Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Digestive Issues

DID YOU KNOW

that your kitchen is a treasure chest of natural remedies?
It’s brimming with spices and healing foods you can rely
on whenever your digestion feels off. I hope these home remedies
empower you to make the most of your kitchen supplies and become your
own best healer!

Just a quick note: I’ve compiled several remedies for each specific digestive issue.
Please try one at a time to see if it works for you —
there’s no need to experiment with all of them simultaneously!

Wishing you a happy and satisfied belly,

REMEDIES

• Dry roast fennel seeds and store them in a jar. Take half a teaspoon after each meal.
• Steer clear of raw vegetables, salads, sprouts, and cruciferous veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peas, white potatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas.
• Drink hot water or a pre-made tea blend of cumin, coriander, and fennel.

BLOAT BANISHER

½ cup sesame seeds ¼ cup fennel seeds 2 tablespoons carom seeds ½ teaspoon Ghee ⅛ teaspoon salt (optional)

Start by dry roasting sesame seeds in a skillet over medium-low heat until they become fragrant and lightly colored. Once done, place them in a bowl. Next, add half a teaspoon of ghee to the skillet and roast fennel seeds over medium-low heat until they smell wonderful.

Add the fennel seeds to the bowl with the sesame seeds. Then, add another quarter teaspoon of ghee to the skillet and roast the carom seeds until they’re fragrant as well. Combine everything in the bowl. If you’d like to add salt, dissolve it in a little water (about a ¼ – ½ teaspoon) and mix it in with the seeds.

Take ½ teaspoon of this mixture after your meals to help prevent bloating and gas. It also makes a great garnish for veggies and soups. Just avoid it if you’re dealing with acidity or a burning sensation in your stomach.

TUMMY RESCUE ELIXIR

• 1 cup lime juice
• A very large piece of ginger to make ½ cup ginger juice
• 1 tablespoon Himalayan salt
• ⅔ teaspoon black salt
• ⅙ teaspoon asafoetida
• ⅔ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ⅓ teaspoon carom seeds
• ½ teaspoon ghee

To prepare the ginger juice, start by soaking the ginger in water for at least an hour. Once soaked, dry it thoroughly and peel off the skin. Next, grate the ginger using a cheese grater. Place the grated ginger in a nut bag or a thin kitchen towel and squeeze out all the juice.

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, grind the cumin and carom seeds into a powder, then roast them in ghee until fragrant. Combine all the ingredients together. This mixture can be stored in the fridge and will last for several months.

For relief from gas, bloating, and stomach pain, take 1 to 2 teaspoons after meals. If you’re experiencing nausea or a lack of appetite, take the same amount on an empty stomach. However, avoid using this if you have acidity or a burning sensation in your stomach.

CONSTIPATION Ah, the frustration of constipation! Whether you’re feeling sluggish from travel, dietary changes, or a long-standing battle with this issue, here are some tips and remedies to help get things moving again. Since chronic constipation can be quite persistent, consider consulting an Ayurvedic doctor to address the underlying causes effectively.

• Drink a cup of hot water.
• Soak two figs in a bit of water and eat them before bedtime.
• Mix two tablespoons of aloe vera juice with half a cup of warm water and enjoy it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
• Have a cup of prune or pear juice.
• Gently massage your belly with castor oil in a clockwise motion.
• Get moving! Physical activity, like going for a walk or practicing yoga, can help stimulate your bowels.
• Try squatting in the Malasana yoga pose and take ten slow, deep breaths into your belly.

GET THINGS MOVING RAISINS Raisins are excellent for alleviating constipation and are often regarded as one of the healthiest fruits. Feel free to enjoy this nutritious snack any time of day!

• 10 black raisins
• A few drops of ghee
• A pinch of Himalayan salt
• A few drops of lime juice

Gently dry toast the raisins in a pan over low heat. Once they puff up and soften, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ghee, salt, and lime juice until well combined.

UPSET STOMACH/INDIGESTION

You may be experiencing indigestion due to overeating, consuming foods that don’t sit well with you, or even emotional factors affecting your digestion. You might feel uncomfortably full after just a small meal, experience nausea, bloating, burping, or acidity, or have the sensation that your food is just sitting heavily in your stomach. In such cases, it’s essential to rekindle your digestive fire!

• If you’re not feeling hungry, consider skipping your next meal and opting for ginger tea or a pre-made blend of cumin, coriander, and fennel instead.
• If you are hungry, choose something light and easy to digest, such as congee, broth, or a blended vegetable soup.

CCF TEA

Sip on a cup of this renowned Ayurvedic tea to calm an upset stomach. It’s also highly effective for alleviating nausea.

• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 cup water

GINGER PICKLE

Consume 1 to 2 slices about 10 minutes before your meals to stimulate your digestive fire. You can store any leftover slices in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

• 2” piece of ginger
• Juice of ½ lime
• Big pinch of Himalayan salt

Peel the ginger and slice it thinly. Combine the slices with lime juice and salt, then let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

DIARRHOEA AND FOOD POISONING

When dealing with food poisoning, your body attempts to eliminate toxins through diarrhea (and occasionally vomiting). It’s important not to immediately try to stop the diarrhea. However, if you experience 5 to 6 episodes and it doesn’t subside on its own, or if there’s a risk of dehydration, you can take action with these home remedies.

To stop the movements:

• 60 ml black tea + ½ teaspoon lime juice
• Apple sauce with 1 teaspoon ghee, a pinch of cardamom and nutmeg.

THE RUNS STOPPER

• ¼ cup organic, whole milk plain yogurt
• 1 cup room temperature water
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of ground cumin

In a blender, combine the yogurt and water, and blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Allow it to sit for a minute, then skim off and discard the foam that forms on top. Finally, add the salt and cumin, and mix well.

To rehydrate:

• Ayurvedic Pedialyte: Mix 1 cup of water with ½ teaspoon of sugar, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and a squeeze of lime.
• Coconut Water: Use pure coconut water without any pulp.

What to eat:

• Congee
• Choose easily digestible cooked foods like khicharee, vegetable soups, or broth with rice.
• Steer clear of cold foods, heavy meals, spicy dishes, fried foods, and meat.

CONGEE TO THE RESCUE

When your digestion is particularly weak, or if you’re feeling unwell or running a fever, consider making congee. This incredibly light rice soup provides gentle nourishment, helps stimulate digestion, satisfies your thirst, and combats fatigue.

• ½ cup white basmati rice
• 4 cups water
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cumin

Combine all the ingredients and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is soft.

ACID REFLUX AND BURNING BELLY

Acid reflux and a burning sensation in the gut are usually related to pitta imbalances. To alleviate these symptoms, it’s essential to use cooling and soothing remedies to help reduce the internal heat.

• Start your day with 1 to 2 tablespoons of aloe vera juice on an empty stomach.
• Enjoy coconut water, boiled and cooled milk, or licorice tea at room temperature.
• Opt for smaller, more frequent meals to prevent overeating.
• Steer clear of spicy, sour, citrus, and fermented foods, as well as coffee and black tea.

CORIANDER COOLER

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon organic rock sugar or organic cane sugar

Crush the coriander seeds using a mortar and pestle or lightly grind them in a coffee grinder. Soak the crushed seeds in 1 cup of water overnight. In the morning, mash the seeds with the back of a spoon and strain the mixture through a sieve. Add sugar to the water, stir well, and drink it on an empty stomach.