Understanding Symptoms Of Indigestion And How To Reverse Them

Symptoms of indigestion have almost become comic relief on television commercials. People belching, grabbing for their Tums and singing along with cute Alka-Seltzer jingles has created the illusion that indigestion is not only normal, but funny. However, there is nothing humorous about indigestion or its symptoms.

When someone complains of indigestion, it can vary from the top of the digestive tract all the way through to the bottom. People may complain of reflux, acid in the throat, stomach ache, abdominal distention, gas pain and, finally, diarrhea. Understandably, not wanting to endure these uncomfortable symptoms, an individual reaches for over-the-counter medications to soothe the discomfort.

This nonchalant attitude as to the seriousness of indigestion from advertisers, coupled with the availability of easily self-medicating with OTC products, combines to create the perfect storm in a person’s health. If an individual considers symptoms of indigestion a natural part of life, and temporary treatment is available to decrease discomfort, there is no desire to get to the heart of the problem.

So what is the actual problem that is resulting in antacid products being one of the most profitable industries? There are some theories to consider:

Overeating

One of the most obvious precursors to indigestion, in the absence of any other medical problems, is that of overeating. Society is growing at an alarming rate. There was a time that people ingested real foods, those found on the outside walls of grocery stores. Meat, fresh produce and dairy were normal meals and were cooked at home. Today, fast food chains are everywhere, for those fast paced individuals needing a meal on the run. Boxed convenience foods are thrown in the microwave for a dinner in minutes. Restaurants offer appetizers, large main dishes and desserts. Everywhere one looks, people are consuming much more in one sitting than their digestive systems can handle. People seem to be eating for the pleasure rather than to curb hunger. Our bodies are actually quite capable of telling us when they are hungry (the growling stomach) as well as when they’ve been pushed to their limits (indigestion).

Unhealthy Diets And Food Intolerances

Continual consumption of unhealthy foods, such as snacks and sodas, has also taken a toll on the human body. One must understand that these products aren’t actually food, nor do our bodies know what to do with them. Whether a person is actually intolerant to certain foods or is consuming dead foods that are irritating the intestinal lining, ceasing to eat these products is the only way to calm the intestines to begin healing on the inside. Most people have seen how cola can clean a penny. Imagine the impact this beverage has on the intestinal walls over time. Symptoms of indigestion are the body’s way of letting a person know that it cannot digest or process these foods.

Symptoms Of Indigestion Caused By Lack Of Digestion

The ironic problem with indigestion is that people use antacids to relieve symptoms which, in turn, decrease the amount of stomach acid necessary to digest food. Over time, this cycle of not digesting food results in much more serious symptoms than indigestion, it can impact the entire body’s immune system because nutrition from foods and supplements isn’t able to be properly absorbed, with the digestive tract continually in flux.

If you have a continually upset stomach, it is important that you first be checked out by your doctor to rule out any other potential causes for your discomfort. If no other problem is found, it is time to begin looking at what and how you eat. Eating only when hungry, ceasing overeating, consuming natural foods that your body can retrieve nutrition from and allowing stomach acid levels to return to normal should reduce symptoms of indigestion in a very short amount of time.