Our body is amazing and yet there are parts of it that serve no purpose except causing us pain. The appendix is one such vestigial organ in the human body.
Millions of years ago this little finger-like projection of the small intestine was an active part of the digestive system, housing billions of bacteria. But as humans evolved, our diets changed from strictly herbivorous to omnivorous and the need for these cellulose (plant fiber) digesting bacteria diminished. As a result, the appendix lost its function and was rendered useless. But due to the high protein and low fiber diet that most of us indulge in, constipation is a regular phenomenon for many. This leads to deposition of fecal matter in the cavity of the appendix, which gives rise to symptoms like severe pain in the abdominal area around the organ, vomiting, fever and so on. If you have full-blown appendicitis, where there is no chance of cleansing the appendix, surgery is inevitable.
Top 15 Home Remedies for Appendicitis:
Appendectomy is performed to remove the appendix which does away with the problem of pain and vomiting. However, if your condition is still in the initial stages, you can try some appendicitis home remedies. These are effective in controlling the symptoms and use items that are available readily in an average household.
1. Green Gram:
When it comes to best appendicitis remedies, you can consider green gram to be in the top list. even all alternative medicine practitioners recommend this. Green gram or mung beans can be bought from grocery stores. Rinse the dry beans three or four times and then soak these in clean water overnight. In the morning, you will find them plump and sprouting. You can eat them raw or microwave or steam them. The beans can be eaten by themselves as a healthy snack or added for good measure in green salads. Sprouted beans can be stored for four to five days. But make sure they are drained well – stagnant water that may be trapped in the container where you store the beans can rot them.
2. Whole Wheat:
Wheat is a popular carbohydrate. However, we tend to eat the pristine white, refined flour more than the slightly grainy whole wheat flower. Refined flour is devoid of roughage, so eating too much of this kind of flour leads to constipation. Whole wheat flour is available in supermarkets and can be used to bake bread or loaves. The sterilized bran obtained from wheat can be added to refined flour to make healthier, more roughage containing bread. Brown breads are made from whole wheat flour, so switch to these instead of white bread.
3. Ginger:
Ginger is one of the most versatile home remedies as it has medicinal properties that can be used to treat many disorders. If you feel nauseated due to your appendicitis, ginger is particularly helpful. It has a sharp, palate cleansing taste, which suppresses feelings of nausea and also relieves pain. You can slice up a piece of ginger and eat these raw in the morning. You can also use it generously in the food you eat. Rustle up a healthy fruit salad and add candied ginger to it to get a healthy dose of fiber as well as ginger. However, if you also have the problem of acid reflux, do not eat more than one gram of ginger a day.
4. Vegetable Juices:
Drinking small amounts of vegetable juice can help combat the symptoms of appendicitis. Carrot juice is especially helpful in alleviating pain and fighting the infection. Appendicitis is caused due to backing up of waste matter in your body and a great way to flush that out is by drinking lots of water. A cleanse diet is often recommended for appendicitis where you just drink water and fruit and vegetable juices for a couple of days. These flush out all the toxins from your body and waste that have been accumulating due to constipation. If you can follow this routine long enough, you can even get cured without surgery.
5. Ginseng Herb:
This Chinese herb is also known for its variety of medicinal benefits. To help with your appendicitis, drink Ginseng tea two times a day. To make a brew, put some water on boil. Once it is on the boil, take it off the heat and add a couple of teaspoons of the herb and let it steep. When the tea cools, drink it. You can also soak the herb in cold water and drink it.
6. Buttermilk:
Drinking lots of fluids is essential for any appendicitis patient. That is why they are recommended to consume all sorts of vegetables, fruits and fluids. Buttermilk happens to be one of them. It is light and can be drunk regularly in large amounts. In fact, as one of the best appendicitis remedies, at least 1 liter of buttermilk has to be drunk every day for it to work. You can also make mocktails with buttermilk. Shake up a mocktail with buttermilk, grated cucumber, ginger, mint and coriander for a refreshing drink that also helps in appendix cleansing. You can also make a light smoothie with buttermilk and a fruit of your choice.
7. Mint:
Mint is a cooling and soothing herb and is of great benefit to appendicitis patients. There are a lot of ways to get the goodness out of mint. You can easily add mint leaves to fruit salads and add to its taste and the health quotient. You can make a paste of mint leaves and add it to the buttermilk shake for a more refreshing taste and increase the appendicitis fighting power of buttermilk. The essential oil of mint is one of the beneficial natural remedies for appendicitis patients. So if you can buy mint oil, add a couple of drops in a glass of water and drink it.
