Undigested food and bacteria present in the gut can produce toxins that can damage the mucosal lining, causing leaky gut syndrome. This condition occurs when particles of undigested food normally eliminated in the feces pass through tiny rips in the intestinal lining and get absorbed into the system, causing severe digestive distress. Contributing factors include abnormal intestinal flora (Candida), food allergies, regular alcohol consumption, and parasites, chemicals, or drugs that irritate the small intestines. Psychological factors such as anxiety, stress, worry, or disappointment can disturb the nervous mechanism that controls the contractions of stomach and intestinal muscles.

STOMACH ACID SELF-TEST
Hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is produced by glands in the stomach, is necessary for the breakdown and digestion of many foods. Insufficient amounts of HCl can lead to indigestion. HCl levels often decline with age.
You can determine if you need more hydrochloric acid with this simple test. Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. If this makes your indigestion go away, then you need more stomach acid. If it makes your symptoms worse, then you have too much acid, and you should take care to take any supplements that contain HCl.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms can include abdominal pain, allergic symptom, belching, a bloated feeling, a burning sensation after eating, chronic bowel irritation, acidity, chronic fatigue, Loss of appetite, constipation, diarrhea, gas, headache, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, nausea, rumbling noises, skin disorders, sugar cravings, coated tongue and vomiting. Heartburn and feeling of heaviness or uneasiness in the stomach often accompanies indigestion.
CAUSES
Indigestion can be caused due to the aggravation of any of the Thridoshas -Vata, Pitta and Kapha or all three of them and by the following eating or physical habits carried on by individuals:

• Eating a lot of fried foods, meat, sweets, heavy foods and overeating
• Eating very quickly or mixing too many foods in one meal
• Consuming too much tea, coffee and alcohol and smoking.
• Taking drugs like antibiotics, painkillers and steroids.
• Spicy foods, chilly, oily foods, medicines, milk and milk products, tobacco and alcohol.
• Irregular food habits and sleeping patterns.
• Medications like pain killers, antibiotics, oral contraceptives and steroids.
• Intestinal parasites.
• Diseases of pancreas, liver, gall bladder, intestinal infections etc.
• During pregnancy, premenstrual period, menopausal period in women.
• Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, examination, family tensions, etc.

Swallowing air-by chewing with the mouth open, talking while chewing, or gulping down food-can cause indigestion. Drinking liquids with meals contributes to indigestion because it dilutes the enzymes needed for digestion (a lack of digestive enzymes can cause intestinal problems). Other factors that can cause or contribute to indigestion include intestinal obstruction, lack of friendly bacteria, malabsorption, peptic ulcers, and disorders of the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas. Food allergies and intolerance (such as lactose intolerance) also can cause indigestion. The main cause of indigestion is usually the stomach acid reflux.
A bacterium called “Helicobacter pylori” can cause gastritis resulting indigestion .It lives in the mucus layer of the stomach but very few people have this problem.

TYPES OF INDIGESTION
Sometimes the causes of indigestion in a person cannot be diagnosed. This type of indigestion, called functional dyspepsia, is thought to occur in the area where the stomach meets the small intestine. The indigestion may be associated to abnormal motility, the squeezing or relaxing action of the stomach muscle as it receives, digests, and moves food into the small intestine.
Digestion may be in reference to a chronic indigestion problem or a severe indigestion problem that occurs suddenly.
There are usually three major types of indigestion-

• Esophagitis- in this, there is inflammation of esophagus occurs. Sometimes stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, which is devoid of mucus layer. The digestive acid will cause irritation in the lower portion of the esophagus. It causes heartburn and burning in the chest, a common form of heartburn.
• Peptic ulcer indigestion- those persons who smoke and above 45 years of age tend to develop this type of indigestion. The tissue lining of the stomach becomes infected with Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium. This irritates the mucus lining and results in indigestion.
• Non-ulcer indigestion- about two- thirds of indigestion is of non-ulcer type. This is often called as Dyspepsia. This is developed from the way the stomach empties into the small intestine abnormally. The stomach may empty too quickly or slowly or in an irregular contractions leading to this condition.

HERBAL TREATMENT
Acid-Ease from prevail corporation is an herbal formula aids in the breakdown and assimilation of foods, and also contains natural plant enzymes to ease heartburn. It can be taken between meals if needed.
Alfalfa supplies needed vitamin K and trace minerals. It can be taken in liquid or tablet form.
Aloe Vera is good for heartburn and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Take ¼ cup of aloe vera juice on an empty stomach in the morning and again at bedtime.
Anise seeds can help relieve a sour stomach. Chew the whole seeds or grind them and sprinkle on food.
Catnip, chamomile, fennel, fenugreek, goldenseal, papaya, and peppermint are all good for indigestion.
Ginger is a time-honored remedy for nausea.
A few sprigs of fresh parsley, or ¼ teaspoon of dried, taken with a glass of warm water, can help relieve indigestion.
Ajwain is also a good remedy for indigestion. Taking it one or two teaspoon with a pinch of rock salt gives best result.

