Essential Oils For A Sour Stomach

Sour stomach: even the name sounds uncomfortable!  Every one of us has had the experience of an upset or acidic stomach with nausea or acid reflux.  Many people with sour stomach also suffer from bloating, pain, belching, and/or a sour or even metallic taste in the mouth.  Luckily, this distressing condition is easy to  understand and often to cure at home using simple, natural remedies.

Remember to consult a doctor if you have never experienced these symptoms before, if they are worse, or if you are worried for any other reason.  You should definitely make an appointment with a medical professional if you suffer from sour stomach symptoms more often than twice a week.  You could have an underlying condition that requires treatment (such as an ulcer).

Causes of Sour Stomach

There are many possible causes of a sour stomach.  Examples include:

• Eating too quickly or excessively
• Eating (especially overeating) acidic, spicy, or otherwise irritating foods
• Eating (especially overeating) fatty or greasy foods
• Stress or fatigue and lack of sleep
• A completely empty stomach (this is especially the case for people who tend to have an acidic stomach causing nausea)
• Acid reflux
• Eating immediately before bedtime

Essential Oils For Sour Stomach

Peppermint Essential Oil

• Relieves gas
• Decreases bloating
• Treats stomach cramps and abdominal pain
• Soothes nausea
• Aids in digestion

Chamomile Essential Oil

• Relieves gas
• Decreases bloating
• Treats pain and discomfort in the stomach
• Soothes nausea
• Aids in digestion

Fennel Essential Oil

• Treats constipation
• Relieves gas
• Decreases bloating
• Soothes nausea
• Acts as a diuretic
• Aids in digestion

Soothing Massage Oil

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of castor oil
12 drops of fennel essential oil
10 drops of chamomile essential oil
8 drops of peppermint essential oil

How to do it:

• Pour castor oil into a dark or tinted bowl.
• Add the essential oils.
• Store the mixture in a cool, dark place away from the light.

How to use it:

1. Place a few drops of oil onto your stomach and gently massage it in a clockwise direction.
2. Keep massaging it for 5-10 minutes.
3. If your pain is stronger, lie down on your back and massage it for a longer amount of time.

Notes: Shake the mixture before each use. Wait when the oil has fully absorbed before putting your close on. The Castor tends to stain clothing.

Other Ways to Get Rid of a Sour Stomach   

Let’s go over some home remedies you can use to banish your sour stomach here:

Carrot juice

Drinking carrot juice (or carrot and banana juice) will help to soothe your sour stomach.  One reason that carrot juice is so beneficial for the stomach is the large amount of vitamin A it contains.  It has been found that making sure you get enough vitamin A in your diet causes you to be less prone to breakdown of gastric mucosa (the lining of the stomach).

You can make carrot and banana juice by processing a few carrots, one banana, and water in a blender or juicer.  Some people find carrot juice with a little bit of mint added to be useful.  Another recipe involves two to four carrots, a one-inch piece of ginger, two tablespoons of cilantro or parsley, lemon juice, and one glass of water.  Put all of these ingredients in a sturdy blender and mix.  Try this remedy as needed for as many days as you like.

Eat a bit of oatmeal

Try to snack on a little bit of oatmeal (preferably with milk) to help soothe your upset stomach.  This popular remedy will help to calm down excess acidity.  Many people find it helpful to eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning to help keep their stomachs calm during the day.

Dry toast or crackers

Many people find it helpful to munch on a small amount of dry toast or crackers when they’re feeling nauseous.  These foods help to absorb excess acidity in the stomach.  Think about keeping small packs of crackers with you when you go out, if you tend to get a sour stomach quite regularly.  Make sure to see your doctor to find out the underlying cause of the symptoms.

Milk

Sip some milk when you’re feeling nauseous.  Many people find that this helps to counteract acidity in the stomach.  Milk is believed to coat the stomach and make it less sensitive to acidity.

Avoid spicy foods

It is highly advisable to avoid eating spicy foods until your sour stomach has resolved.  This is because the spices are likely to further irritate your stomach.

