If you’re suffering from stomach problems, there are several herbs that can provide relief.
Perhaps it’s a stomach ache, cramping from menstrual pain or Irritable Bowel Syndrome or something else.
There are dozens of reasons for stomach issues but herbs can certainly help alleviate the pain.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to use, but there are some tried and true herbs to use as well as some you may not have heard of.
When you are suffering from stomach issues, it’s best to skip foods that can cause more stress such as spicy foods, heavy or oily foods, surgary foods and dairy.
Here are some herbs and supplements to use to soothe the stomach.
Ginger
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory available in many forms, often used fresh or dried. Ginger chews are easy to take, fresh or dried ginger is often used in cooking and in beverages like gingerale. To get a stronger benefit, chop some fresh ginger root and make a tea with it and enjoy with a little honey.
Ginger’s main active ingredients are gingerol and phenolic compound to treat nausea, dysentery, heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea, loss of appetite, infections, cough, and bronchitis.
Peppermint
Mint has a long history of use for soothing and calming upset stomach. The menthol in the leaves is a natural analgesic or pain reliever.
One of the easiest ways to enjoy mint is in a tea, either with dried or fresh herbs. A teaspoon of dried mint is all you need to make a cup of tea. Use double the amount for fresh herbs.
The benefits of mint can also be used from the essential oil, which can be used externally by massaging the oil on the stomach.
Slippery Elm
Slippery elm is a tree known for its dark brown to reddish brown bark that is native to the central and eastern United States and Ontario, Canada.
First Nations people would peel the tree’s slimy, red inner bark from twigs and branches and use it as a remedy for many common ailments like fevers, wounds, and sore throats.
When mixed with water, the bark becomes a sticky material known as mucilage, which is therapeutic and soothing to anything it touches.
The bark is a demulcent which means it can soothe the lining of the stomach and intestines which helps reduce irritation. Demulcents are sometimes referred to as mucoprotective agents.
Slippery elm bark can help treat the symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
It can be taken as a supplement or drunk as a tea.Probiotics
Probiotics are living bacteria and yeast that provide healthy and important micoorganisms for the digestive tract to improve the microbiome.
You can get probiotics in supplements or in foods such as kimchi, yogurt, miso, kefir and in beverages like kombucha and buttermilk.
Taking probiotics is important after using anti-biotics to reset the intestinal gut balance. Probiotics are also very helpful for building the immune system.
