Overindulging on rich foods and drinking an abundance of alcohol can cause indigestion in those with even the strongest of constitutions. Rachael Hannan looks at ways to prevent indigestion.

What is Indigestion?

Indigestion is a blanket term that covers various symptoms such as stomach cramping, heartburn and wind but essentially, they’re all a sign that the digestive system is having trouble coping with the amount of food in the body.

The Symptoms of Indigestion

Heart burn is the most common symptom, caused when an overfull belly pushes stomach acid back up the oesophagus - the tube in which food and drink passes from the throat into the stomach. Symptoms consist of an acidic taste in the mouth, a burning sensation when swallowing, and in the worst cases, stomach cramps and nausea.

Many think the acidic taste is the result of too much stomach acid but this is rarely the case - it’s because your stomach doesn’t have enough acid to cope with the amount of food you’ve eaten!

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Make sure you have plenty of good bacteria in your gut to help your digestion. Eat lots of live probiotic yogurt which contains the well-advertised friendly bacteria that tops up the good bacteria in the gut, overcrowding the bad bacteria and optimising bodily functions.

The gut is responsible for 70% of our immune function but the good bacteria is killed by alcohol and caffeine so a constant supply of good bacteria is essential, especially when we overindulge. Ensure the yogurt has no added sugar or sweeteners otherwise it will counteract the good bacteria in the yogurt, usually called acidophilus or bifidus.

Artichokes

Artichokes have been used since Roman times to aid digestion and although it’s unlikely you will eat one on Christmas Day you can purchase some excellent herbal supplements called Cynara artichoke extract, available from health food stores and chemists. They not only help digestion but stave off a hangover too because they naturally detoxify the liver - perfect!

Herbal Relief

Two herbs that really do ease heartburn are mint and ginger. You can buy mint or ginger tea bags in health food shops and supermarkets, or you can make your own by steeping approximately 5-10g of fresh mint leaves or peeled fresh grated ginger in half a pint of almost boiling water for five minutes; strain and drink immediately, adding honey to taste.

You can also buy ginger chewing gum from the Sea Band brand at health food stores, containing 25mg of ginger oil - the equivalent to around 8g of fresh root ginger.

Cider Vinegar

We often suffer with indigestion because there isn’t enough stomach acid to deal with the extra food consumed. Cider vinegar contains malic and tartaric acid which helps the body break down rich, fatty food and metabolize proteins, fats and minerals. Drinking a teaspoon of cider vinegar in half a glass of water, during a meal or shortly after will help digestion, balance stomach acid and kill unfriendly bacteria in the gut.

Pharmaceutical Remedies

You can purchase antacids from the chemist which are relatively safe and effective but it is always wise to try a natural remedy first.

Experts recommend the best ones are in tablet form and contain a mixture of magnesium hydroxide (which causes diarrhoea) and aluminium hydroxide, (which causes constipation) so together they counteract each others side effects.

You can also by acid inhibitors which contain small doses of ranitidine and cimetidine but these can mask a more serious problem if taken on a regular basis and should ideally be used as a last resort.

What Else Can You Do?

• Eat more slowly
• Try not to mix your drinks more than necessary!
• Eat little and often. The food will still be there a couple of hours later!
• Don’t wear tight fitting clothing. If you do, loosen your belt or waist band so the stomach is restricted because this will only make heart burn worse.
• Avoid chocolate if you have heartburn. It contains caffeine and is very high in fat and will aggregate symptoms immediately.