Before Ty and I started dating, life was not all rainbows and Ingrid Michaelson songs.
I was going through a divorce, he was going through a divorce, and we both felt like big fat failures at this life thing.
I cope with stress by eating baked goods and watching romantic comedies. Ty, however, didn’t have such a rock solid coping mechanism, and the stress got to him.
His stomach was constantly in knots.
He went to the doctor, and they ruled out irritable bowel syndrome, an ulcer, and lots of scary sounding things that end in -itis.
But knowing it wasn’t any of those things didn’t change the fact that he had a stomachache 24-7.
Ow.
Enter Ms. Fix-It
After we’d been dating a few weeks, Ty admitted his tummy troubles to me.
With the divorce paperwork behind him, the stress had already taken a sharp decline.
Not to mention that we were opening our hearts to a love that took our breath away.
Still, the stomach pain remained.
This would not do. So I did a little research.
3 Simple Home Remedies for an Upset Stomach
I found three home remedies for general stomach troubles – all backed by scientific research, all relatively low-cost, and all completely free of those side effects you see in the pharmaceutical commercials like hallucinations and anal leakage.
This was Ty’s first real experience with my researching ways. From how to handle temper tantrums like a ninja badass mom to why you shouldn’t tell your kid she’s smart, obsessive research is how I tackle life’s problems.
He humored me and tried all the remedies.
After a couple days, he started feeling a little better.
Then after using these remedies religiously for a month, his tummy troubles went away completely. No more doctor visits, no prescription medication, no pain.
Now, he just uses these tricks every once in a while if something stresses him out, like work or a lack of delicious baked goods.
If you have a persistent stomachache or heartburn, put away the Pepto Bismol and try these instead. To be on the safe side before you try #2 and #3, check with your health practitioner.
Photo by Max Charping1. Go Bananas
Yes, just eat a banana.
Bananas stimulate mucus production in your stomach, and that mucus acts as a protective barrier between all the nasty acids swirling around in your stomach and your sensitive stomach lining.
Plus, bananas have something called protease inhibitors. That sounds naughty, but it’s not. The protease inhibitors help reduce bacteria in the stomach that’s linked to ulcers.
Not super into bananas? Try a smoothie or banana ice cream.
2. Have a Cuppa
One of the cutest things our 6-year-old Abby does is talk in a British accent.
It sounds nothing like a British accent. More like a Chihuahua with a mouth full of marbles – if Chihuahuas could talk, I mean.
Ty was already a tea drinker, so I didn’t have to whip out my own British accent to convince him of this remedy. Which is a good thing because all I can say in a British accent is “Hello, guvnah.” And honestly, it sounds pretty similar to Abby’s accent.
But here’s the magical tea: Gaia Herbs Herbal Digest Tea.
You have a cup after every meal, and it actually tastes pretty good thanks to the peppermint, ginger, and lemon verbena.
Just about every ingredient in the tea is a digestive powerhouse, but looking at ginger alone, it reduces inflammation and relaxes the digestive tract.
3. Chew on This
Deglycrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, is a chewable pill that stimulates mucus production in your stomach to protect your stomach lining. Yep, just like bananas.
But don’t worry, the pill doesn’t taste like licorice. It’s chocolate-flavored. SCORE.
Follow the directions on the bottle, but for the brand we have you chew one tablet before each meal. You can order it here.
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Your Turn
What’s your favorite home remedy for a tummyache? Leave a comment to share!
