14 Indigestion Remedies That Really Work

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Indigestion. If you’ve ever had symptoms of indigestion, you know how uncomfortable they can be and how much you’d like to never have it again.

Whether you’ve had belching, abdominal pain, nausea, an acidic taste in your mouth, or more, you for sure want to feel better and get relief.

So let’s talk about ways to prevent this discomfort, and also some natural indigestion remedies to help get to the root of this problem.

woman with stomach ache with title saying 14 natural remedies for indigestion.
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Symptoms of Indigestion

You’ve had it before.  It’s annoying, but it is really more than that.

– abdominal pain
– nausea
– belching
– intestinal gas
– acidic taste in mouth
– gurgling or rumbling
– constipation or diarrhea
– and more

It’s indigestion.

It’s a pretty typical ailment to have, but is it just a pain in the tummy?

Well, the word itself indicates that it’s more than just an annoyance.  Let’s take it apart.  “In – digestion”. The prefix, “in” is from Latin and expresses negation.  “digestion” comes from the Latin “digestio” which of course refers to digestion.

So if you have indigestion, you are not digesting your food properly–which is a problem.

Why? Well, your health begins in the gut which you can see in these posts: Busting a Gut Health Myth, Surprising Tips to Gut Health — the Gut Brain Axis, 5 Causes of Gut Dysbiosis, and more.

If your digestion is off, then so will your health be.

Although indigestion appears to be something inconsequential, it really isn’t. If you aren’t digesting your food, then you can’t having optimal health.

So for better health, here are some natural indigestion remedies to help your gut function better and help you feel better too.

woman holding stomach in pain with title saying 14 natural remedies for indigestion.

Ways To Address Indigestion

1.  Chew, chew, chew.

Your grandmother said it, and she was right.  You need to chew your food. A lot.

Digestion starts in your mouth. Your teeth act on the food and the saliva has enzymes in it that start breaking down the food so your body can use it better.

If you don’t chew your food, you make the rest of your digestive system work harder, which can aggravate and/or cause digestive problems.

How much should you chew? Well, I’ve typically heard that you should aim for 20 chews per bite of food. I know–that’s a lot.  But at least aim for more than you are chewing now. One of my blogger friends, Lydia, says she tries to make a game of it with her kids to see who makes the most mush with their food! I guess you have to show each other your mush to win, LOL!

2.  Eat Earlier

Do you have trouble with munchies in at night?  Nighttime is when many of us feel the need to have “a little something” (or more than that), but really it’s not a great time to eat.

It is really best to finish a large evening meal at least 3 hours prior to your bedtime.  Then you give your body time to digest your food and you will be less likely to suffer from digestive upset, some of which might be so bad that you might even have a bad night of sleep as a result. And with sleep being crucial to good health, that’s something you for sure don’t want to skimp on.

3.  Probiotics

Another natural indigestion remedy is probiotics.

A healthy gut digests food better.  It’s that simple.

The word “Probiotic” means “for life.”  Probiotics are good bacteria that you take internally to improve your gut health.

Over the years, I have tried many brands of probiotics with varying results. Here are my thoughts on several probiotics and their effectiveness (or lack thereof)

Low histamine probiotics are helpful way to go if histamine is a problem for you.  

4. Digestive Enzymes

You need enzymes to break down your foods, but many of us are deficient in them and could use a little help.  Digestive enzymes help break down foods into more manageable forms for your body to digest.  I’ve been using them for a long time and have found them to be a great help in improving my digestion.

If you take digestive enzymes with meals, you should be able to avoid some of the effects of overeating.

I have personally used many forms of enzymes over the years, but I prefer one that includes pancreatic enzymes and currently am using this brand.  You can get a discount ordering them on this site.

5.  Essential Oils

Essential oils are good for many things, but they also can be useful for addressing digestive issues.  Some oils most commonly used for digestive issues are:

When you have stomach problems, try rubbing a blend of all of these oils, together with a carrier oil, on your abdomen. Please take care to purchase high quality essential oils regardless of whether you are going to be using them topically, diffusing, or whatever means you plan to use them.

If you are interested in reading about my family’s search for a reasonably priced, quality essential oil company, here is the beginning of the “best” essential oils series, or you can skip to the end here.

