medicine. Arsenic album is also used in cases of chronic vomiting where the stomach does not retain any food.

5. Lycopodium
Sometimes even eating a light meal can leave you feeling bloated and with a heavy feeling in your abdomen. This bloating and excessive gaseousness accompanied by burning burps can be treated with lycopodium. It also treats acidity triggered by starchy and flatulent food.
Along with taking homeopathic medicine, making a few changes to your eating habits can also help treat chronic gastric problems. Chew your food and eat slowly. Avoid eating anything that is too hot or too cold and drink plenty of water. Ideally you should hydrate your stomach half n hour before eating a meal.

Remedies for Stomach Acid, Bloating and Gas

Loose motion, commonly known as diarrhea refers to a state where the affected person suffers from frequent passage of loose, watery or unformed stool. It may lead to exhaustion and dehydration as with frequent passage of stool the body loses water and essential minerals. Here are some natural remedies which are capable of relieving you from loose motion effectively.

1. Lemon

Lemon juice has anti-inflammatory properties that assist in cleansing of the stomach. After extraction of the lemon juice it should be mixed with a tablespoon of sugar and salt. This solution should be consumed every one hour until you feel that all the toxins from your bowels have been flushed out.

2. Fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek or methi seeds have antibacterial and antifungal properties. You need to mix one to two tablespoon powder of dried up fenugreek seeds in a glass of water and have it in an empty stomach in the morning for three to four days. It may taste bitter might but it's bound to completely relieve you from loose motion.

3. Buttermilk

Butter milk not only works wonders for soothing your stomach but also assists the process of digestion. The acid content in buttermilk fights the bacteria and germs in your digestive system. Adding a pinch of turmeric powder or cumin powder or black pepper powder to your buttermilk increases its efficiency to cure loose motion.

4. Adequate rest

If you are suffering from several bouts of loose motion it is bound to cause weakness and dehydration as the body is drained of essential minerals and water. It is advisable that you take complete best rest for two to three days to recover from this fatigue completely. Using heat bags on your stomach can relieve you of cramps and pains. During this period you should abstain from rich and oily foods.

4 Natural Ways To Cure Loose Motion

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?

The only thing that can ruin a great meal is the feel of a bloated tummy afterwards! Usually any abnormal swelling or increase in diameter of the abdominal area is termed as bloating. The condition has become very common and is experienced by people around the world. Poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, high level of stress and need for daily medications seem to be making people more prone to this epidemic. It can sometimes also be a result of an underlying health issue that you might be unaware of. The good thing is that there are signs of it which can be watched out for.

What to Keep an Eye Out For: To start off, there is the sign which is considered to be rather obvious by many flatulence. If a person wants to get rid of flatulence for an extended period, he or she should consider this to be a warning.

Bloating itself can be a sign for other problems which are deeper. The prime example of this happens to be coeliac disease. A bloating of the stomach which is accompanied by pain and a puzzling loss of weight could be signs of this disease.

If a fever seems to keep recurring without a cause which is explainable, it could be a sign of bloating. As a matter of fact, this sign along with bloating also does signal some infection, which should be looked at immediately by a medical professional. Also, too much stress on a person could be a sign of impending bloating issues.

Getting Rid of Bloating: In order to cure bloating which is caused by flatulence, an easy and elementary solution is to eat your food slowly and to chew properly. In serious case, seeking adequate medical help is important.

When a person finds that he or she seems to be suffering from bloating very often, it is a good idea to maintain a food diary. This will help find whether there are certain trigger foods which cause bloating. The pattern can be discussed with your doctor and concrete steps can be taken towards a complete solution.

Simple lifestyle changes beyond the diet can also make a difference. These include correction of sleeping and eating habits of a person. You are also required to be very regular with this.

Bloating always has some signs which are associated with its causes so it makes good sense to be aware of the same as the saying goes, 'a stitch in time saves nine'!

Warning Signs of Bloating? How to Treat It?

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