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The symptoms can vary from pains in the chest to a distended midriff, from a hearty belch to ominous internal rumblings, from stomach ache and nausea to that unbearable burning surge of acidity into the mouth and the general feeling of malaise that makes you wish that you had eaten and drunk perhaps a little less well and a little more wisely. There is no doubt however that several specific circumstances can cause indigestion. Eating when you are in a state of tension, taking food on the run, getting up and down from a meal, swallowing food too quickly without chewing it thoroughly, taking water with meals which upsets the gastric juices and sitting badly or eating food on a tray on your lap whilst hunched over the television set, which causes the intestine to become squashed, are all prime causes of the above agonies. Eating late at night can lead to a bad case of night-time heebie jeebies when the pain is so bad that some sufferers have believed themselves to be in the throes of a heart attach. Women are more prone to indigestion during the time of their periods whilst sufferers from chronic constipation also feel the pangs rather more frequently that do other folk. Smoking can also be considered a contributory factor especially when it is allied to an empty stomach, black coffee and stress at work. If you find the cause for your problem amongst the above suggestions then self-help is entirely in your hands but there may be other causes which are purely dietary. An immoderate consumption of rich food and alcohol may seem worth the risk at the time but be sure that you have an antidote to hand. If however the problem persists beyond the normal time expected to overcome such indulgence examine your diet for specifics; fatty foods, red meat, pork, coffee, tea , red wine, sherry , smoked and very saltly foods, acidic fruit (oranges, tomatoes) and commercially produced foods which contain a high percentage of food additives. Gin taken with tonic water has also been known to have an unholy effect on the digestion as do many wines and beers which contain chemicals. To some extent we have brought these problems upon ourselves by relegating many of the old-fashioned herb and spice combinations that accompanied our meals to the realms of fuddy-duddy tradition. Roast pork for instance was cooked with sage and onion not only to lend it flavor but also to provide a very necessary insurance against indigestion when one was eating a rich meat. In France it is almost traditional to follow roast pork with an open apple tart and a glass of calvados and in northern European countries both pork and certain dense cheeses are prepared with caraway to give a distinctive flavor and to aid digestion. Two other favorites are pork or ham seasoned with juniper, and sauerkraut served with pork. Both the Germans and the Japanese have learned the benefits to the digestive system of fermented cabbage. Greens, particularly the strong dark varieties, were the vegetables most frequently served with Sunday lunch and the water in which they were cooked was used to make the gravy which accompanied the meat, and this same liquid can be drunk as an antidote to heartburn. A traditional accompaniment to roast beef is mustard which will help a heavy meat be more easily digested. Both horseradish and freshly ground black pepper have much the same effect and if you are in the habit of eating cold roast beef sandwiches it is essential that you add one of this trio. Sage leaves are traditionally used when cooking liver and kidneys as it them more digestible. Both types of offal should be left to soak well in cold water for at least two hours before cooking. I had always thought that when my mother added a tablespoon of vinegar to the water this was done to tenderize the offal but I now realize that it was probably the tail end of a long-held belief that as liver and kidneys are eliminative organs the vinegar would rid them of their toxins. Parsley, sage, thyme, garlic, marjoram, onions and lemon were and still should be used to stuff poultry and game, particularly if you have a good healthy free-range bird, for they all help to cut the richness and help digestion in the same way as the astringent cranberry and redcurrant do for turkey and game. Rich oily fish baked with fennel, creamy sauces seasoned with dill and many other gourmet dishes had their beginnings in practicalities rather than in haute cuisine. Although many spices and herbs were used to disguise the taste of stale meat and to counteract is effect upon the consumer, those warm Oriental spices such as cumin, coriander, cinnamon, fenugreek and cayenne were also used to add piquancy to the palate and power to the digestion when a long feast was in progress. Many people are allergic to certain foods and drinks but getting the burps’ when we have eaten cucumber is usually as a result of having peeled it, for the skin normaly acts as its own built in digestive. In fact we should not peel many of the fruits and vegetables we eat. Apples and carrots are both valuable additions to the diet and also keep our bodies working smoothly but they are more effective if they are left unpeeled – although with today’s proliferation of pesticides it is necessary to make sure that they are well scrubbed in several changes of water. Raw grated carrot is considered a trustworthy antidote to dyspepsia and so are fennel and parsley although I am certain that the notorious radish and spring onion could do battle with the most iron constitution and win. Both celery and fresh pineapple, eaten at the end of a meal, will improve the digestive processes. For some unhappy sufferers from indigestion the cause may be far more difficult to identify. Although we usually know what we are allergic to, some conditions can be created by the wrong combination of foods eaten at the same time. One of the most potentially damaging meals can be steak with baked potato or chips and salad, followed by a sweet fruit dessert. A steak eaten with a bread roll can, I am assured, take up to 90 hours to be digested and eventually eliminated from the body. This is because the digestive juices can’t easily cope with this combination of foods. Some people cannot tolerate cheese and fruit together whilst others baulk at a meat sandwich with pickles. Unrefined carbohydrates and whole milk may also create problems. Bread made with quick-rise yeast can also upset the digestion quite considerably. Although alcohol – particularly some of the nasty chemical varieties on the market – will not do you a lot of good when taken in excess an aperitif taken before a meal, a glass of good white wine with the meal and a digestive to follow were and still are considered to be not only a civilized pleasure but an exquisite necessity for the well – being of the body. Unfortunately, as is the case with so many good things, we cannot resist an occasional overindulgence. If you suffer from indigestion which is persistent of if it should become progressively worse you should take professional advice. Home Remedies for Indigestion Eat plenty of raw grated carrots, fennel, parsley and green vegetables if you suffer from dyspepsia. The water in which well – washed new potatoes have been cooked or the cooking – water from dark green turnip tops will counteract acidity. If you like whole meal bread but it does not like you try adding well crushed coriander, caraway, aniseed or fennel seeds to the basic dough. Chew black peppercorns or suck liquorice wood slowly wood slowly.
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