6. Betaine HCl

So many people are concerned with having too much stomach acid, but in reality, many people indeed have too little Betaine HCl. Supplementing with Betaine HCl can help fix this and can also help with overall digestion.

I was once told by my physician that I needed an acid reducing med, but it turned out that the opposite was true.  You can read about that and how the Betaine HCl benefitted my skin health here.

7. Tea

Instead of giving in to the munchies, try a cuppa.  But not coffee, try some tea instead.
Sipping a cup of chamomile or ginger tea either with or after your meal can also help with digestive upset. Add some homemade coconut milk and a little stevia to it for a delicious sweet treat.

8. Apple Cider Vinegar

Try adding 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and sip throughout your meal to help boost digestion.  Make sure to get a vinegar with the mother in it and not the inexpensive grocery store versions.

9. Herbs & Spices

Lemon balm

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and has been known to increase appetite and ease indigestion.

To reduce indigestion, flatulence, or bloating, you might try some of the following:

Lemon Balm Capsules: 300 – 500 mg dried lemon balm 3 times daily or as needed.
Lemon Balm Tea: 1.5 – 4.5 grams (1/4 – 1 teaspoonful) of dried lemon balm herb in hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.
Lemon Balm Tincture: 2 – 3 mL (40 – 90 drops) 3 times daily

Turmeric

Turmeric is the spice in curry powder that makes it yellow. But in Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric has been used to aid digestion and has also traditionally been used for heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, and stomach bloating.

One study showed that 87% percent of the curcumin group experienced full or partial symptom relief from dyspepsia as compared to 53% of the placebo group.

A dosage of 500 mg of turmeric four times daily has been recommended for dyspepsia. This is the brand that I currently use. (Source)

Slippery Elm

Slippery elm has been used as an herbal remedy for many many years and with great results for many gut situations.

You can take a capsule form (traditionally people take 400-500 mg per day) or put the inner bark or powdered form of the inner bark in warm water or tea.

You can take a capsule form (traditionally people take 400-500 mg per day) or put the inner bark or powdered form of the inner bark in warm water or tea.

It thickens up quite a bit in water–you can thin it out or consume it like a porridge basically.

I personally have seen testimonials of people taking this 4 times a day to start and then going down to 1-2 times a day and seeing phenomenal results.

Here are other buying options on Iherb if you wish to choose a different option than Amazon.

10. Seeds

Chewing on organic fennel seeds or organic caraway seeds after your meal can really help with stomach troubles. For years my husband would have a small container of fennel seeds on the table to help his tummy stay healthy. You’ve probably seen fennel seeds in small bowls on the table in Indian restaurants for this reason.

The seeds contain oils that soothe spasms in the gut, relieve nausea, and also help control flatulence.

11. Licorice

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL is sold in health-food stores, and it has been known to soothe stomach upset and indigestion by coating the lining of the stomach.

12. Fix Your Food

Even the way that you prepare your foods can help make them more digestible.

Following are 3 ways that you can make every day foods easier to digest.

soak grains
soak nuts and seeds
de-gas beans

13. Try Something Bitter

Long ago, and in some cultures today, people consumed something bitter prior to eating a meal, possibly due to simply tradition, but also due to it helping with digestion.

There are different mechanisms by which these “bitters” work, but regardless, they do help you digest your food better. (source)

You can either eat some bitter veggies like mustard or arugula, but digestive bitters used before a meal are convenient and won’t spoil and turn into unidentifiable gook in your fridge.

On that note, if you do decide to go with the bitter greens, these storage tips are sure to come in handy.

14. Reduce Stress!

I just had to add another tip after publishing the post. When all else fails try to these methods for stress relief.

Stress can cause your esophagus to have spasms, which pushes more acid into your stomach. It also can cause your ileocecal valve to act up. Since the valve controls how food moves through the digestive system, when the valve isn’t working properly, it can cause indigestion. (source)

So calm down and enjoy better digestion as a result.

I sure hope that these tips are helpful for improving your health and that of those you love.
Of course, this is not medical advice and you should consult with your physician prior to making any dietary or supplement changes.

