Causes of Indigestion

Certain food and beverages such as alcohol, colas, coffee, fried foods, maida based foods, spicy and greasy foods, and preserved foods can cause indigestion since they irritate the digestive tract. Liver problems, gall stones, ulcers, and lack of friendly bacteria are other causes.

Here are some of the common causes of indigestion:

• Improper chewing: Improper chewing of food, chewing with your mouth open, talking while you are chewing, or gulping food quickly can cause indigestion.
• Excess liquid with food: Drinking too much liquid while eating food dilutes the enzymes that our body needs for digestion, which could result in indigestion.
• Consuming things that trouble your digestive tract: Consuming items such as alcohol, caffeine, greasy, spicy, or refined foods can lead to indigestion.
• Obstruction in the intestines: Intestinal obstructions could also be one of the reasons for indigestion.
• Not much of friendly bacteria: Lack of friendly bacteria in our body could lead to indigestion.

Other possible causes of indigestion include food allergies, intolerances, and zinc deficiency. Psychological factors also contribute to indigestion. Stress, anxiety, and anger can disturb digestion process. Indigestion can sometimes be caused by insufficient (HCL) hydrochloric acid in the stomach. HCL is required for digestion of food such as fish, chicken, and meat. HCL levels decline with age. Therefore, older people suffer frequently from indigestion.