Indigestion, or dyspepsia, is a general term that describes a number of uncomfortable symptoms, including belching, heartburn, bloating, nausea and abnormal feelings of fullness. Indigestion is not a disease, but a group of symptoms that usually occurs in response to eating. Certain types of foods and eating patterns can trigger indigestion.
Trigger Foods
The foods that cause indigestion are often referred to as trigger foods. These foods may differ between individuals, although common trigger foods among a large number of people with indigestion have been identified. The most common trigger foods include chocolate, fried food, spicy food, fatty food, greasy foods, alcohol and carbonated beverages. If you experience indigestion, identify your personal trigger foods and then remove them from your diet.
Eating Habits
Indigestion may also occur as a result of poor eating habits. If you consume large meals or eat too much food at a given time, your stomach fills up too quickly. The stomach does not have enough time to empty properly, and as a result, stomach contents, such as food and stomach acid flow backwards into the esophagus, causing uncomfortable symptoms. When you eat a lot of food at one time, your stomach also works extra hard to digest the food. This involves producing more stomach acid and contracting more quickly and with greater force. The combination of increased stomach acid production mixed with intense stomach contraction can cause the symptoms of indigestion.
To decrease your chances of experiencing indigestion, you should consume small meals throughout the course of the day. This gives your stomach a chance to digest food and reduces the amount of back flow. You should also chew your food thoroughly to help start the process of digestion and reduce the amount of stress you put on your stomach.
Other Factors
Your emotions also play a role in digestion. If you feel stressed during or immediately following a meal, you may increase your chances of experiencing indigestion, according to MayoClinic.com. Indigestion may also be triggered by engaging in physical activity following a meal. It is best to consume a meal in a serene, stress-free environment. When you are finished eating, you should relax and give your body time to digest before you expose yourself to any stress or excitement.
Considerations
If you experience indigestion occasionally after eating large meals or consuming large amounts of trigger foods, it is usually a result of abnormal digestion and does not signify underlying medical conditions. If you experience indigestion on a regular basis, however, you should contact your doctor. Regular indigestion may be a sign of a serious underlying medical condition that requires medical treatment, such as peptic ulcer disease, cancer or a bile duct or pancreatic disorder.
