Combating gastric disorders

With the heat reaching its peak in the summer months and worries about Covid19 still surrounding us, I want to talk to you about an important topic I have seen my clients especially women face these in the past few weeks- Gastric disorders. This can range from acidity, flatulence, constipation and even loose motions. These issues in gastric mobility can cause a damper to your day by making you feel irritable, restless and even lower your electrolytes leaving you fatigued and low spirited.

Let share with you ladies some simple home remedies which one should include in their daily food so that one does not face these gastric disorders:

Water: I have been harping on and on to everyone including my clients that as the summer season sets in make water your best friend. Literally, let it be a Siamese twin to you. Water acts as a moistener for your excretory system which allows smooth passing of motions and promotes regular urination which removes toxins from your body. Water, room temperature or warm is your best bet for this.

Spices box: The magical Indian spices box does not only spice up your food but some of these spices have stomach soothing properties too! These are asafoetida powder (Hing), cumin seeds (Jeera) and ginger dry or fresh. These are useful in strengthening the functions of the stomach as they relieve flatulence. So let me tell you, if you are facing a bad gas attack, boil ½ tsp of asafoetida powder or ¼ tsp dried ginger powder or 1 tsp fresh grated ginger powder in water, and drink the warm water to help release blocked gas from the body. Roasted cumin seed powder added to water along with lemon juice aids in digestion and removes flatulence from the body. Chewing on fresh ginger after meals is also a good idea as it aids in digestion.

Fiber: It is best to eat real foods rich in fiber and the best sources right now among grains is your whole wheat grain flour which has around 11.23 gm of fiber per 100 gms and is easily available in the market. Among vegetables, the onion is your best bet as it is easy to find and provides around 2.45 gm of fiber per 100 gms. Fruits are your next best fiber rich sources and what better than the fibrous seasonal king of fruits – the juicy mango. Eat it in the fruit form to get the benefits of the fiber which is around 1.8 gm of fiber per 100 grams as opposed to mango juice or aamras. The papaya is also a great fruit to ease constipation problems as it has around 2.83 gms of fiber per 100 gms of the fruit. I always advise everyone to eat as much real fiber as one can to ensure untroubled functioning of the gastrointestinal system.

So, I urge you to start eating more naturally and you will answer natures call more smoothly and regularly every day!