What should you know about food during indigestion?

Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, may feel like upper-abdominal discomfort, early fullness, bloating, nausea or burning. Large meals, fatty foods, spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, fizzy drinks and lying down soon after eating can aggravate symptoms for some people, but triggers vary.

Repeated indigestion can occur with acid reflux, gastritis, a peptic ulcer, Helicobacter pylori infection, gallstones or a hiatus hernia. Food choices may reduce discomfort without treating an underlying cause, so persistent symptoms deserve assessment rather than an increasingly restrictive diet.

Try modest portions, chew thoroughly and pause between servings. Choose simple foods you tolerate, such as porridge, rice, soup, bananas, yoghurt or lightly cooked vegetables, while keeping meals balanced. Limit only the items that you notice worsen symptoms, and keep a short diary of meals, timing and sensations.

Avoid lying flat immediately after eating and consider raising the head of the bed if night-time burning is a problem. Ask a pharmacist or clinician before using acid-reflux medication, especially if you take other medicines or are pregnant.

Arrange a medical appointment if indigestion keeps returning, lasts beyond a short period, or comes with difficulty swallowing, repeated vomiting, anaemia, loss of appetite or unintentional weight loss. Seek urgent help for vomiting blood, black stools, severe persistent abdominal pain, fainting or chest pain with sweating or breathlessness.

Could my symptoms be reflux, gastritis, an ulcer, gallstones or an infection? Which foods should I limit, and for how long? Do I need testing for Helicobacter pylori? Is a medicine suitable with my current treatments?