REMEDIES

• Taking fruits, fruit juices and boiled vegetables for one week is also a very beneficial way of fasting.
• Fasting completely for one day helps to normalize imbalanced agni and digest ama.
• Lemon juice mixed in warm water taken three times a day improves digestion.
• Chewing a small piece of fresh ginger with salt, five to ten minutes before meals, stimulates digestion.
• Take equal amounts of ginger powder, black pepper, dried mint leaves, asafetida (hing), anise seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, fennel and common salt. Grind together to make a fine powder. Dosage: Take about 1 teaspoon of this powder with water, twice a day after meals.
• Drinking buttermilk after a meal improves digestion. Roasted cumin seeds and a little salt in the buttermilk enhance its effectiveness.
• Drinking water gives immediate relief to symptoms like wind, distended stomach and acidity or glass of warm water once in 2 hours increases Agni and digests ama.
• Eat half a teaspoon of aniseed to improve digestion.
• A teaspoon of ginger juice mixed in a quarter cup of warm water can be taken two or three times a day. A teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt can also be added to make it more effective.
• Abdominal Massage also helps to relieve indigestion. It loosens the tight muscles and increases the blood supply to digestive system.
• Mix a tea spoon of lemon juice, tea spoon ginger juice and little salt in a cup of water and consume thrice daily.

RECOMMENDATION If you are prone to indigestion, consume well-balanced meals with plenty of fiber-rich foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Include in your diet fresh papaya (which contains papain) and fresh pineapple (which contains bromelain). These are good sources of beneficial digestive enzymes. Add acidophilus to your diet. Acidophilus can be useful for indigestion because a shortage of the “friendly” bacteria is often the cause. For disorders such as gas, bloating, and heartburn, try brown rice and/or barley broth. se 5 parts water to 1 part grain, and boil the mixture, uncovered, for ten minutes. hen put the lid on and simmer for fifty-five minutes more. Strain and cool the lipid. Sip this throughout the day. Limit your intake of lentils, peanuts, and soybeans. They contain enzyme inhibitors. Avoid bakery products, beans, caffeine, carbonated beverages, citrus juices, fried and fatty foods, pasta, peppers, potato chips and other snack foods, red meat, refined carbohydrates (sugar), tomatoes, and salty or spicy foods. Do not eat diary products, junk foods, or processed foods. These cause excess mucus formation, which results in inadequate digestion of protein. For upper gastrointestinal gas, take pancreatin; for lower gastrointestinal gas, take supplemental trace minerals. If you have gas the juice of one fresh lemon in a quart of lukewarm water as an enema to balance the body’s pH. If gas is constant for days, use an B.bifidus enema. This should relieve the problem within hours. For relief of occasional digestive difficulties, use charcoal tablets, available in health food stores. These are good for absorbing gas and toxins. Because they can interfere with the absorption of other medications and nutrients, they should be taken separately, and they should not be taken for long periods of time. Occasional use is not harmful and has no side effects. If the stools are foul-smelling and are accompanied by a burning sensation in the anus, follow a fasting program. This is often a sign that the colon contains toxic material. If you have had abdominal surgery, take pancreatin to help digest foods. If you have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), you also need pancreatin. Chew your food thoroughly. Digestion starts in the mouth and chewing signals the rest of the digestive system to prepare to break down the food for absorption. Do not drink liquids while eating. This dilutes the stomach juices and prevents proper digestion. Find out which foods your body has trouble digesting, and stay away from foods that cause a reaction. If you are experiencing an excess of acid backup with heartburn symptoms, see your doctor to rule out gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn. If you develop heartburn and the symptoms persist, consult your health care provider. If the pain begins to travel down your left arm, or if the sensation is accompanied by a feeling of weakness, dizziness, or shortness of breath, seek emergency medical help. The early symptoms of a heart attack can be very much like those of indigestion, particularly heartburn, and as a result people mistakenly dismiss them. Spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, fresh ginger, black pepper and asafetida. Physical exercise, according to the strength and energy of the patient, is beneficial. Do not eat while moving or traveling in a car, watching television or reading. Sleeping during the day, especially after lunch is not recommended, as it produces indigestion. Fresh juice of curry leaves with limejuice and sugar is very effective for indigestion.