Do you have any natural indigestion remedies to share?
Please do tell in the comments.

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34 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing such an interesting post. I had chronic digestion problem and my therapist advised me to take Magnesium pills. Since then, I have been taking Magnesium supplements regularly.

    In my opinion, Natural Calm is the best source of Magnesium Supplements. They offer Magnesium supplements at a reasonable cost and their product quality is high enough.

    1. Hi there – thanks for this. I don’t know what to think about Natural Calm — I didn’t feel well when I took quite a bit of it and there was some talk about contamination. I think the company addressed it but I lost track of everything. Regardless, there are a number of practitioners, etc who say that citrate isn’t the best and regardless using the right type of magnesium for your situation is crucial. Speaking with an expert or physician is the best.

  2. RISK INFORMATION
    If you have a peptic ulcer, excess stomach acid, high cholesterol, diabetes, pancreatitis, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, or cystic fibrosis, consult a health care practitioner prior to use. If you are sensitive to pancreatic enzymes and/or pork proteins, do not use this product. Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you suffer from gastric reflux or if you have gastrointestinal lesions/ ulcers or if you have liver, gastrointestinal
    tract or gallbladder disorders, and/ or bowel obstruction or if you have gallstones or bile duct obstruction. If you are taking an anticoagulant/blood thinner, anti-inflammatory, or antibiotic, or are having surgery, consult a health care practitioner prior to use. Hypersensitivity/allergy, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain/epigastric pain and/or heartburn have been known to occur; in which case, discontinue use (and consult a health care
    practitioner). If you have an allergy to latex or fruits (such as avocado, banana, chestnut, passion fruit, fig, melon, mango, kiwi, pineapple, peach, and tomato), consult a health care practitioner prior to use. If symptoms persist or
    worsen, consult a health care practitioner.

    1. Hi again. I’m not sure. I would contact them but I would suspect it has to do with the fact that it has pancreatic enzymes in it, which is a bit unusual for digestive enzymes. I looked online and there seem to be conflicting thoughts on this–most likely the company wants you to seek medical support in this case. You can call NOW and ask them–they are very helpful. Here is one example of a source stating that you would take these to support pancreatic insufficiency, but I haven’t investigated this. I would defer to NOW and a physician in this case. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3132852/

    1. Hi there. It’s not on my bottle. I in fact just called NOW Foods and they said that they had never heard about this and that it’s not on any of their bottles. She did say that Pancreatin is giving your pancreas a rest where your are supplying those that would normally be produced there, but she stated several times that there is no warning on any of their bottles. Have you heard about this concern from any other practitioners?

        1. Hi there. I did make a call to NOW and they said that it gives your pancreas a rest but that there isn’t a definitive need to not use it long term. I think in this case it’s best to contact your physician and ask for his / her input. Thanks for a good conversation!

  3. Hi again Adrienne
    Wanted to ask what test did they do to find out you didn’t have pancreatic enzymes. Not sure you got my last comment. It does not show here??

    1. Hi there. So sorry for the inconvenience. I moderate all of my comments to prevent spamming / inappropriate comments / ease of keeping track. I did a stool test that showed that. A natural practitioner ordered it but you can order tests of this sort through this company. They are really great. That is an affiliate link.

  4. It’s actually on the Now super enzymes the link you provided. It’s also on enzymedica digest and other digestive enzymes in the small print. I was told lipase levels were low. I still have a gallbladder but not sure why pancreas would stop producing them??? Don’t seem to be able to digest fat (floating stools). How did they find out for you that you were not producing pancreatic enzymes??

    1. I’m so sorry but I still don’t see it. I’ve looked all over the place–where in the link and which link? Amazon or Iherb? I have been researching this and I’m just not sure what to think.

      1. The part not recommended for long term use is on the bottles of just about all digestive enzymes.

        1. Hi again. I just replied to your other comment, but again, I don’t see this on the bottles that we have. But this is interesting. I do think that using foods is best…and we are thinking in this direction, but I don’t see it on the bottles that we have or the links that you have sent me.

