Indigestion, or dyspepsia, is a common condition many people experience after eating or drinking. While your favorite foods may tantalize your taste buds, indulging too quickly or in excess can bring discomfort. Symptoms like bloating, nausea, gas, burping, or a burning sensation in your upper stomach can make you feel uneasy. It is not a disease but a symptom of some underlying gastrointestinal issues, such as ulcers, gastritis, or acid reflux.

Instead of rushing to purchase over-the-counter antacids, you may be amazed at how much natural remedies and small lifestyle changes can alleviate. This article explores ways that are effective in controlling indigestion and dives deeper into some lesser-known tips to keep your digestive system healthy. What Is Indigestion?

Indigestion means feeling uncomfortable or pain inside the upper part of the abdomen shortly after eating. While there are times that indigestion is just normal; continuous symptoms might indicate further illness.

Some common things which trigger this kind of sensation are:

- Rush eating

- Consuming large food portions

- Fatty foods

- Spicy food

- Stress or anxiety condition

- Medication like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

Symptoms of Indigestion

- Discomfort or feeling fullness following consumption

- Upper stomach burning sensation

- Bloating

- Burping or gas

- Nausea

Quick and Easy Home Remedies

The following are some of the natural remedies to help cure indigestion using common kitchen ingredients:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is one of the popular remedies for digestive issues. It is believed to boost the production of stomach acid, thus helping in digestion.

How to Use: Take 1-2 teaspoons of raw, unpasteurized ACV in a glass of water and consume it 30 minutes before meals.

Caution: Avoid excessive intake as it may cause erosion of teeth or throat irritation.

2. Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds are highly rich in antispasmodic properties and can relieve gastrointestinal issues such as cramping, bloating, and nausea.

How to Use: Boil ½ teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds in water for 10 minutes to prepare tea. Alternatively, chew fennel seeds post-meal for relief.

Caution: Overuse may lead to nausea or sensitivity to sunlight.

3. Baking Soda

Baking soda neutralizes excess stomach acid, offering quick relief from indigestion and bloating.

How to Use: Dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 4 ounces of water and drink it within two hours of a meal. Limit usage as this may disrupt your body's natural pH balance.

4. Ginger

Ginger balances stomach acid levels and reduces inflammation, thus a great remedy for low and high stomach acid causing indigestion.

How to Use: Put slices of fresh ginger into the water and boil; serve with honey or lemon according to taste.

5. Chamomile Tea

There is a lot of attention lately on the calming properties of this drink, which also tends to reduce inflammation in the gastro-intestinal tract.

How to Use: Steep in boiling water one or two tea-bags of chamomile tea; drink at ease as needed for relief.

Caution: Check with a doctor if you are taking blood thinners, since chamomile may cause interaction with the latter.

6. Licorice Root

Licorice root calms spasm of muscles and irritation in the gut, thus helping symptoms of GERD and gastritis.

How to Use: Chew or make into tea for symptomatic relief.

7. Carom Seeds

A staple in Indian homes, carom seeds are a Ayurvedic remedy that is loaded with thymol for improved digestion and reduction in bloating.

How to Use: Chew on small amounts of carom seeds post meal or brew them into a tea for quick relief.

Lifestyle Changes for Long Term Relief

In addition to the above remedies, consider adopting some lifestyle changes to prevent the recurrence of indigestion frequently:

1. Eat Smaller Meals: Large meals can overwhelm your digestive system. Opt for smaller, more frequent portions.

2. Avoid Trigger Foods: Identify and limit foods that commonly cause discomfort, such as spicy or high-fat dishes.

3. Stay Hydrated: Drink water throughout the day to aid digestion.

4. Manage Stress: High stress levels can exacerbate indigestion. Practices like yoga or meditation may help.

5. Do Not Lie Down Within Two Hours After Meal: Allow enough time to allow for good digestion; be upright after meals.

Gut-Brain Axis Role in Indigestion

This is the unexplored link between the gut and brain with indigestion. Gut and brain connect by a system of nerves, hormones, and signals. Whenever these nerves and hormones are influenced by stress or anxiety due to an emotional reason, gastrointestinal discomfort develops.

