Soothe an Upset Stomach

Expert-backed ways to remedy common tummy troubles

- BY GINA WAY

Who hasn't felt stuffed to the gills after a big meal? Or had indigestion from a spicy one? Or experienced poop problems for no apparent reason? Often the cause and the effect are pretty clear. “If someone consistently has stomach upset after eating a specific food, that pinpoints a particular trigger, which is a good start toward finding a solution,” says Wendi LeBrett, M.D., a gastroenterologist in Boise, ID. A host of nonfood-related factors can be GI culprits too—including stress, medications, and underlying medical conditions like irritable bowel syndrome—so piecing it together isn’t always easy.