Avoid greasy foods

Eating greasy (for example, fried) foods is likely to aggravate your sour stomach.  Avoid these foods until your symptoms have disappeared.  Eating a greasy hamburger on a sour stomach is something you’ll be certain to regret!

Avoid salty foods

Eating salty foods will probably make your sour stomach worse.  You should try to avoid such foods until you are no longer nauseous.  Don’t cause unnecessary aggravation for your digestive system.

Avoid overly sweet foods

Indulging in very sweet treats puts your sour stomach at risk of becoming more severe.  Strictly avoid such foods until you are feeling better.  Your digestive system needs a break.

Ginger tea

Drink ginger tea to soothe your upset stomach.  You should be able to find such tea at your local health food store, or maybe even a grocery store.  If you like, add a little bit of fresh grated ginger to the liquid.  Ginger has been successfully used to treat sour stomach for thousands of years in many different cultures.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea will help to soothe your distressed stomach as well as your nerves.  This calming tea is an excellent home remedy for sour stomach.  This is an especially good choice of remedy if you are about to go to bed or you’re having a day of relaxation.

Mint tea

Mint tea is a useful home remedy for sour stomach.  You can find such a tea at your local health food store or grocery store.  Alternatively, some people find it useful to eat mint candies.

Avoid teas that have a large amount of caffeine: Avoid drinking teas that have a large amount of caffeine, such as traditional tea and green tea.  The caffeine can cause more irritation to the digestive system.

Baking soda in water

Mix a small amount of baking soda in water and drink it.  This will help to neutralize excess acidity in your stomach.

Avoid eating too close to bedtime

Avoid eating meals or large snacks right before bedtime, as doing so can cause an upset stomach.

Avoid eating too quickly

Eating too quickly can cause a sour stomach for a few reasons, one of them being that you tend to swallow too much air when you do so.

Avoid overly large meals

Avoid eating excessive amounts of food at one sitting.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol

Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol can lead to an extremely upset stomach.

Try meditation

if your sour stomach is sometimes caused by anxiety or stress, try incorporating meditation and mindfulness practice into your daily routine.

Apples

Many people find it helpful to slowly munch on apple or applesauce when they have an upset stomach.  The reason this might be useful is that the fiber that apples contain assist in expelling foods that are upsetting your stomach out of your system.  Additionally, the Polyphenols (a type of plant nutrient) found in apples (primarily in apple skin) help with protection of the stomach’s inside lining.  Eat apples as often as you like to help alleviate your sour stomach symptoms.

Ginger

Ginger has been used since ancient times (especially in China) to help deal with sour stomach.  It is the phyrochemicals (specifically zingerones, shogaols, and gingerols) in ginger that makes it so useful.  Some people even find that the smell of ginger alone makes them feel better.  You can eat fresh, chopped ginger or candied ginger.  You can eat ginger as frequently as you wish to alleviate the symptoms of sour stomach.

Brown or white rice

Rice is easy to digest and helps to calm the stomach.  Try eating small amounts of plain cooked brown or white rice when you are feeling nauseous.  It’s a good idea to try to incorporate brown or white rice into your daily diet if you tend to experience sour stomach on a regular basis.  If you do have upset stomach frequently, make sure to consult with your doctor to try to find out what might be the underlying cause.

Papaya

Papaya is helpful for upset stomach partly because it contains two specific digestive enzymes, chymopapain and papain.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties.  Try eating a little bit of papaya to calm down your stomach.  You could also look for chewable papaya supplement tablets.  You should be able to find these at your local health food store.  Eat papaya or take papaya supplements as needed to help alleviate your symptoms.

Rice water and honey

Use twice the amount of water you usually would to boil rice.  Once the rice has come to the boil and you have allowed it to cool, drain the liquid.  Mix in a small amount of honey and slowly sip it.  You will find that the rice water will soothe the stomach.  You can make and drink rice water as often as you like to deal with the symptoms of an upset stomach.

Aloe vera

Many people find that consuming small amounts of aloe vera gel helps to calm their upset stomach.  Check with the staff at your local health food store for more information and to see if they have a supplement available.  Think about taking the gel just before and after meals.  Make sure to consult with your doctor before trying this.

