My #momsays that cooling pudhina is the perfect antidote for stomach ache

Do you precisely remember the moments when you curl up in a fetal position, thanks to indigestion which has made a fortress in your stomach? Or the moment when Aunty Flo knocks on your door and period cramps seem to be shouting ‘This is Sparta’ in your stomach? Well, I had the golden opportunity of experiencing both at the same time. 

With the piercing pain in my stomach, I decided to try every quick fix I could think of. Dragging myself to the kitchen, I made lemon water and gulped it down, the jeera-salt potion, I even tried sleeping in different positions and prayed for it to away. 

After a few painful hours, I decided to push through and try some yoga on my bed for relieving period pain while last night’s pizza decided to rent my stomach for the day.  Frankly, yoga offered a little relief but the impact was too slow for me to feel sane again. As I was wincing in pain, my mother rushed to me with concerned eyes.

My mother had a cooling solution for my boiling stomach ache
She rushed to the kitchen half smiling and half concerned and came back with a warm cup of peppermint tea.

Just with the whiff of it, my senses began to calm down. As I held the cup she instructed me to slowly consume this soothing potion. I sipped on it and within minutes I was greeted by a calming sleep. When I woke up after a few hours, my stomach pain was gone for good. 

Also, Read: 5 yoga poses you ought to practice daily to gaslight indigestion

But how did this cooling pudhina potion soothe my stomach woes?
The stomach is one of the most vital organs in our body. With digestion being a significant process, taking care of it is of utmost importance. What can cause someone to have indigestion? It may occur in your body because of several reasons such as stress, spicy foods, or illness. While there can be many solutions to curbing symptoms of nausea, bloating, cramps and bloating–mint or pudina is one of the most delectable and cooling one.

Mint is known to calm an upset stomach and relieve it from contractions in the digestive muscles caused by unhealthy food. How can eating pudina or mint ease down your period cramps ache though?

When there is an increase of calcium ions in the stomach, it causes cramps. Pudhina has calming and a numbing effect that blocks the rise in these calcium ions. It relaxes the involuntary muscles of the digestive tract. That’s how mint is effective in loosening the cramps and alleviating nausea and bloating.

Also, Read: 4 innovative products to help you tame those menstrual cramps like a champ!

What about the cumbersome experience of indigestion? Mint is also known for effectively relieving upset stomach and indigestion. But what is indigestion? When food sits in the stomach for too long before passing into the rest of the digestive tract, indigestion occurs. 

In a study done by the US National Library of Medicine on the early effects of peppermint oil on gastric emptying, it was found that peppermint oil in meals makes the food pass much quicker through the digestive tract. 

In another study done by the US National Library of Medicine it was found that a combination of peppermint oil and caraway oil taken in capsules had similar effects to medications used to treat indigestion. 

A popular ingredient in teas, sauces, salads, and desserts–pudina is also known to cure irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This common digestive issue reveals itself through the symptoms of stomach pain, gas, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. In a study done by the US National Library of Medicine, it was found that a compound called menthol in peppermint tea heals IBS symptoms through its relaxing effects on the muscles of the digestive tract. 

So, it’s time to add this fun ingredient in your diet to help relieve your tummy troubles.