Ayurvedic Remedies for Acidity & Indigestion

Understanding Acidity and Indigestion

Acidity and indigestion are two distinct conditions related to the gut. Although they are closely related, they differ in their causes and symptoms. Even though Ayurvedic indigestion remedies can also address acidity issues, the two conditions are distinct and differ in their causes, symptoms, etc. Acidity is also known as hyperacidity or heartburn, and indigestion is known as dyspepsia or stomach upset. 

Acidity vs. Indigestion

Commonly, people use 'acidity' and 'indigestion' interchangeably to address similar sets of symptoms. But scientifically, those two are different issues that may happen simultaneously; among the two, acidity is more specific and unrelated to the heart! Whereas indigestion presents with vague symptoms. 

Let us begin by understanding acidity.

1. Acidity 

In Ayurveda, it is often referred to as 'Amlapitta'. It arises when 'Agni' (digestive and metabolic fire) becomes imbalanced along with 'Pitta', a body element responsible for digestion and metabolism. 

An imbalance of 'Agni' and 'Pitta' leads to excessive sourness in the gut. This excessive sourness can result from different, causes including poor dietary habits, lifestyle, impaired sleep, stress, etc.

Causes of Acidity

Various factors, including improper diet, lifestyle, or sleeping patterns, can cause acidity.  Check out the following causes to see if you follow any of these: 

• Intake of dairy products with fish or meat (incompatible food combination).
• Contaminated foods and drinks (e.g., stale food, putrefied meat, contaminated water, etc.). 
• Excessive intake of spicy and sour-tasting foods.
• Consuming heavy meals.
• Consuming food just before going to sleep.
• Having food before the digestion of previously consumed food.
• Intake of heavy to-digest, excessive oily and dry food.
• Excessive alcohol intake, smoking.
• Staying awake late at night.
• Overweight or obesity.
• Certain medications.
• Excessive intake of chocolates, carbonated drinks, coffee, tea, etc.
• Mental stress and anxiety.

Symptoms of Acidity

Are you experiencing any of these?

• Bitter and sour belching.
• Burning sensation in the stomach, chest and throat.
• Tastelessness.
• Excessive salivation.
• Heaviness of the body.

Read more on Acid Reflux in this article - Breaking up with GERD: Understanding the time frame of acid reflux.

Sometimes when you experience similar symptoms, you may think that it is just an episode of indigestion from the food you ate. Yes, sometimes it can be just an indigestion, but sometimes not! It is quite confusing, indigestion has some other specific symptoms. Read on to know.

2. Indigestion

Ayurveda denotes indigestion with the term 'ajeerna'. The condition 'ajeerna', which means indigestion, plays a significant role in causing numerous other health issues. Indigestion can lead to acidity, bloating, malnutrition, stress, headaches, etc.

Although it is commonly called indigestion, each person may experience different symptoms at different frequencies. Some people experience symptoms daily, while others experience them occasionally.

Causes of Indigestion

Causes of indigestion include: 

• Too much intake of water.
• Overeating.
• Irregular food timings.
• Too much of fasting.
• Holding back natural urges like defecation and urination.
• Irregular sleeping habits.
• Consuming too much of heavy-to-digest, oily and dry foods.
• Experiencing temporary or chonic stress, anxiety, and depression.

Symptoms of Indigestion

• A feel of fullness (food does not move from the stomach).
• Lethargy or tiredness all the time.
• Constant headache.
• Stiffness in different parts of the body.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Anorexia.

“I joined Nirva 6 months ago regarding my gut and acid reflux. With the support of health diet and yoga class, iam feeling much better. And I can eat things without any problem.” - Sonal Patel, Nirva Client

Ready to be someone like Sonal Patel? Trust Ayurvedic experts at Nirva

Ayurvedic Remedies for Acidity

The increased production of stomach acid causes a burning sensation in the stomach and chest. Hence the name heartburn. 

As mentioned above, according to Ayurveda, the primary dosha involved in the manifestation of acidity is Pitta dosha or bio-energy, which is mainly responsible for digestion and metabolism. That means balancing the Pitta element in the body itself is the primary goal of acidity management. 

1. Herbs to Ease Acidity

A few herbs are said to be very effective in managing Acidity. They are:

• Fennel
• Cumin
• Mint
• Pointed gourd
• Ash gourd
• Licorice
• Giloy
• Asparagus
• Raisins
• Sandalwood
• Cardamom
• Indian gooseberry
• Aloe vera 

You can add these into your herbal teas, take as supplements or prepare different dishes.

Some Simple Remedies for Acidity

Let us now explore a few simple but effective remedies for acidity.

