No one is immune to a gassy stomach. And as embarrassing as it can be, it is an uncomfortable experience that can often lead to other problems like bloating, stomach cramps, heaviness, and heartburn. When excess gas gets collected within the gastrointestinal tract, the condition is called flatulence. While there are many ways to tackle and manage the symptoms, some people look for Ayurvedic remedies for the same. Ayurvedic medicine is one of the world’s oldest holistic approaches to bringing about a balance between the mind, body, and spirit. In this article, we provide you with a list of 8 Ayurvedic remedies for gas and acidity. But before we get into that, let’s see what causes gas and acidity.

What Causes Gas and Acidity?

We all release gas either through the mouth, in the form of belching, or through the rectum.

To first understand the problem, it’s important to understand why it happens in the first place. There are many ways in which you get gas in your digestive system. Firstly, we all tend to swallow air while eating or drinking, which causes gases like nitrogen and oxygen to enter the body. Secondly, during digestion, gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen are produced, which accumulate in the stomach, causing discomfort if created in excess and not released.

It also depends on the food you eat daily. If you consume high-fiber foods like broccoli, cabbage, rajma, chole, and lentils, without enough water consumption, they won’t get digested easily by the stomach. Your colon, which contains a lot of bacteria, will break the food down as it passes through. During this process a lot of gas will be released, which if accumulated can cause bloating, nausea, acidity, acid reflux, or other uneasy symptoms.

Most of the factors that cause gas, trigger acid reflux as well. Ayurveda states that an imbalanced agni (one of the important elements) causes a weakened digestive system. So the best way to treat gas and acidity is by balancing out this metabolic fire by following the below-mentioned Ayurvedic remedies.

Home Remedies for Acidity and Gas

Get relief from gas and acidity naturally with these few Ayurvedic remedies for gastric issues and acidity.

1. Asafoetida (Hing):

Asafoetida or hing gives you instant relief from gas or acidity. If you mix half a teaspoon of the spice with lukewarm water and drink it, you'll be able to relieve yourself from excess gas and the resultant acidity. Asafoetida is known for its anti-flatulent, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties. According to Ayurveda, when vata dosha (space and air) increases in the colon, gases may accumulate and build up. Hing helps to balance out this dosha in the colon. Moreover, you can add a dash of this spice every time you make dishes that cause flatulence such as legumes, chickpeas, pulses, etc. You can also mix hot mustard oil with hing and massage it around your belly button to give you some relief.

2. Lime juice with baking powder:

Another home remedy that works wonders is lime juice mixed with half a teaspoon of baking soda and water. Drink this concoction soon after your meals and it will help with the proper digestion of your food. When baking soda is mixed with lemon juice, the sodium bicarbonate of the former reacts with the citric acid of the latter, forming a buffer, i.e. sodium citrate. This is a weak acid or base that balances out the pH levels of the body.

3. Cumin seeds/jeera water:

One of the best natural acidity medicine is jeera water. A tablespoon of cumin seeds boiled in two cups of water for nearly 15 minutes will relieve you of all your gastrointestinal problems. Cumin/jeera contains an organic compound called cumin aldehyde, which is known to trigger the salivary glands in the mouth, thereby activating the digestion process. This is followed by another important compound known as thymol, which bolsters the glands that secrete bile, acids, and other enzymes that help in digesting food in the stomach and intestines.

4. Curd or dahi:

Dahi/curd/yogurt is the best thing you can give your gut every day unless you are lactose intolerant. But for those who aren’t, the probiotics in curd can help reduce flatulence, gas, and even acidity. You can swap your usual sour cream or mayo with curd in all your recipes as that will be a smart way to add some good bacteria to your meals. Preferably consume homemade dahi or buy the ones whose label reads, ‘live and active cultures’.

5. Ginger:

Ginger or adrak is a great Ayurvedic remedy and acts as a carminative. You can either have it in the powdered or grated form. You can also have one teaspoon of grated ginger with a teaspoon of lime juice and lukewarm water every morning. You can also prepare ginger tea as it is an effective home remedy for flatulence and gives instant relief from trapped gas and acidity.

6. Mint Leaves:

Mint is an effective natural cure for acidity since it lowers the formation of acid and soothes the burning sensation in your stomach. For relief, chop and boil some mint leaves, then sip the cooled mixture.

7. Jaggery:

You could try boiling an ash gourd with jaggery as an ayurvedic treatment for acid reflux. This significantly lessens the burning sensation in the stomach.

8. Bananas:

According to Ayurveda, the potassium in ripe bananas aids in removing abrupt acidic episodes. Additionally, bananas help relieve constipation issues and encourage regular bowel movements.

In conclusion:

While these Ayurvedic remedies can certainly help your gut, you can also try out Wellbeing Nutrition's Probiotic + Prebiotic supplement that provides support to your digestive health, neutralizes toxins, improves metabolism, and helps prevent other gut-related issues. With 36 billion (CFU) active live cultures per serving, your gut microbiome will thrive and be healthy, ex all digestive problems like acidity, gas, and bloating, to name a few.

References:

• Gas in the Digestive Tract, (https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=85&ContentID=P00369)

• Belching, Bloating and Flatulence, American College of Gastroenterology, (https://gi.org/topics/belching-bloating-and-flatulence/)

• Azpiroz F. Intestinal gas dynamics: mechanisms and clinical relevance. Gut. 2005;54(7):893-895. doi:10.1136/gut.2004.048868. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774596/)

• Mahendra P, Bisht S. Ferula asafoetida: Traditional uses and pharmacological activity. Pharmacogn Rev. 2012;6(12):141-146. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.99948. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3459456/)

• Enhancement of digestive enzymatic activity by cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) and role of spent cumin as a bionutrient, K.S. Muthamma Milan, Hemang Dholakia, Purnima Kaul Tiku, Prakash Vishveshwaraiah, Food Chemistry, (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814608002483)

• Yogurt and gut function, Oskar Adolfsson, Simin Nikbin Meydani, Robert M Russell, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, (https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/80/2/245/4690304)

• Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2018;7(1):96-108. Published 2018 Nov 5. doi:10.1002/fsn3.807, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6341159/)