Licorice, Fenugreek, and Chili Peppers for an Upset Stomach?

My stomach can be a touchy organ. Eat one food and I get heartburn. Eat another and I get gas Suffice it to say that I have had ample opportunity over the years to try a wide variety of remedies, both natural and synthetic, to deal with an upset stomach.

While I have no problem taking pharmaceutical concoctions such as Prilosec, Pepto-Bismol, or Pepcid, I try to use them only when simpler measures have been ineffective. There are many remedies that can be made by simple items that you can grow yourself or buy from a vitamin or health food store. Here are the three I have had the best luck with:

Licorice: I'll be honest. I've always hated the taste the licorice. I have never understood why somebody thought it would be a good idea to make a candy out of the stuff. Nonetheless, licorice is a great home remedy for upset stomach and heartburn.

Licorice does not actually reduce stomach acid, as many pharmaceutical preparations do. Instead, it improves the ability of the stomach to withstand damage from acid. It has been shown to be an effective treatment for ulcers (source).

Making your own licorice remedy can be as simple as purchasing licorice extract and adding it to tea or as involved as growing your own licorice, cleaning the harvested herb, and gnawing on the root. I prefer the former, although gnawing on the root is probably the best way to get your licorice.

Fenugreek: Sometimes used as a spice for cooking, fenugreek is also good for stomach problems. Like licorice, it helps the lining of the stomach protect itself (source). Unlike licorice, however, fenugreek doesn't have the nasty taste.

Fenugreek is also more versatile than licorice, as you can simply spice your food with it. Just a teaspoon in your soup or on your salad will help. Alternately, you can just take a teaspoon of seeds with a drink. You can also grow it at home and experiment in the kitchen by adding fenugreek to your favorite recipes.

Chili Peppers: This was a bit of a surprise to me when I read about people using these spicy peppers to help stomach pain. I enjoy spicy food, but I had always assumed that spicy food causes stomach pain, heartburn, or worse.

It turns out, however, that a common arthritis medication, capsaicin, is made from peppers (source). This remedy is not for those who have tender palates. Adding peppers to recipes will increase the heat and make for a potentially traumatic eating experience for those not used to spicy foods.

If you can handle the taste, chili peppers actually soothe the stomach over time. Do not neglect the "over time" disclaimer. Adding chili peppers to your diet may produce a lot of discomfort for quite a while. If you want to lessen this, start out adding very, very small amounts of chili pepper and very, very slowly increasing the amount over several months.

Few things are as uncomfortable as bad stomach pain or heartburn. If you are sick of gulping down antacids or other stomach treatments, give a natural treatment a try. You can add them to foods or beverages you already consume and increase or decrease the amount according to taste and the sensitivity of your stomach.