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By Dave Peyton Indigestion may be the most prevalent complaint people have, outside the common cold. It's little wonder that almost everyone suffers from indigestion and related problems at one time or another. The stomach is does some amazing things to its contents requiring it to grind like a grist mill and release an acid so powerful it could burn the skin. Then what is the answer to indigestion? Well, if you suffer from indigestion regularly, it's time to see a doctor since indigestion can be a symptom of some other problem. But, for those with occasional and simple indigestion, there are several natural remedies, some known for hundreds of years. It may sound unlikely that bran can heal an upset stomach or indigestion, but an article in the British Medical Journal indicated that bran might work to sooth the stomach as well as the colon. A total of 70 patients with diverticular disease of the colon were given bran to help their colon problem. Of the 70, 11 of them had complained of nausea and stomach upset. After taking an average of two tablespoons of bran daily for several weeks, seven of the 11 said their nausea had disappeared and two others said their symptoms were relieved. Many cases of heartburn were also relieved by the bran. Several natural foods and herbs have been shown to reduce stomach distress. Following are some of them: Papaya: This natural digestive aid helps in digesting protein. If papaya is out of season, you can purchase papaya supplements at health food stores. Papaya may relieve gas as well as stomach upsets and indigestion. Fennel: In the famed natural herb book ""Back to Eden,'' Jethro Kloss says fennel is a remedy for ""gas, acid stomach, cramps, colic and spasms.'' Many herbalists say a tea made from fennel seeds is a good treatment for indigestion. Catnip: Tea made from catnip leaves is a traditional remedy for stomach ailments, particularly among lchildren. Kloss called it ""very useful in pain of any kind'' and said it was excellent in eliminating gas and stomach acid. Anise: Sometimes an over-acid stomach comes from too many sweets. Herbalists recommend anise seeds in that case. In his book ""Nature's Healing Agents,'' Dr. R. Swinburne Clymer notes that parents used to give their children cakes covered with anise seeds during the holiday season to soothe their acid stomachs which came from eating too many sweets. Mint: Both peppermint and spearmint leaves are excellent for making a tea for nausea, vomiting, diaeehea and colon problems. A tablespoon of crushed leaves steeped in a cup of water for five minutes can help eliminate all sorts of digestive problems. Sage: The slightly bitter tea made frokm sage leaves is said to be an excellent tonic for intestinal inflamations, including stomach inflamations. Yogurt: Milk which has been fermented by one of the yogurt bacteria has be n found to be soothing to the entire digestive tract. In the book ""Encyclopedia of Common Diseases'' by the editors of Prevention magazine, eating yogurt can sooth everything from an enflamed esophagus to colonitis. The book quotes a doctor of osteopathy as saying ""If someone comes intok my office with a digestive complaint, I askd them to eat a ckup of yogurt a day and come back in a week. Only if their problem exists - and it often doesn't - do I investigate further.''