Support for the Digestive System
June 13, 2018 by Natalie Vickery
Digestion begins the minute we put food in our mouths. Caring for our teeth and gums is an essential part of the whole process. Digestion is the single most important factor in overall health.
Some common signs of a poorly functioning digestive system include:
Flatulence or belching
Nausea
Pain anywhere in the digestive tract
Undigested food in the stool
Offensive breath
Constipation (less than one bowel movement per day)
Chronic diarrhea or loose stools
Lethargy or depression after meals
Food cravings other than normal hunger
Lack of satisfaction after meals
Some things that effect digestion include:
The use of antibiotics and other medications such as NSAIDs
Chronic stress
Diets high in refined and processed foods
Diets low in Omega 3 and high in Omega 6 fatty acids
Chronic infections
Food intolerances
Excessive alcohol consumption
Ways to support digestion include:
Chew your food thoroughly.
Relax and take time to enjoy your meals.
Eat whole foods and avoid processed, packaged and refined foods.
Incorporate some bitters into your diet. Bitter foods stimulate digestive secretions, which help you to improve digestion and help to improve nutrient absorption. (Think salads with bitter greens before a meal.)
Avoid drinking beverages, to include water, when you are eating as these interfere with digestion by diluting digestive secretions.
Avoid refined sugar. Choose healthy sweeteners to include honey or pure maple syrup.
Some Herbs that Help to Support Digestion:
Elm bark (Ulmus spp.) – helps to soothe irritated tissue
Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis) – aids in soothing, toning and healing tissue as well as reducing inflammation.
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) – Chamomile initially comes across as sweet, but if steeped for more than 5 minutes it takes on a certain bitterness. This bitterness helps to improve digestion, while the herb itself relaxes the digestive tract relieving cramping, spasms and reducing inflammation.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) – helps to reduce inflammation and relieve digestive tension and spasms.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) – helps to reduce inflammation, relieve tension from spasms and helps to heal the tissue.
Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgaris) -reduces spasms, tension, gas, bloating and inflammation.
Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) – soothes tissue, reduces inflammation and tension from spasms.
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinalis) – a traditional bitter herb that helps to stimulate digestive secretions, improves elimination and acts on the liver and gallbladder.
Digestive Formula
¼ cup Coriander seeds
¼ cup Anise seeds
¼ cup Dill seeds
Brandy
Honey
Quart jar
PREPARATION:
Crush the herbs, place them in a jar.
Completely cover the herbs with brandy
Add approximately ¼ to ½ cup of honey to the jar.
Set the jar aside and allow the mixture to sit for 4 weeks.
After waiting the allotted time, strain off the herbs and re-bottle.
Indicated for flatulence, bloating, abdominal pain and spasms.
Adult dose = ½ – 1 tsp in water every hour or as needed
To Learn more about supporting the body as a whole, check out my Free eBook, “The Family Herbal Formulary”. CLICK HERE
Posted in Health Conditions, Recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged herbal remedies for digestion, Herbs for digestion | 6 Comments
