Before you reach for an over-the-counter medication, try one of these natural remedies to help ease a stomach ache – most of which may already be in your kitchen – for a natural approach to easing stomach aches and pains in as little as five minutes.
Table of Contents
Features
- A holistic guide to help you ease a stomach ache
- Five food first remedies to try at home
- Suggestions for when to reach out to your doctor
How to Ease a Stomach Ache With Natural Remedies
Before reaching for an over-the-counter medication like Pepto Bismol for stomach pain relief, try a more holistic approach first with food.
You may just be able to solve your digestive problems with one of these tried and true natural stomach ache remedies.
You could even have a stomach ache aid at home in your kitchen, right now, that can help you naturally get rid of stomach pains and reduce nausea.
Of course, this post is in no way intended to replace medical advice if you need to be seen by a physician or other qualified healthcare practitioner.
Health conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or kidney stones will require more than just simple at-home remedies for a sour stomach or indigestion.
If you are looking to improve your holistic health knowledge and learn more about how you can use the foods you already have in your kitchen to soothe common ailments, this is the post for you.
Below you will find my favorite home remedies for easing stomach pain and soothing an upset stomach.
You may even be surprised at what home remedies for stomach pain and gas you might already have waiting for you in your cupboard.
5 Food-First Stomach Ache Remedies
The food you eat to help relieve a stomach ache must be easy to digest.
Otherwise, it may be best to eat nothing at all.
If you are going to eat, opt for bland foods composed of simple carbohydrates, like the BRAT Diet foods.
BRAT stands for: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
Saltine crackers are another example of a bland, easy-to-digest, simple carbohydrate food to eat when you have an upset stomach.
Protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates are more difficult to digest and may further contribute to your stomach aches, pains, or indigestion.
If you are currently experiencing a stomach ache, be sure to stay away from big, heavy, rich, or spicy meals until your symptoms have subsided.
How to Ease a Stomach Ache with Food:
- Take a shot of apple cider vinegar
- Eat a very ripe banana
- Drink mint infused water
- Sip on fennel tea
- Make a recipe with fresh ginger
Another way to help soothe a stomach ache is to drink plenty of water.
Warm lemon water or plain sparkling water can keep you from googling “stomach upset remedy” or “what helps stomach aches” if you don’t have to.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Stomach acid is vital to the normal functioning of a healthy digestive system.
A popular belief that a stomach ache is caused by an overproduction of stomach acid, but sometimes a stomach ache can be caused by a lack of stomach acid.
Relief for stomach pain can be achieved by increasing the production of stomach acid in the body.
To combat a potential lack of stomach acid, a shot of apple cider vinegar can be taken one to three times daily.
This may offer stomach ache relief by allowing the stomach fluid to return to normal levels of acidity.
Antimicrobial Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar
Those who are looking for a natural approach to stomach ache relief will appreciate the natural, time-tested method of inhibiting the growth of foodborne pathogenic microorganisms with vinegar1.
Organic acids naturally occurring in vinegar, like acetic acid, have antimicrobial properties that kill microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi such as mold and mildew2.
A study that examined the effects of organic acids on the killing of foodborne pathogenic bacteria found that acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar was the most lethal acid to Escherichia coli – also known as E. Coli1.
While most E. coli are harmless and may play an important role in establishing a healthy gut microbiome, some E. coli bacteria can cause disease by producing a toxin called the Shiga toxin (STEC).
This type of E. coli can be shared through contaminated water and can cause ailments ranging from diarrhea to bloodstream infections and a host of other illnesses.
The CDC estimates that STEC causes 265,000 illnesses each year, 3,600 hospitalizations, and 30 deaths in the United States alone3.
How to Take Apple Cider Vinegar
While there is no evidence to support a daily recommended dosage for the use of apple cider vinegar for an upset stomach, the recommendations on the back of the product states to enjoy up to 3 times daily – upon arising, mid-morning, and mid-afternoon.
For a queasy stomach relief recipe, in a large glass combine:
- 2 teaspoons organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- 8 ounces of filtered water
- Optional to taste: 1 to 2 teaspoons organic honey, 100% pure maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, or 4 drops of stevia
And remember, apple cider vinegar is just one of the many home remedies to try for abdominal pain and indigestion.
Bananas to Help Ease a Stomach Ache
Another way to get rid of stomach pain or stomach aches is to eat a very ripe banana.
Bananas may be one of the most commonly known foods to ease a stomach ache, but you may not know that the ripe the banana is, the easier it is for your body to digest4.
The easier the banana is to digest, the more soothing it can be for an upset stomach.
Bananas are composed of simple carbohydrates that are easily broken down by the digestive system.
They also have low fiber content, which means they are less binding than other fruit options, like berries.
Bananas are high in potassium, a vital electrolyte that is especially beneficial if you have been sick or unable to eat & normally drink for a prolonged period of time.
Bananas have been shown to help relieve constipation by promoting a mild laxative effect, and they are helpful for those suffering from diarrhea5.
Mint to Help Ease a Stomach Ache
One of my most favorite natural remedies to relieve a stomach ache is mint.
Both peppermint and spearmint have been used as a holistic stomach ache remedy for centuries.
This herb may work to soothe discomfort caused by indigestion and gas, too.
Mint contains menthol, which acts as a natural analgesic, meaning it has the ability to relieve stomach pain naturally6.
Peppermint and spearmint teas can be especially calming when experiencing a stomach ache.
Research has determined that peppermint oil may also have the ability to activate the colon’s anti-pain channel7.
You can purchase mint teas from your favorite store or use fresh mint leaves to steep your own tea.
Mint Tea Product Recommendations:
Fennel to Help Ease a Stomach Ache
If your stomach ache is caused by gas discomfort or bloating, fennel is the perfect fresh, all-natural stomach pain remedy for you to try.
Fennel contains anti-gas properties in the form of a compound known as anethole.
Anethole stimulates the stomach to secrete digestive gastric juice and reduces inflammation of the stomach, both of which can bring you stomachache relief8.
Never had fennel before?
Fennel has strong anise, or licorice, flavor to it.
Fennel can be eaten in raw form, cooked in a dish, in the form of fennel oil, or through dried fennel seeds.
Chewing on dry fennel seeds is thought to provide stomach ache relief caused by indigestion after a meal.
You can also find prepared tea bags that contain fennel, which will provide instant relief from stomach pain.
Fennel Tea Product Recommendations:
Ginger to Help Ease a Stomach Ache
With use for its anti-nausea properties being traced back to ancient times, ginger may be one of the longest-used natural upset stomach remedies.
Research has shown that ginger has the ability to help ease both stomach ache and nausea, helping with seasickness, morning sickness, and chemotherapy-induced nausea9.
But don’t reach for that ginger ale just yet.
Ginger ale may not provide the same relief as fresh ginger because many commercially available ginger ale products contain little to no real ginger.
One of the easiest ways to find relief from ginger can be in the form of ginger tea.
Ginger tea can be purchased in the form of ginger tea bags, or you can finely grate your own ginger and add it to boiling water.
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