Pomegranate

If you’re having a problem with diarrhea, think about eating some pomegranate seeds in a bowl of yogurt.  Some people even find it useful to put a little salt and pepper on pomegranate seeds.  You can eat pomegranate seeds as often as you like to help keep upset stomach at bay.

Date paste

Make a paste out of a few dates.  Mix some honey in with the paste.  You should take this three times a day until your symptoms subside.  You can eat date paste as often as you like.

Rosemary

Rosemary oil will help to soothe your nerves, and therefore might be useful for people who have an acidic stomach as a result of stress.  Take a warm bath with a few drops of rosemary oil added in.  Be careful when getting in and out of the bath as the bottom might be rather slippery (from the oil).

Parsley

Parsley water is likely to help soothe your digestive system.  Let parsley leaves soak in water for a couple of hours.  Sip this water at various points throughout the day.  You can take parsley water as often as you like.

Thyme tea

Add a single teaspoon of dried thyme leaves to a cup of boiling water.  Allow this to sit for 10 minutes, and then strain the liquid.  You should sip this a few times a day, preferably on an empty stomach.  You can enjoy thyme tea as frequently as you wish.

Celery leaves and rock salt

Create a paste of celery leaves a little rock salt.  You should take this immediately upon making to soothe your upset stomach.  Take this remedy as needed.

Carom seeds

Roast a single teaspoon of carom seeds in a pan on the stove.  After this, let the seeds cool and then crush them using a rolling pin.  You can add a pinch of salt to this afterwards.  Most people find this to be especially useful for dealing with gas and stomach pain.

Yogurt, cumin seeds, and salt: Mix a little salt and crushed cumin seeds in yogurt and eat this slowly.  You should eat this at least two times a day until your symptoms have disappeared.

Cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds: Mix one teaspoon of cumin seeds and the same amount of fennel seeds and coriander seeds in boiling water.  Let the liquid fully cool.  You should drink this mixture after each of your meals.

Mint leaves

Make mint juice from fresh mint leaves.  Mix one teaspoon of this juice with ginger juice and lime juice as well as a tiny bit of rock salt.  Take this as needed to help calm your stomach.  You can use this remedy for as many days as you wish.

Tamarind leaves

Crush three grams of tamarind leaves.  Add a pinch of rock salt and make a paste.  You should take this after each meal.  It will assist with digestion.

Fennel seeds

Add one teaspoon of fennel seeds to a cup of boiling water.  Allow them to steep for at least ten minutes.  Once you’ve done this, strain the seeds from the liquid.  Sip the liquid before each of your meals, on an empty stomach.

Chew more carefully

Failing to chew your food properly can lead to an upset stomach.  Make sure to take the time to thoroughly chew each bite before you swallow it.

Charred toast

Try munching on small amounts of burned toast to quell an upset stomach.

Try smaller portions

Make sure your portions aren’t too large, as oversized portions can lead to digestive problems.  Portion control will not only help with your sour stomach problem but also improve your general health.

Increase your intake of leafy vegetables

Increase the amount of green leafy vegetables in your daily diet.  One example is spinach.  You will find this to be especially helpful if you tend to suffer from constipation.  Increasing the amount of green leafy vegetables in your daily diet will help not only with your stomach but also your general health and well-being.

Aniseed

Allow one teaspoon of aniseed to soak overnight in water.  In the morning, strain the aniseed from the water and drink the liquid on an empty stomach.  This will help to prevent the onset of sour stomach during the course of the day.

Banana

Banana is useful in reducing irritation of the stomach.  It is effective in helping to neutralize the PH level of the acid in your stomach because of the potassium it contains.  The fruit’s fiber-content is another reason it is useful in dealing with a sour stomach.  Bananas are also very good for your general health and well-being.

Caraway seed tea

Place some caraway seeds in a cup of boiling water.  Cover the cup for a couple of minutes.  After that, strain the seeds out of the liquid.  Sip this tea at various points in the day to help with your digestion and soothe upset stomach.  Another way to use caraway seeds is to simply chew on a few of them after each meal.

Mint, melon, and coconut water smoothie

In a blender, make a smoothie with ginger, oatmeal, mint, yogurt, frozen melon, and coconut water.  Sip this to help calm your stomach.

