Cheap and Easy Ways to Soothe a Belly Ache

It seems that more and more people are suffering from stomach problems. Whether it is a hiatal hernia, ulcers, or just that little queasy feeling that happens from time to time. With all of these problems becoming commonplace, there are all manner of medications at the local drugstore. Many of these can have some rather disturbing side effects though. These medications also have a lot of people that are allergic to them and they can also get quite expensive. Whether you are a naturalist, cheapskate, or just sick of the chemical medications, there are some options out there. There are several things in your home right now that can help to soothe a sour stomach. Here is a look at a couple of these and a recipe to make your own.

Mint

Mint has been used for centuries to calm an upset stomach. There are several different ways that you can do this. It is always a good idea to have a couple peppermint disks (the little red and white stripped candies) laying around for this occasion. When it comes to a mild upset, these can work wonders. Just suck on it for a little while and your stomach will start to calm. You can also find several teas that have mint in it. Spearmint and peppermint are both effective and will help to soothe almost immediately. If you are using a tea, you want to make sure it is herbal or decaffeinated. Caffeine can actually upset your stomach or cause the jitters. Another option is to keep a mint plant in your home. This not only helps to deodorize your home and freshen the air, but you can pluck a leaf when your stomach hurts and just suck on it for a couple minutes. While you can eat the leaves, they have a bit of a bitter aftertaste, so you may want to spit it out when you are done. That is a matter of preference. Having the plant in your home will also allow you to make some great teas or flavor up some of your foods as well.

Raw Cabbage

When it comes to a more severe upset or heartburn, raw cabbage is great. It has also been known to aid in the healing of ulcers and reduction of acid reflux symptoms, GERD, or hiatal hernia problems. There are several ways that you can use this. Coleslaw is a nice addition to any diet that can help to prevent and soothe these problems. Some dry cabbage is good for spot treatments. If you have an upset stomach, chew on a cabbage leaf for a couple minutes. The green cabbage works best, but red is still a little effective. If you have problems with the taste of cabbage, it is a great additive to a smoothie. You can either buy cabbage juice, or use a blender to liquefy some. Add this to a soft fruit juice, and you won't even taste it. You can use peach or pear juice for this and it will go down smoothly without causing more upset. This works best for heartburn or ulcers. For a mild upset, whether you like it or not, the best method is to chew on a leaf for a couple minutes.

Milk and Yogurt

This is a really tricky one. For some people, it will coat your stomach and stop heartburn and upset stomach. For others, it will curdle your stomach and make things feel worse. I would suggest trying this once to see which category you fall into. If it soothes, it is one of the best things you can do for an upset stomach and it is healthy for you. You can add yogurt to the above cabbage juice cocktail and get a smoothie that will chase away all the problems in your tummy. If it does work for you, it is one of the fastest and best methods you can use. It will work almost instantly. Milk and ice cream usually do the best, but for smoothies, yogurt is the choice you want to make. You will also want to use plain yogurt. A lot of the artificial flavors can cause an already upset stomach to get worse.

Licorice Root

This is a great natural antacid if you don't mind black jelly beans. That is what these taste like. They can be a little hard to find and you will want to get the deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) licorice. There is a chemical that can cause problems if used long term. The DGL form removes this chemical and makes it much safer. You can still only take this for about a month before taking a break from it though. These cautions are for those that would be taking it three times a day everyday. If you just have some occasional problems, this is a natural wonder drug when it comes to stomach upset. You can find them in capsules, but they are only truly effective in the chewable tablets. For the licorice to work properly, it has to mix with your saliva. Not only have these been proven to aid in the healing of ulcers, it has been used since medieval times to soothe stomach upset even in toddlers. Just chew on it for a minute or two and swallow the juices. This works faster and better than Tums or Rolaids could ever hope to. You can also get some organic or natural black licorice chews. These are made with licorice root (hence the name licorice) and are a more candy like way to ease stomach problems.

Upset Tummy Popsicles

If you have kids, you are bound to have the occasional upset stomach. Here is a little recipe that is great for kids and adults both. All you will need is an ice cube tray, toothpicks, wax paper (optional), blender, and a freezer.

1 cup raw cabbage juice
4 sprigs of mint - chopped (two peppermints ground to powder will work as well)
1 apple - cored and diced (skin is optional, but more effective if left on)
1 cup water
1 packet of Kool-aid (optional for flavor)

Put the cabbage juice, mint, and apple into blender and liquefy.
Mix in water and Kool-aid.
Pour mixture into ice cube trays.
Cover with wax paper (saran wrap or aluminum foil work as well. It is just needed to hold the toothpicks in place while freezing).
Insert toothpick to each ice cube.
Place in freezer until frozen.

This simple little recipe will give you a tasty treat that can soothe an upset stomach in minutes. These are cheaper than kids Pepto and much more effective and safe. Even adults can use these to ease any stomach problems they may have.

There are several things in your home that can ease, prevent, or cure stomach problems. These are some of the more fast acting methods you can use to chase your heartburn or indigestion away.