  5. I currently am taking “Enymedica” digest and have taken digest gold. I find they are not working for me anymore. You didn’t say if you have only taken them when you have indigestion or if you take them every day. Please explain. I have taken them for 5-6 years every day. The one you mentioned “Now” brand I clicked on the ingredients link and it says consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 4 weeks. I’m concerned because they don’t seem to be working and I don’t seem to be able to digest properly.

    1. I personally take them with each meal. I was told by a practitioner that I didn’t have pancreatic enzymes and I’m not sure otherwise how to address that. I will have to consult with my physician to find out. I don’t know why they have that warning but I suspect it’s for a situation like yours–that they are concerned that something else might be going on. You would have to ask them. I searched their site and couldn’t find that information. Where are you seeing it?

      Of course all kinds of things can affect digestion besides enzymes.

  6. Hi Adrienne,
    Could you please say the brand of digestive enzymes you use? Also have you heard that taking enzymes long term can cause your body to not produce them naturally?
    Thanks

    1. Hi there. Sorry for the delay in responding. I was researching your question. I added the brand that I am taking and enjoying now. I think there are different thoughts on that re: dependency on enzymes. I have heard it can happen but others argue that it does not. So I’m not sure what to think.

  7. Hi Adrienne,
    Could you please say which digestive enzymes you are taking? If others what brands have you found to be good? Also most digestive enzymes have on the bottle not to take long term. Any thoughts on this and could they possibly stop your body from producing your natural enzymes?
    Thanks

    1. I would add to check w/ your physician if you are concerned about that situation. I haven’t seen that warning. What brands have you seen that on?

  8. The gas into the belly could cause heart problems too, like very fast heartbeat, because the stomach pushing the lungs and the lungs pushes the heart. Called gastrocardinal syndrome. Sometimes Bulrich salts helps and taking digestive enzymes, but in serious cases only Underberg Bitters, or Swedish Bitters.

    1. Interesting – so you are taking baking soda to treat stomach issues? That is what Bulrich is apparently. I have heard that people should get more stomach acid typically to help w/ digestion, but of course not if you have high stomach acid.

      1. Yes. My hubby gets heart problems from different kinds of food, what’s hard to digest and makes him gassy. The best for him is Underberg Bitters. For indigestion he uses enzymes. But I want to try out reflexology or acupuncture to solve the problem, I don’t want to treat just the issue, I want to heal it. And the big problem because of the commercial shows everyone likes to cook with oil,what cause high cholesterol and plugging the arteries,but I heard if the gallbladder not working ( digestion),cause problems,and our 75% of immune system in our intestine, it’s important to use lard or bitter medicine plants teas.
        I like alternative methods.

        1. So sorry for the delay in responding – your comment got buried under others I need to respond to / research, etc. Anyhow, I hope you got some kind of good results with your journey. I did notice that Underberg appears to be only made from gentian root. Interesting that it works really well for him. I can see it doing so, since gentian is typically really good for a bitter ingredient, but typically companies add other herbs to the mix as well for other benefits.

          Anyhow, would love to hear if you got any better results. We have been working on our health and overall are doing a lot better – you can see a bit of our successes here which started about 7 months after you commented – wholenewmom.com/about-me/. Take care and again sorry for the delay.

  9. I was using Nexium a PPI after a kidney transplant. Recently i started using a magnesium chloride supplement and found that the reflux has got a lot better. Any idea how this happens?

  10. My husband & I have chewed Papaya tablets for after meal indigestion & for sour stomach from time to time. They’re tasty & work for us.

  11. crystalized ginger and glass water will help, get ginger from places you buy your dried fruits and nuts, also try accu pressure four fingers width from the flex point of your wrist do a pincer movement pinch top and bottom of wrist between lower arm bones for a few seconds relieves stomach discomfort

    1. Ginger is great. But crystallized has so much sugar in it that it’s not a good choice for those of us w/ sugar issue. Yummy though :). Thanks for the acupressure tip! Not sure I totally understand it though as to where to pinch.

  12. Licorice can increase blood pressure. DGL is licorice that has had the glycyrrhizin removed. This reduces the risk of increasing blood pressure. There is still a slight risk, so, if you have high blood pressure, you should have your doctor monitor your blood pressure while taking this. (I learned this from my functional medicine doctor.)