6 Natural Ways to Soothe An Upset Stomach

Stop heartburn + deepen sleep with melatonin

New study: Taking 3 mg. of melatonin prevents heartburn flares as effectively as prescription PPIs. Gastroenterologist Amany Mousa, MD, explains that melatonin heals the valve that keeps stomach acid from splashing up into your throat.

Bonus: This natural sleep hormone cuts your risk of insomnia in half.

Quell queasiness + silence worry by picturing happiness

Ugh…you just finished a yummy meal and now you feel uncomfortably full — a condition called delayed gastric emptying. But take 10 minute to relax and visualize a pain-free tummy and researchers at New Jersey’s Morristown Medical Center say you’ll speed your system, cutting belly upset by 70 percent.

Bonus: 10 minutes of visualization twice daily cuts worry by 65 percent.

Banish bloat + speed slimming with this sip

“Bloat and burping are often triggered by too little stomach acid, ” says Michael Murray, ND, author of The Magic of Food: Live Longer and Healthier and Lose Weight with the Synergetic Diet ($11.99, Amazon). To ease symptoms, sip unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (1 Tbs. diluted in a glass of water) before meals. UCLA researchers say ACV’s natural acids help quash gas formation.

Bonus: ACV stimulates the stomach nerve that makes you feel full sooner, helping you slim down 55 percent faster — on any diet!

Calm cramps + boost energy with green strolls

Take a 15-minute walk each day to cut your belly pain by as much as 82 percent. Norwegian researchers say nature calms nerves that control muscle spasms in your digestive tract.

Bonus: Nature walks increase fatigue-fighting brain waves, boosting energy by as much as 65 percent.

Backed up? Sip more water

High temperatures mean more fluids lost through perspiration — and for 35 percent of us, more bouts of constipation! But German researchers say sipping 48 oz. of water daily can help, cutting constipation risk by 75 percent in three days.

Berry sweet cure!

Nibbling on 1/2 cup of in-season blueberries before heavy meals will cut your risk of bloat, burping, and indigestion by 55 percent. Blueberry compounds (anthocyanins) encourage digestive enzyme and bile release.

This story originally appeared in our print magazine.