by Hermes Roberts

Created on: September 20, 2011   Last Updated: October 14, 2011

Food is essential to maintain life. When you can’t enjoy it because you have problems with your digestive system, it could be disheartening. Usually the majority of these problems are not serious and could be corrected by eating the right foods.

The digestive system may be assailed with such symptoms as nausea, vomiting, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, cramping, constipation and flatulence. There are some foods and health tips that you can implement to prevent or cure these symptoms.

If you are feeling queasy or nauseous, have some ginger. Ginger is the best motion sickness remedy you can buy. Ginger acts as a sponge, soaking up the acid found in the stomach. When you travel take ginger ale, ginger snaps, ginger tea or take 940-milligram capsules of ginger root about 20 minutes before leaving and every half hour during the trip. Before traveling, eat foods high in carbohydrates like bread and crackers. Drink plenty of water. Don't drink coffee, soda or alcohol. They act as diuretics.

A cup of basil tea can calm stomach upsets and eases digestive disorders especially gas. The eugenol in the basil eases muscle spasms. Pour ½ cup of boiling water over 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried basil. Let brew for 15 minutes, then strain and serve. Store in a cool, dark place. Pizza or pasta with garlic and basil, which is pleasing to the nose as well as the palate, has a sharp aroma and spicy flavor, but it also calms the stomach.

Plantains, which resemble large bananas, are known to prevent and treat ulcers. They also quell digestive upsets, such as flatulence and indigestion. They are very high in potassium. They reduce cholesterol, prevents constipation and hemorrhoids.

Heartburn is the feeling of a burning sensation in the stomach caused by acid digestive juices in the stomach which surge upward into the oesophagus, the tube that connects the mouth with the stomach. In this health tip, ginger is known to control heartburn. Make ginger tea by adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger (or ¼ to ½ teaspoon powdered ginger) to a cup of hot water. Steep for 10 minutes, strain out the ginger and drink. For heartburn, eat foods high in carbohydrates like pasta, rice and potatoes. It is essential to cut out chocolate, onions, peppermint and foods that are spicy or high in fat.

Some people have to endure the pain of a stomach ulcer. It is essential that you choose the right foods to heal a stomach ulcer. Cabbage is one of the best remedies for an ulcer. It contains glutamine, an amino acid that increases blood flow to the stomach and helps strengthen the protective lining. You should drink the juice from half a head (about 2 cups) of cabbage a day. Here is another health tip. You can eat 1 cup of yogurt three or four times a day for a couple of weeks. It is essential to have some honey available, as it is better than a bottle of antacid. Keep on eating some plantains and buy those that are green and slightly unripe.

Being lactose intolerant isn’t usually serious. Cut back on milk, cheese and other dairy foods. You could drink reduced lactose milk, eat reduced-lactose cheese. You could also take a lactose supplement, sold in pharmacies and supermarkets, stirred in milk or taken as a pill.

You have to seek medical attention if the symptoms mentioned above are persistent, as they may be the onset of a serious disorder.

Ref: The Doctors Book of Food Remedies By Selene Yeager

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