Digestion is an umbrella term used to describe the mechanical and chemical processes required to move food and drink throughout the body's digestive system. Although it is rarely a serious malady, the physical discomfort that results from poor digestion can escalate and inhibit your body's absorption of nutrients.
Warm Water
Cold foods and drinks inhibit the digestive process, according to Susan Brown of the Better Bones Foundation. Digestion is a "heat" process that slows when the body must use energy to warm the contents in the stomach. Cold carbonated drinks inhibit the process, while sipping warm water with your meals helps detoxify the body and fortify your digestive system.
Herbal Teas
Eastern health-care providers have prescribed ginger root tea as a treatment for digestive disorders for centuries. And while evidence-based research is limited, proponents of herbal medicine say peppermint tea relaxes the muscles in the stomach and the intestinal tract, and enhances the flow of stomach bile that is necessary for proper digestion. While herbal teas are generally considered safe in limited amounts, ask your primary care physician or pharmacist whether herbal teas will interact with any other medications you are taking.
Sodium Bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, has been a household remedy for indigestion for generations. While 1/2 tsp. of baking soda dissolved in 4 oz. of water may help neutralize stomach acid and ameliorate the discomfort of heartburn, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter effervescent tablet that contains aspirin and citric acid. When taken according to directions, effervescent drinks may help improve your digestion, but they are contraindicated if you are pregnant or taking any other form of antacid.
Considerations
People who take blood thinners or drugs that contain aspirin should talk to their primary health care provider before self-medicating with any herbal products or sodium bicarbonate. Pregnant and lactating women should tell their doctors if they are experiencing digestive disorders. If you continue to experience indigestion over a long period of time, you may have a more serious condition, and you should ask your doctor to perform a complete medical examination.
References
- Medline Plus; Indigestion; David Dugdale; February 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Digestive Disorders; Steven Ehrlich; March 2009
- Better Bones; Ten Steps to Better Digestion; Susan Brown; April 2000
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Peppermint
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Aspirin/Citric Acid/Sodium Bicarbonate, By Mouth; January 2010
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Ginger; May 2006
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