Easy Ways to beat the Stomach Heat

What is stomach heat?

Excessive heat generated in the stomach because of strenuous and/or fast digestive process, where the stomach fluids get dried up leaving a burning discomfort in the stomach. You may also develop dehydration, constipation, fatigue and dry mouth. This leads to throat soreness and dry cough as well.

It is very important to keep the stomach heat under control because the stomach fluids drying up may be bigger digestion problems and chronic discomfort may further lead to serious health problems.

Few facts –

It is important to understand the stomach heat should be handled throughout the year. It is not a summer season problem. Dryness in the air, extreme cold can also cause stomach heat.
Few common causes for stomach heat are oily and spicy foods, overeating, late night eating, frequent snacking, less consumption of water, no or less physical activity, heavy alcohol drinking habits etc. Taking too many pills, especially painkillers can also cause this stomach irritation.
A thorough oil massage before hair wash at least once a week, can generally cool down the body heat overall and helps in rejuvenating.

Easy Ways to beat the Stomach Heat

You know drinking plenty of water every day is the first and main thing about gut health.

Here let us see a few very easy tips to cool the stomach and manage the stomach heat.

1. Buttermilk with Fenugreek

Curd churned well with a good amount of water and a little salt is one of the easiest remedy for the irritating stomach heat. A quick one.

A pinch of fenugreek powder(seeds, dry roasted and powdered) can control the heat more effectively.

Note – Buttermilk is better at cooling than curd or yogurt. And is a healthier option too. Buttermilk is safe and good to have every day.

2. Boiled rice water

Water drained from cooked rice has a lot of benefits with regards to stomach. It is rich in nutrients as well. However, we can take it as it is. It helps in digestion as well.

Dilute the fresh boiled rice water with warm water and add a pinch of salt if you cook rice without salt (skip adding the salt, if you have already added salt while cooking rice). Mix well and drink. For children, you can add a drop of ghee as well.

Do not drink thing more than once or twice a week. It is basically starch and hence, loaded with carbohydrates.

To read more about this – Boiled Rice Water – How to Use and Benefits

3. Fermented rice water

We call it as kanji. Water will be added to the excess cooked rice and left overnight to ferment. A very healthy, easy and tasty probiotic food one can have. This humble food had been the staple breakfast for Tamil people until a few decades ago.

So, leave the cooked rice with water overnight to ferment. Next morning, add a spoon or two of curd depending on the amount of rice and a pinch of salt. Mix it well until the rice, curd, and water blend well and now in milky white color. Drink the water and eat the rice. A very satisfying food.

But again, consuming this daily may lead to weight gain, so restrict to once or twice a week.

4. Warm lemon water

Another very easy way to cool the stomach heat. A glass of warm lemon juice in the daytime gives a plethora of benefits such as cooling the stomach, flushing out the toxins, refreshing the body, etc. You can add a pinch of salt to enhance the taste, if you aren’t drinking on an empty stomach.

This again can be consumed throughout the year, and during all the seasons. Weekly once or twice a week for children can help improve their digestion, can help overcoming dehydration and tiredness.

To know about warm lemon juice and lemon mint juice – Easy Lemon Juice Recipes For Kids

5. Others

Drinking tender coconut water daily for two weeks will control the burning sensation and reduce the stomach heat. Do not have tender coconut on an empty stomach.
Coconut milk is also a good coolant and is quite healthy too.

Note –

These remedies work as a medicine for the problem, especially when it is severe, but including any of these regularly in our diet, say twice a week, will definitely have a long-lasting effect on our gut health, mainly to control acidity and stomach heat.
Choose your options based on your diet choices. While rice water options may sound too much of carbohydrates for some, consuming buttermilk on a daily basis might not work for those who are prone to get cold. Once or twice a week, all of these could be included as most are natural probiotic foods.

Digestion of foods should be smooth for a properly working human body machine. Sedentary lifestyle and bad eating are the major causes of stomach ailments and many other health problems. Mindful eating and stretch or workout or a walk every day for a menial time period of 15-30 minutes can bring about a lot of betterment in our health.