8. Turmeric:
Turmeric helps in reversing all sorts of inflammation. If your appendix is inflamed, having turmeric will alleviate pain and other symptoms. This is one of great home remedies for appendicitis. You can use turmeric in food—it lifts up the taste and color of any dish. You can also make a paste of turmeric and ginger and have a tablespoon of this once a day, preferably in the morning. Adding a tablespoon of turmeric paste in buttermilk will boost the medicinal benefits of both. In fact, ‘haldi doodh’ or turmeric milk has been traditionally drunk by many Indians for ages for boosting immunity. You can also add slices of turmeric in stir fries to incorporate its slightly peppery taste with the dish.
9. Fenugreek Seeds:
Fenugreek seeds are helpful in relieving appendicitis symptoms, especially vomiting. You can chew a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds after a meal. However, they have a bitter taste, which can be off-putting. There are hundreds of Indian dishes that have abundant use of fenugreek seeds. You can prepare these dishes for a healthy dose of the seeds. You can also soak fenugreek powder in cold water overnight and drink it in the morning. You can add a bit of honey if you want.
10. Gotu Kola:
This Chinese herb, medicinally known as Centella asiatica, has tremendous healing potential. You can find the dried form of this herb in herbal shops or buy them online. It has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years in China and India. To reap its benefits, you have to make a brew. Make a tea of the dried herb and drink it thrice a day. The herb is also available in capsules- you can take appropriate doses of these capsules. Tinctures and extracts are also available- dilute them in cold water to drink the concoctions.
11. Agrimony:
Agrimony is an uncommon herb but its brew works well in relieving appendicitis. This astringent and bitter tonic herb does wonders to the digestive system and is an important ingredient of many cleansing diets. To have agrimony, bring water to a boil and add the dried herbs. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and then take off the heat. Once the herb has steeped well and the concoction is cold, strain it and discard the herbs. Drink this fluid twice a day for best results.
12. Dandelion:
This pretty wild green plant is thought to be pretty to look at but it has great medicinal properties and is tasty to eat as well. Its anti-oxidant properties help appendicitis treatment and its roots and shoots are loaded with vitamins and minerals. The abundant potassium present in the plant helps in detoxifying the body. Young shoots can be chopped and added to salads and sandwiches. After flowering, the plants turn bitter, so if you eat dandelions at this stage, blanch them a couple of times to reduce the bitterness. You can also steam and sauté them with other vegetables. The French have a more sophisticated way of eating dandelions—the crème de pissenlits or cream of dandelion soup. You can find recipes on the internet and make an interpretation of your own to make a delicious and healthy dandelion dish.
13. Basil:
Basil is a versatile herb and is used extensively in European, especially Italian, cuisines. It is also chock full of appendicitis fighting properties. To eat basil, the broad leaved, sweet tasting Italian basil, you can rustle up a salad with potatoes, tomatoes, corn and other seasonal vegetables you like. You can make a pesto sauce with basil and use it in pastas. Basil also works wonders in soups. The classic tomato soup or squash or pumpkin soup can be given a boost of flavor and medicinal properties with basil. Basil can even be used in ice-based desserts like granitas and sorbets. If you are making a cocktail, adding a few crushed leaves of basil will take the drink to another level of deliciousness. Basil is one of the beneficial natural remedies for appendicitis
14. Beet and Cucumber:
Beet and cucumber is a great cleanse combination and helps in detox. This detoxification is an essential part of any appendicitis remedy or cure. You can chop both the vegetables and eat it as a salad. You can also grate cucumber and beet and blend it up to make a chunky vegetable smoothie packed full of flavor and goodness. Beet is a hard vegetable, so you can steam or microwave it before juicing for a smoother puree. Pickled beet and cucumber makes for a great snack that is also good to look at. Boil the beets and prepare a brine solution with the boiling beet water, vinegar, pickling salt and sugar. Placing the boiled beets and cucumbers in jars, pour the hot brine solution over it. Both of these taken in combination
15. Honey and Lemon:
Honey and lemon are really good in mobilizing your bowels and relieving constipation, which eventually helps in mitigating appendicitis symptoms too. Buy organic honey because the other kind is loaded with artificial sweeteners. You can mix a tablespoon of honey with the juice of one lemon and drink this liquid. It has a really strong taste and if you want, you can mellow it down with warm water. It is best to drink this solution in the morning.
These appendicitis home remedies are only suitable for controlling appendicitis that is in its initial stages. If your condition is aggravated, there is no way these home remedies can give you any relief. Besides, in many cases, these remedies turn out to be only temporary relief and the pain and all the other symptoms recur. The best way to avoid getting appendicitis is to eat plenty of fiber and roughage that will prevent your intestines from getting clogged up.
Regular exercise also helps in fighting constipation. However, it does not matter what stage of appendicitis you presume to be in, go to the doctor first. Appendicitis can become very serious and even fatal if it bursts. You must be sure about your condition before you take on any course of action and this is only possible if a doctor checks up on you. If he recommends you get medical attention, do not try to improve your condition with these appendicitis natural remedies.
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