When was the last time you were ill with a stomach bug?
Curious of what the medical term for an upset stomach is?
Or better yet, why you sometimes get one?
Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining, which can cause symptoms such as heartburn and nausea.
If you have gastritis, you are not alone. It’s estimated that over 15 million people in the United States have this condition.
Fortunately, there are many stomach inflammation remedies for gastritis that work well against inflammation and other symptoms of this condition.
Here’s our stomach inflammation guide to help you ward off that next stomach bug.
Avoiding Stomach Irritants
Stomach irritants are ingredients that can worsen your gastritis symptoms.
Some food and drinks you should avoid include:
- Spicy, fatty, and fried food
- Alcoholic beverages (including beer)
- Caffeine (in coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks)
Avoiding these foods and beverages is the best way to reduce stomach inflammation.
Carbonated drinks such as soda can also contribute to acid reflux disease.
This is because soda increase the air pressure in your stomach, causing it to expand more than normal.
A bloated feeling after drinking carbonated beverages may make you feel better temporarily, but ultimately worsens acid reflux symptoms.
Soothing the Stomach With Home Remedies
So what is Stomach inflammation?
As mentioned above, there are numerous home remedies for gastritis and for soothing the stomach. One of the most effective natural treatments is ginger.
This is effective in treating nausea and stomach aches. Similarly, peppermint has also been shown to relieve both heartburn and indigestion symptoms.
These two herbs have been used by generations of people as natural remedies for gastrointestinal issues. These two stomach inflammation remedies are worth trying if you’re suffering from gastritis or any other form of stomach inflammation.
Other options include chamomile tea.
It can be helpful with mild cases of gastritis and is a perennial favorite.
Carbonated water is another option.
This can help settle your stomach and reduce any bloating you may feel due to excess gas buildup in your intestines.
If you prefer more traditional medicine, but don’t want prescriptions containing acetaminophen or acid-reducing agents (such as proton pump inhibitors). Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like aspirin or ibuprofen may help ease some the gastritis symptoms. It can also make it easier to quickly eat normal again.
Supplements for Gastritis
You might want to consider taking supplements to aid the effects of your gastritis.
Here are some supplements that are recommended.
Probiotics
This beneficial bacteria helps keep your gut balanced and healthy by boosting the good bacteria in your digestive tract. Taking probiotics can help prevent or reduce symptoms associated with gastritis such as indigestion, bloating, and gas.
Fish Oil Supplements
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may ease symptoms of gastritis caused by excessive stomach acid production, according to a study published in the “Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology.”
The researchers noted that inflammation is one of the major causes of peptic ulcers. This can lead to gastritis if left untreated. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation within the body. This includes stomach inflammation.
That means Omega-3’s may help treat the gastritis condition more effectively. However, it’s important not to take too much fish oil at once.
This is because too much fish oil could cause unwanted side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.
Digestive Enzymes Supplements
What if you’re experiencing nausea or heartburn from eating spicy foods? Or perhaps just from regular meals? Then it might be worth looking into digestive enzyme supplements.
One of the most common ingredients found in digestive enzyme supplements is bromelain. This substance has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help relieve the pain associated with gastritis.
Bromelain also helps break down proteins so they are easier to digest. Another important ingredient found in digestive enzymes is papain. This breaks down protein and helps prevent damage to your intestinal walls. However, never take these without first consulting with your doctor first.
Stomach Inflammation Can Be Remedied With Diet, Lifestyle Changes, and Supplements
The best way to treat gastritis is to boost your immune system with a healthy diet, and lifestyle changes.
These include eating more soluble fiber, drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Taking the right supplement can also be helpful for stomach inflammation. However, they should not be used as a substitute for healthy habits.
Supplements are best taken in addition to other treatments and for brief periods.
There’s some evidence that probiotics can help relieve stomach inflammation and improve digestion. Probiotic supplements usually contain “friendly” bacteria. These are given by mouth or consumed in foods such as yogurt or kefir. However, most studies of probiotics for treating gastritis were small and had mixed results.
Some researchers have found that combining probiotics with other treatments may be more effective than using them alone.
There’s some evidence that suggest taking a mix of probiotics and prebiotics—nondigestible carbohydrates that stimulate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria—may help relieve stomach inflammation.
Stomach Inflammation and Depression
It’s common to feel sad, anxious, or even hopeless when you’re suffering from stomach inflammation. But there are some things you can do to help yourself while you’re going through this difficult time.
First of all, make sure you’re getting enough sleep. When your body is inflamed, it needs more rest than usual to repair itself and recover from the damage done by the inflammation. Try setting a routine for yourself—set an alarm and go to bed at the same time each night—and make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet so that your body can get the rest it needs for healing.
Another thing you can do is eat foods that will help heal your gut. Foods rich in probiotics are especially good for helping heal inflamed intestines and keep them healthy over time.
Probiotic rich foods include yogurt and kefir (fermented milk products), kimchi (a Korean fermented vegetable dish), sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), miso paste (fermented soybean paste) and tempeh (a fermented soybean product).
Finally, try not to let yourself get too stressed out by this situation—even though it might feel like the world is ending, you will get better.
There Are Many Stomach Inflammation Remedies
Hopefully, this article helped you better understand how to treat stomach inflammation as well as what stomach inflammation remedies are available.
For the most part, it’s a matter of keeping your stress levels down.
It’s also about avoiding foods that will irritate your stomach (like alcohol and spicy food).
Be sure to eat natural fruits and vegetables and also consider drinking ginger tea. Ginger tea has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory remedy (and tastes great too!)
Our Life Greens supplement, another great tasting drink full of probiotics and prebiotics is also a great way to promote a healthy gut. Try a free sample today.