How to Utilize the Gut-Brain Connection for Optimal Digestion

- Eat mindfully: Concentrate on the food, chew properly, and avoid any other stimuli at the time of consumption. It is simple but really beneficial for optimal digestion.

- Yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods ensure the preservation of a good gut microbiome.

- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): If stress-induced indigestion is a chronic problem, consider CBT to manage anxiety and improve your overall well-being.

A team of researchers has discovered a group of brain cells responsible for creating “meal memories” — a finding that could explain why people often overeat after forgetting a recent meal. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals how these neurons not only store information about what was eaten but also when it was consumed. The research, conducted on laboratory rats, may offer new insights into eating disorders, memory loss, and even distracted eating habits.

The Brain’s Food Log: What Are Meal Engrams?

Scientists observed that while eating, a specific set of neurons in the ventral hippocampus became active. These neurons formed what researchers are calling meal engrams — memory traces that preserve the details of eating experiences, including the place and time a meal occurred.

“Meal engrams function like biological databases,” explained Scott Kanoski, senior author of the study and professor at USC Dornsife. “They help the brain log not just the food, but the full context of the meal.”

Engrams have long been known to store different types of memories. This study is the first to identify engrams tied specifically to eating.

Why This Matters: Overeating and Memory Loss

The findings could help explain why individuals with memory impairments — such as those with dementia or brain injuries — may eat multiple meals in a short span of time. If the brain cannot properly recall a recent meal, it may mistakenly interpret hunger signals and prompt overeating.

Disordered eating can also be triggered by distracted eating. Whether it’s watching TV or scrolling on a phone, these distractions may interfere with how effectively the brain forms meal memories. According to lead author Lea Decarie-Spain, these interruptions weaken or prevent the creation of complete meal engrams. Without these memory markers, the brain may fail to recognize that a meal has already been consumed.

How the Brain Records a Meal

The study showed that rats formed meal memories during short pauses between bites — moments when their brains naturally surveyed the environment. These pauses are key to integrating various streams of information such as time, place, and sensory details. When attention is disrupted during these pauses, memory formation suffers.

Using advanced neuroscience tools, researchers monitored brain activity in real-time as the rats ate. When the meal memory neurons were destroyed, the rats forgot where food was located but could still perform non-food-related memory tasks. This suggests that these neurons are uniquely dedicated to processing meal-related memories.

Further analysis showed that these neurons communicate with the lateral hypothalamus, a brain area crucial for regulating hunger. When this link was blocked, rats overate and could not remember meal details — further proving the importance of this memory mechanism.

A New Angle on Obesity Treatment

Kanoski believes this research opens new avenues for managing obesity and disordered eating. While current approaches largely focus on calorie restriction and exercise, strengthening meal memory formation could become an equally important strategy.

“Remembering what and when you ate could be just as vital as making healthy food choices,” he said.

In a world filled with distractions, this study underscores the power of mindful eating — not just for the sake of enjoyment, but for better memory, appetite control, and long-term health.

Herbs and spices are important parts of our diet. Used to enhance the taste and aroma of the food, these spices can be used in various ways. However, is the incredible taste and strong aroma the only benefits you get from herbs? There are many benefits to them as well, whether it is making our immunity strong, warding off cold or other infections as well as keeping our brain health strong!

Two herbs you probably have in your kitchen, rosemary and sage, might be surprisingly good for your health. New research published in the journal Antioxidants suggests these everyday plants could help improve your memory and even protect your brain from serious problems like dementia, a condition that affects memory and thinking.

Power of Carnosic Acid

Research shows that a special substance found in both rosemary and sage, called carnosic acid, could lower your chance of getting Alzheimer's disease. Carnosic acid is a strong "antioxidant" (which fights off harmful things in your body) and "anti-inflammatory" (which reduces swelling and irritation). This means it helps protect your brain cells from damage, like the kind of damage that leads to Alzheimer's.