Yogurt, blueberries, frozen banana, and ginger smoothie

Make a smoothie with ginger, oatmeal, mint, yogurt, blueberries, frozen banana, and ginger.  Drink this to help with your digestion.

Pear, ginger, oatmeal, yogurt, and almond milk smoothie

In a blender, make a smoothie containing pear, ginger, oatmeal, yogurt, almond milk, and mint.  Drinking this will help to soothe your digestive system.

Blueberries, banana, oatmeal, mint, and almond milk smoothie

Make a smoothie containing blueberries, banana, oatmeal, mint, and almond milk.  Sipping this will help to soothe and calm your digestive system.

Frozen peaches, ginger, and coconut water smoothie

Make a smoothie containing frozen peaches, ginger, coconut water, mint, and oatmeal.  This drink will help with your upset stomach.  The coconut water will also help keep you well-hydrated.

Cinnamon powder tea

Make a tea with half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and boiling water.  Sip this tea to deal with your sour stomach.  You can enjoy cinnamon powder tea as often as you wish.

Bitters and soda

Add five drops of cocktail bitters to a glass of ginger ale, club soda, or tonic.  Make sure that the drink is refreshingly cold.  Sip this to help ease your upset stomach.  You can use this remedy as needed for as many days as you wish.

Apple cider vinegar

This cure doesn’t work for everyone so be careful with it at first.  Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (it must specifically be apple cider vinegar) to a single cup of water.  Mix in a teaspoon of honey.  Sip this slowly when you have a sour stomach.

Try the BRAT diet

The BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) might be helpful in calming your digestive system.  Try to incorporate these foods more heavily into your diet.  They are beneficial not only to your stomach but also your overall health.

Fenugreek seeds

First consume a single teaspoon of fenugreek seeds powder.  Eat one tablespoon of yogurt immediately after that.  You can have this up to three times per day.  If you prefer, you could mix two teaspoons of the powder in a glass of water.  You can drink this two times a day for as many as three days.

Raw honey

Raw honey is helpful in ensuring good digestion.  It contains several different useful enzymes including, for example, inulase, acid phosphatase, glucose oxidase, catalase, invertase, and diastase.  You can enjoy a spoonful of raw honey several times a day to help with your sour stomach.  You can also add raw honey to many of the foods and drinks you have during the day (such as herbal tea and oatmeal).  It is important to try to find raw honey (rather than the usual supermarket variety), as it has the largest number of active enzymes.

Probiotics

Start taking probiotics every day.  This will help your body be better equipped to ensure efficient and smooth digestion.  You should be able to find probiotics at your local drugstore or health food store.  Do your research to determine which of the brands and types you find offer the largest number of live probiotics in their capsules.

Licorice herbal tea

Relaxing with a hot cup of licorice tea might help to soothe your sour stomach.  You should be able to find this type of herbal tea at your local health food store.

Valerian tea

Like chamomile tea, valerian tea helps to soothe stomach and the nerves.  It will also make you sleepy, so make sure you have a relaxing day ahead of you or that you are going to bed when you drink it.

Yarrow tea

Some people find yarrow tea to be helpful in dealing with the symptoms of an upset stomach.  Try sipping hot mug of this the next time your digestive system is troubling you.

References:

“36 Home Remedies for Instant Relief from Sour Stomach”, https://homeremedyshop.com/36-home-remedies-for-instant-relief-from-sour-stomach

“Natural Sour Stomach Home Remedies”, https://www.healthambition.com/sour-stomach-home-remedies

“Foods to Soothe Sour Stomach”, http://blogs.webmd.com/food-and-nutrition/2013/06/foods-to-soothe-sour-stomachs.html

“Upset Stomach: 7 Remedies”, http://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/natural-upset-stomach-remedies#Overview1

“Home Remedies for Upset Stomach”, http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-upset-stomach.html

“11 Best Instant Relief Homemade Remedies for Sour Stomach”, http://www.rapidhomeremedies.com/remedies-for-sour-stomach.html

“7 Home Remedies for Upset Stomach”, http://commonsensehome.com/home-remedies-for-upset-stomach