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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffHealthy lifestyle choices may help prevent mild indigestion.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Chew your food slowly and thoroughly.
- Avoid triggers. Fatty and spicy foods, carbonated beverages, caffeine, alcohol and smoking can trigger indigestion.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Excess pounds put pressure on your abdomen, pushing up your stomach and causing acid to back up into your esophagus.
- Exercise regularly. With your doctor's OK, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. It can be as simple as a daily walk, though not right after you eat. Exercise helps you keep off extra weight and promotes better digestion.
- Manage stress. Create a calm environment at mealtime. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga. Spend time doing things you enjoy. Get plenty of sleep.
- Reconsider your medications. With your doctor's approval, stop or cut back on aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs, which can irritate your stomach lining. If that's not an option, be sure to take these medications with food.
References
- Indigestion. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/indigestion. Accessed March 14, 2009.
- Feldman M, et al. Treatment of functional dyspepsia. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/127528571-4/0/1389/50.html?tocnode=51637799&fromURL=50.html#4-u1.0-B1-4160-0245-6..50012-3_220. Accessed March 23, 2009.
- Longstreth GF. Functional dyspepsia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 14, 2009.
- Longstreth GF. Approach to the patient with dyspepsia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 14, 2009.
- Geeraerts B, et al. Functional dyspepsia: Past, present and future. Journal of Gastroenterology. 2008;43:251.
- Prescrire editorial staff. Herbal remedies for dyspepsia: Peppermint seems effective. Prescrire International. 2008;17:121.
- Soo S, et al. Psychological interventions for non-ulcer dyspepsia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD002301.
- von Arnim U, et al. STW 5, a phytopharmacon for patients with functional dyspepsia: Results of a multicenter, placebo-controlled double-blind study. 2007;102:1268.
- Picco MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. March 31, 2009.
- Understanding antidepressant medications. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/antidepressants010909.html. Accessed March 31, 2009.
