Indigestion, also known as upset stomach or dyspepsia, is distress or a burning sensation in the upper abdomen, often followed by nausea, abdominal bloating, belching, and sometimes vomiting.

Indigestion might be caused by a disease in the digestive tract such as ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but for many people, it results from eating too much, eating too rapidly, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful conditions. Indigestion accompanied by smallness of breath, sweating, or pain radiating to the jaw, neck, or arm.

Acid indigestion on the other hand, is similar to 'general indigestion' above, however it involves an excess of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. if Acid indigestion is experienced frequently it can wear on the duodenum and the lining of the stomach, both which are aggravating and can lead to conditions such as ulcers, which can be life threatening. It is important to know that acid indigestion is different from heartburn, which is the aggravation more specifically of the esophagus.

Some Ayurvedic home remedies for indigestion

Take an ounce slightly diluted wine.

Drink a glass of lemon juice as first item on morning.

Take buttermilk with chopped coriander leaves, crushed curry leaves, a pinch of salt and a pinch of red chilly (pepper) powder.

Chicory root contains endive and escarole. Boiling one and half cups of chicory

root for five to ten minutes brews a tea you can drink to aid indigestion, acid

reflux or heartburn. Add it to a salad as well!

Papaya (Fruit and Leaves). While papaya is not known as a herb, its plant has a surprising potency in combating digestive disorders and calming down a disturbed gastrointestinal tract. Its powerful enzyme, papain, helps to breakdown complex proteins, reducing the digestive load on the stomach.

No improvement

Although indigestion without these sinister symptoms can sensibly be treated at home in the first instance by changes to your lifestyle and over-the-counter remedies such as antacids, you should not persist if there is no improvement. Consult your doctor if your symptoms have not cleared up within two weeks of starting self treatment.

Chronic heart burn may be a symptom of another more serious medical condition. For instance, a hiatal hernia pushes up against the stomach, causing the stomach acid to leak up into the esophagus. Anyone experiencing symptoms of heartburn more than once a week should have their symptoms evaluated by a physician. Heartburn may be a result of stress, overeating, drinking too much coffee or eating fried or acidic foods, but if heart burn remedies do not provide relief or if the heartburn is frequent, it could mean something else is going on.

Among foods to avoid for those who often have indigestion are oily foods, fast food, carbonated drinks and high fibre foods. Caffeine has also proven to aggravate this problem.

All in all the medically recommended alternative is to adjust a person's diet. Avoiding non-alkaline foods can greatly help in controlling, relieving and sometimes ridding a person of indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux. The most critical thing is to ensure that a salad is included on a daily basis as thiswill help clean out any trigger ingredients and help avoid repeated episodes of indigestion.