INDIGESTION OR ACIDITY

The following modifications in food and lifestyle can make your symptoms more manageable.

• Eat your meals timely: Do not delay taking breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day. Take a good breakfast. Ensure you are taking your lunch on time. Your dinner should be early. Ensure there's an interval of 2-3 hours between your dinner and bedtime. This helps in reducing heartburn at night and keeps you fit. ‘Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy wealthy and wise’ is not just a kids’ poem.

• If you are used to your morning tea or coffee, take it with a few nuts or a cookie. Do not take more than 2 cups of tea or coffee in a day.

• Do not sleep after lunch. It slows down your digestion and predisposes you to indigestion and acidity.

• Do not drink water immediately after a meal. Give a gap of 30-60 mins. If you are thirsty, take water prior to your meal, preferably at a gap.

• If you suffer from heartburn at night, sleep slightly propped up. It will reduce regurgitation, itchy throat and coughing spells.

• Chew your food slowly and properly before swallowing.

• Avoid smoking, alcohol, too much spicy food and rich food.

Indulgence should be an occasional treat and not routine. Do not abuse your system.

Following these practical tips could reduce your medicine requirement.

Here are few commonly used homeopathic medicines for Indigestion or Acidity.

• Carbo veg: Severe heaviness and flatulence, felt mostly in the upper abdomen. It feels better by belching.

• Robinia: Almost a specific remedy, in low potencies. Hyperacidity with burning pain, more at night on lying down. Sour belching and vomiting.

• Natrium phosphoricum: Very useful in abdominal distension after eating. Vomiting of sour, cheesy masses is also present in this remedy.

• Iris versicolor: Burning of the entire gastro-intestinal tract from throat to anus is the most prominent and persistent of all the symptoms. Sweets could be the cause for such disturbances.