• Acidity-ayurvedic home remedies include simple herbs with cooling, carminative (aiding release of gas), and digestive properties.
• A simple herbal tea of sandalwood with candy sugar, which is cooling, can calm the heat of Pitta in your body. 
• Boiled and mashed ash gourd with jaggery soothes your gut and relieves burning.
• Crush some cumin seeds in boiling water, and drink this in sips throughout the day
• Drink warm water added with  a spoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon, which helps regulate the production of stomach acid
• Soak the dried kokum fruit skin in water for 30 minutes, macerate well, and prepare the soup. Add a pinch of rock salt and pepper powder. 
• Take 50 grams of mature cucumber pulp and add 25 grams of jaggery. Grind this well in a mixer. Take this before food twice daily to nullify the intensity of stomach acid hypersecretion.
• Boil one part of liquorice with eight parts of milk and 32 parts of water. It should be boiled until the milk portion remains. After filtering, consume this before eating in the morning.

If you find no satisfactory results with the remedies and supplements, you can get relief from Panchakarma detoxification therapies.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Indigestion

Even in case of indigestion, the Pitta dosha plays a significant role. Why? This is because ‘Pitta’ is the main component related to digestion and metabolism. 

Whenever you experience idigestion, you must know that your ‘Agni’ is hampered. This ‘Agni,’ should be re-ignited using digestive herbal spices. Ayurveda indigestion remedies usually contain spicy herbs that are used in everyday cooking. Yes, do not look anywhere else. Remedies start in your kitchen.  

Herbs Useful in Managing Indigestion

The following herbs are highly effective in managing indigestion: 

• Ginger
• Long pepper
• Pepper
• Coriander
• Ajwain
• Cumin
• Black cumin
• Cinnamon
• Asafoetida
• Chebulic myrobalan
• Clove
• Dill seed
• Peppermint

Already searching for these in your kitchen cabinet? Wait till you read about how even home remedies need to change as per your gut type in this blog - 3 Gut Types and How They Impact Digestion

Some Simple Remedies for Indigestion

Following are some of the simple herbal remedies for Indigestion - 

• Add a pinch of asafoetida into sourless buttermilk (after removal of fatty content) and drink it fresh. 
• Consume one teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter) with half a teaspoon of long pepper early in the morning and follow with sips of ginger infused warm water.
• Crush a teaspoon of cumin and half an inch of fresh ginger and have half a teaspoon of this mixture with a pinch of rock salt before food. Follow with half a glass of warm water.
• Pound equal quantities of cumin and jaggery, and take one teaspoon of this mixture with warm water.
• Consume ¼ teaspoons of paste of cinnamon powder and honey after food or add it to your daily herbal tea.
• Take regular sips of hot peppermint tea.

Ayurvedic Lifestyle Tips

Ayurveda always emphasises prevention over cure and balance before health issues arise. You need to take care of yourselves to prevent diseases. Following some simple Ayurvedic daily routines can help prevent acidity and indigestion. Here are some tips that can help you achieve this goal:

• Wake up during Brahma muhurta (between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.) to keep your mind active, essential for maintaining gut health.
• Don't delay in clearing the urge of defecation, and urination.
• Ensure your meal contains all six tastes - sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent and astringent.
• Avoid excessive spicy, sour, oily, etc. food substances that can spoil your gut health.
• Consume less food at night than in the morning and afternoon.
• Avoid excessive exposure to hot sun and fire, which can aggravate Pitta and acidity.
• Avoid bathing soon after consuming food, which can diminish your 'Agni' or digestive fire.
• Limit the use of refrigerated food and beverages.
• Always maintain a healthy sleep regimen.
• Eat at the same time every day, which improves your digestion and prevents acidity.
• Eat only when you are hungry; don't munch in between just because you like the food.
• Engage in stress-relieving practices.
• Practice yoga, pranayama, meditation, and also regularly exercise.

This emphasises the importance of healthy eating habits for maintaining health. 

Conclusion

The food we consume plays a vital role in preventing health issues. However, due to busy lives and schedules, we cannot prioritise healthy eating, which makes the gut sick. So, we often rely on simple natural remedies to restore gut health.

A holistic approach is always good for managing acidity and indigestion. Lifestyle modification, dietary changes, and effective herbal remedies impart this comprehensiveness. Even acidity relief from yoga is also a considerable approach.  Always choosing a digestive-friendly diet, maintaining hydration, and mindful eating help prevent digestive issues. 

That is why Ayurveda says that when the diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when the diet is correct, medicine is of no need. This quote highlights the importance of a proper and healthy diet to maintain our health. If the diet is wrong, it is a waste even if we consume medicine in high quantities.