How to Keep the Tummy Happy

We all know the symptoms when stomach upsets strike – pain, bloating, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Before you reach for pharmaceuticals, take a moment to consider some of the natural ways you can deal with tummy gremlins.

The first thing you need to ascertain is why are you pregnant? Do you have a bacterial infection from poisoned food or water, like giardia or salmonella? Or have you eaten something you may be allergic to, such as meat or dairy?

Stomach pains can also indicate something more severe, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, an ulcer or severe heartburn, which require medical help. Once you've figured out why, there's plenty of ways to settle an irritable tummy without harsh drugs. We have collected a few tips for easing stomach pain.

It's a good idea to eat yoghurt. Yoghurt will help increase good bacteria, lactobacillus and bifidus, in your stomach. This is especially important if you've had a course of antibiotics to deal with a bacterial infection, which can wipe out the bacterial goodies along with the baddies. However, you would need to eat a good amount of yogurt to get enough of the good bacteria...

Herbs like Echinacea can help soothe tummy problems. The reason is that all anti-bacterial and immune-boosting. You can get supplements at any pharmacy or get a herbal mixture made by your local Chinese 'Ran Kai Ya' chemistry shop. Cinnamon, caraway seeds and fennel seeds can also help soothe your tummy.

Try teas made from peppermint, fennel, aniseed and ginger for nausea, especially morning sickness. For extra benefit, try massage using these herbs in essential oil form. Rub it in a clockwise motion over the bowel, in line with the bowel's direction. A hot water bottle on the tummy after eating can also help with digestion.

Try eating brown rice. It seems to have an anti-microbial effect and helps to settle the tummy. It's extremely low-allergenic, unlike a lot of other foods like eggs, oats, rye, spelt, dairy, soy, nuts and meat it you've got problems with your stomach. They're all acidic foods so they cause acidity in the stomach. Bananas and apples are also said to be useful in countering stomach pains. Make sure you keep the skin on the apple to gain all the benefits from extra fiber.