What does it mean when you have a reaction to a vaccine? Specifically, reactions to your stomach. Are you looking for natural remedies for stomach inflammation?
You are not alone. Many people suffer from this condition. It is often caused by stress, diet changes, or certain foods that irritate the stomach lining.
Some people also have problems with their immune system (or vaccine reaction..perhaps) and it can trigger an inflammatory response in the gut too.
There are many different ways that you can go about treating your stomach inflammation at home.
I’m going to tell you the seven best natural remedies for stomach inflammation that has been slowly working for me.
…but first…
What you will learn
The Story
I’m writing this blog post because this issue is all about what I’ve been going through the last 4 months. It may be coincidental and weird but it all started after getting my COVID-19 vaccine.
I received my first vaccine in June 2021 and exactly one month later my stomach had several hives from under my chest to just under my belly button. Weird right.! I thought it could be from a bug bite, allergic reaction to cream, or laundry soap. I had not changed anything or tried any new foods.
The weird hives ended up disappearing after a month.
I postponed the second vaccine until I was cleared of the hives. I told the nurse at the vaccine center and she thought it would have been unrelated as it happened a month after my shot and usually reactions would happen quicker than that.
So! I received my second vaccine August 2021. EXACTLY 30 days later- I started bizarre indigestion problems. Almost like heartburn but not as bad. A burp that comes from deep in the stomach. I’ve never had heartburn or any gastro issues in my life..and I’m almost 40 years old.
No matter what I drink or eat…that shallow burp comes within a few minutes. I went to the clinic and they prescribed some heartburn medication (PPI’s they call them) and sent a request for me to have a barium swallow test.
Unfortunately, the pills caused some sharp abdominal pains for me so I just stopped taking them. I waited for the barium swallow test, which was terrible. If you had never had one before you are lucky. It’s disgusting and traumatic. Maybe I’m a wimp, but really. It was bad!
The result showed inflammation in my upper stomach. Hmmm. I thought, how could this happen? I eat so healthily, barely drink and I don’t smoke.
Following this test, I requested an H. Pylori antigen test.
What is H. Pylori?
Watch this video to learn some more.
H pylori in stomach?
H. pylori is a type of bacteria that can cause stomach inflammation, ulcers, and even cancer. It’s estimated that about two-thirds of the world’s population have H. pylori in their gut, but most people who have it don’t experience any problems.
Turns out I don’t have an H. Pylori infection…damn. I really thought it was that!
So next step is for healthy stomach-natural healing.
This is what I have been doing for one month and it seems to be getting better slowly.
I’ve incorporated seven things into my daily routine.
7 Best Natural Remedies for Stomach Inflammation
Liquid Vitamin D
Each morning after breakfast I take one drop of liquid vitamin D (1000 units) and one drop after dinner (1000 units). I live in Canada so we have no sun vitamins for many months of the year.
If you live in a beautiful sunny place I would just make sure to get 15 mins of sun exposure a day to unprotected skin (no sunscreen) instead of vitamin D supplements because you can overdose on this vitamin.
How can vitamin D help stomach inflammation?
Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps with the production of mucus in your stomach, which can prevent bacteria from entering and causing infections (including H. Pylori).
It boosts your immune system as well.
I’ve been taking this for a month now. I’m feeling better but it takes time, so be patient!
Collagen Bone Broth
Bone broth has been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut and improve digestion. A study released from the Journal of Nutrition found that participants who drank bone broth every day for a week had reduced inflammation and improved digestion.
You can find more on this Journal at https://academic.oup.com/jn
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is exactly what it sounds like. It’s made by cooking animal bones with vegetables for an extended period of time in water to extract their collagen, marrow, and other nutrients.
Chicken broth vs bone broth
Chicken broth is great for chicken soup and flavor but doesn’t have the same benefits as bone broth. It has less collagen than bone broth, which means it won’t do much in terms of improving your gut health or boosting immunity as bone broth does.
I buy mine from Costco and take the two recommended scoops in my coffee every morning. Aside from my improved stomach..my nails are super beautiful and my hair is growing very fast.
Click here to see a selection of Collagen Both Broth to choose from…
Limit Sugar Intake
Sugar can harm your stomach lining. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that when people consumed lots of sugar, their stomachs produced less protective mucus.
You can find some more information on the Journal at https://academic.oup.com/jn
I am very healthy already, as I said. The only sugars I eat are in fruit. But- did you know that eating chocolate is the same as eating a banana. Our bodies don’t know the difference when they have to work to get rid of it and/or store it.
I usually ate about 4 servings of fruit a day. I cut out two servings (grapes and apple) and replaced it with carrots and hummus, celery with almond butter, rice crackers with cheese, sweet potato nachos, etc.
Look at labels! Refined sugar and inflammation are linked. You would be surprised just how much sugar is in everything.
Watch this talk for some more info…
Water Intake
Water helps flush out toxins in your body, including those that can cause inflammation.
I started making sure I drink 2L of pure water a day. By pure I mean unaltered-no flavor added, no sparkling, no tea, no coffee.
A study performed in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina found that drinking water decreased participants’ levels of inflammatory markers.
(Here is the link – https://sph.unc.edu/nutr/unc-nutrition/nutr-research/ – to the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina. Feel free to browse around and learn from their research and findings.)
There are some cool water intake bottles on Amazon that can help keep you on track.
Ginger and Green Tea
There are certain teas that can help with stomach inflammation.
Ginger tea is one of them. A study published in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology found that ginger extract was able to reduce inflammation in rats with ulcers.
Green tea is another option. A study published in the Journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that green tea drinkers had a lower risk of developing stomach cancer than those who didn’t drink green tea.
I’ve been drinking ginger and green tea a few times a week now.
Probiotics
I purchased a 90 capsule jar of probiotics and plan to finish the bottle. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help keep your gut healthy.
An interesting experiment performed in the Department of Gastroenterology at Copenhagen University Hospital found that probiotics were able to reduce inflammation in people with Crohn’s disease.
Another very interesting study found in the journal PLOS One found that people who took probiotics and prebiotics (indigestible fibers) had a reduced risk of stomach cancer.
Probiotics and stomach virus
Did you know that when you have a stomach virus, your intestines are so inflamed that the probiotics can’t get through?
That’s why it’s so important to take them before you get sick, or if you’re on antibiotics.
I take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It is better to take them during this time because it is when the stomach acid levels are at their lowest.
Digestive Enzymes
Digestive enzymes help break down food so that your stomach doesn’t have to work as hard.
A study performed in the Department of Human Nutrition at Virginia Tech found that participants who took a digestive enzyme supplement felt less discomfort after eating fat and had lower levels of inflammation markers than those who didn’t take one.
Ingredients usually include different types of protein, cellulase, lipase, some natural oils like clove or thyme and healthy carbs.
What secretes digestive enzymes?
Your pancreas, liver, and gallbladder all secrete digestive enzymes.
What time of day should you take digestive enzymes?
Most people should take them with their largest meal of the day. I usually eat a larger dinner, so I take mine at that time.
Conclusion
What does it mean when you have a reaction to a vaccine? Well if the vaccine did create this stomach inflammation there are ways of healing.
Today, we talked about the things I have been doing to help with my stomach inflammation.
These are some of the natural remedies for stomach inflammation.
I’m going to continue, as I have noticed positive changes and I’ll be sure to keep you posted on the final outcome!
Go ahead, leave us a comment and help the community with what is working for you!