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How to Settle an Upset Stomach: 8 Tips

How to settle an upset stomach

Everyone gets an upset stomach sometimes. And if you’ve experienced it, you want relief fast. You may wonder how to settle an upset stomach quickly when it happens.

Depending on what may have caused your symptoms, many different home remedies and lifestyle changes may help alleviate them. Here are eight helpful tips to help alleviate your stomach discomfort so you can return to enjoying your life.

How to Settle an Upset Stomach

Increase Hydration

Staying hydrated and drinking clear fluids like water, herbal tea, and bone broth can help relieve an upset stomach. Avoiding carbonated or caffeinated beverages can also help alleviate symptoms of an upset stomach, and these beverages can often make your symptoms worse.

Consume Ginger

Consuming ginger tea, ginger ale, or munching on a small piece of fresh ginger can help soothe an upset stomach. Ginger has natural anti-nausea properties that many people find comforting when dealing with an upset stomach.

Eat Peppermint

Peppermint has been proven to help alleviate indigestion and nausea. If you are dealing with an upset stomach, consider sucking on a peppermint candy or drinking a warm glass of peppermint tea to soothe your stomach. It’s important to note that peppermint can worsen acid reflux, so it should be avoided if your stomach upset is due to heartburn.

Follow a BRAT Diet

A BRAT diet can help calm an upset stomach. This includes eating easily digested foods, including bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. A BRAT diet can be most helpful if you are experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Stick to Plain or Bland Foods

Eating a bland diet can help relieve upset stomachs. You should avoid eating spicy, greasy, or heavy meals and instead choose bland options like crackers, plain rice, or steamed vegetables.

Eat Small, More Frequent Meals

Instead of eating large, heavy meals, choose to eat smaller, more frequent meals to avoid putting an excess strain on your digestive system and relieve symptoms of indigestion or bloating.

Avoid Trigger Foods

Keep a food diary and write down when you notice certain foods may have caused you to experience an upset stomach, and avoid these foods in the future. Many people find that fatty foods, dairy products, acidic foods, or spicy foods cause them to experience upset stomach.

Avoid Alcohol and Tobacco

Both alcohol and tobacco cause irritation to the stomach lining, which can worsen symptoms of upset stomach and should be avoided.

When To See Your Doctor

Although an upset stomach from time to time can be completely normal, severe or recurrent episodes of upset stomach could indicate something more serious, and your doctor should evaluate you for a proper diagnosis. Concerning symptoms of an upset stomach include:

  • Severe or persistent stomach pain that interferes with eating, drinking, or performing regular activities.
  • Blood in your stool or vomit
  • Loss of appetite
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Persistent diarrhea that lasts more than three days
  • Stomach pain or diarrhea that wakes you up from sleeping

Don’t continue to live with frequent stomach upset – schedule an appointment to see a gastroenterologist today!

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