New Hope for Alzheimer's Treatment

In a recent study published in the journal Antioxidants, scientists created a new, more stable version of carnosic acid called diAcCA. Early tests in labs showed that this new compound helped improve memory, increased the number of connections between brain cells, and reduced harmful proteins (like amyloid-beta and tau) that are linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists are hopeful that they can soon test diAcCA on humans. What's especially exciting is that diAcCA only becomes active in parts of the brain that are inflamed (swollen), which could mean fewer side effects. So far, studies in mice have shown no signs of harm and big improvements in how their brains work. Researchers also believe diAcCA might help treat other conditions that involve inflammation, such as type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and Parkinson's disease.

Other Brain-Boosting Compounds

Besides carnosic acid, rosemary and sage contain another helpful substance called 1,8-cineole. This compound helps stop the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a brain chemical that is very important for learning and memory. By protecting acetylcholine, rosemary might help keep our brains sharp as we get older. Plus, rosemary is full of antioxidants that protect brain cells from damage caused by something called "oxidative stress," which is a big reason why our thinking skills can decline.

Even just smelling rosemary might help your memory! A 2016 study from Northumbria University found that people who were in a room that smelled like rosemary had better memory. In this study, older adults in a rosemary-scented room did much better on memory tests compared to those in a room with no smell, scoring 15% higher. They also felt more awake.

General Tips for Dementia Prevention

The NHS (National Health Service) in the UK gives general advice on how to lower your risk of dementia:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Get at least 150 minutes of exercise (about 2.5 hours) every week. This means doing things like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Stop smoking if you do.
• Cut back on alcohol.
• Keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
• Stay socially active, meaning keep connecting with friends and family.

The food one eats, plays a very important role in helping us control our cholesterol. While one may be able to keep things under control by exercising, without fixing your food habits, it will be difficult to sustain for a longer period of time.

Doctor Sood, M.D, known on social media for health advice, recently shared a list of seven foods that can help reduce cholesterol levels. The good news is these foods are easy to add to any meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even just a snack, making them simple to include in your daily eating habits.

Top Foods for Cholesterol Management

There are many studies that back Dr. Sood’s suggested diet additions. Here are the foods recommended to help lower cholesterol:

Avocado

Avocados can help lower bad cholesterol. They contain healthy fats, fiber, and plant compounds. A 2023 study published in Cureus showed that eating avocados can reduce overall cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol, supporting a healthier heart. They're a great addition to a low-fat diet.

Almonds

Almonds are good for your heart and can lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. They're low in unhealthy fats but rich in good fats, fiber, and plant protein. A 2011 study published in Nutrition Reviews found that almonds contain special nutrients that help reduce cholesterol absorption and boost its removal from the body.

Soy

Eating soy protein can help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. A 2019 study in The Journal of Nutrition found that having about 25 grams of soy protein daily for six weeks lowered LDL levels by 3-4%. You can get soy from foods like tofu, soy milk, and veggie burgers.

Berries

Berries are excellent for lowering cholesterol. They are packed with fiber and have no cholesterol or unhealthy saturated fat. According to Mass General Brigham, eating whole fruits, especially berries, helps you feel full and provides important nutrients for heart health. Avoid fruit juices, as they lack the beneficial fiber.

Salmon

Eating salmon twice a week can help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. It's a cold-water fish rich in healthy omega-3 fats, which are good for your heart. As explained by Harvard Health Publishing, choosing salmon instead of meat high in saturated fat is a beneficial dietary swap for managing cholesterol.

Oatmeal

Eating about one and a half cups of cooked oatmeal each day is suggested to help lower cholesterol. While many things can affect how well oatmeal works, some experts note that you might start seeing results from dietary changes in as little as two to four weeks. Beyond its health benefits, oatmeal can also be quite tasty.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is incredibly versatile and can be used in many ways, like dipping bread, drizzling over salads, or for cooking. Extra virgin olive oil is particularly beneficial because it's rich in polyphenols, which are plant-based compounds known for various health advantages.

It also contains oleic acid, which can help reduce inflammation, improve memory, and lower blood pressure. Recent research combining 30 studies showed that having olive oil daily lowered levels of certain inflammation markers in the body. Many find the flavor of olive oil enjoyable, making it a "win-win" for both taste and heart health.