Digestion & GI health

Herbs for healing digestive imbalance

Long before Pepcid, Alka-Seltzer, TUMS or Pepto-Bismol hit the shelves of your local “apothecary,” people everywhere regularly turned to the plant materials that grew around them to heal their digestive system complaints. Today, many of these same botanical remedies remain in widespread use for common symptoms of digestive system problems. Bouts of nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness, vomiting, heartburn, dyspepsia, bloating, belching, flatulence, or diarrhea, when occasional or mild, can all be self-treated, frequently to good effect. More serious or persistent digestive disorders, such as a parasitic infections, chronic acid reflux, Crohn’s, or peptic ulcers, among others, should be discussed with a qualified professional. While these more problematic digestive concerns can also be treated with herbs, results can be much more variable, and professional guidance will help ensure you a better outcome.

Meant for the milder or occasional GI upset, this is an introduction to a handful of gentle, “kitchen-garden” remedies still being cultivated, blended, and administered today to good effect. Most women can safely use these herbs as antidotes to the occasional GI upsets we nearly all experience from time to time. (If your GI symptoms persist or worsen, please do consult with a qualified healthcare professional for assistance.)

The botanical nervines

Because digestive system problems and disturbances are so often tangled up with stress, anxiety, and tension, we favor a group of herbs known as botanical nervines. For those whose digestion is easily disrupted by emotional upset, botanical nervines can have a pronounced positive effect on the nervous system that is followed naturally with GI relief.

The way in which botanical nervines generally improve digestion is by reducing the stress response — an adaptive triggering of the sympathetic nervous system accompanied by a simultaneous turn-off of any other bodily function not required in an emergency for survival. In essence, these herbs help heal our nervous stomachs by making us more serene — but they do this in a range of intriguing ways that we’re only just beginning to understand.

We’ve learned that one of the most valuable features of plant medicine (phytotherapy) is that certain plants have what are termed biphasic effects, or adaptogenic effects. This means they may have complementary and overlapping actions, depending on the particular conditions existing within the body at that moment in time. In the case of nervines, some herbs can function both as relaxant nervines — which are thought to work by relaxing constricted or contracted tissues in relation to the nervous system — and as stimulant nervines — thought to stimulate lax or stagnant tissues in relation to the nervous system. Others are more nutritive for the nervous system. Here are five great botanical nervines that aid digestion.

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita and Mentha ssp.) for digestion

The digestive benefits of herbs in the mint family derive largely from the aromatic oils and phenols that accumulate within tiny, hairlike glands — trichomes —that lie scattered along their fuzzy square stems and leaf surfaces. The use of essential oil of peppermint as a digestive aid probably dates back to ancient Greece; several thousand years later, a body of scientific research now exists that supports its use, particularly in the form of delayed-release, enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules for symptomatic relief of irritable bowel syndrome. An enteric coating on the capsule allows for the oil of peppermint to pass undegraded through the more caustic upper regions of the GI tract to the lower intestine, where, as reported in The Lancet nearly 30 years ago, it has the effect of a gentle smooth-muscle relaxant, calming digestive spasm, inhibiting GI contraction, relieving gas, and reducing pain and discomfort.

A cautionary note: enteric-coated peppermint is well-tolerated at the commonly recommended dosages, but higher doses may cause adverse effects. Caution is also urged with anyone with GI reflux, hiatal hernia, or kidney stones — please see a qualified naturopath or herbalist for proper advice and oversight.

Additional applications include its topical use: Soak a clean towel in hot water with a few drops of peppermint oil, then apply to the abdomen for 20–30 minutes, two to three times daily, as a comforting compress for bloating or distention.

But you need not suffer from a digestive disorder to enjoy peppermint, at least not in the form of peppermint tea. No adverse reactions have been reported from peppermint tea, and it may well be the mostly widely consumed, single-ingredient herbal tisane. The most delicate and the most “cast-iron” of stomachs alike will find an after-dinner cup of peppermint tea quite soothing, thanks to its delicate aroma, flavor, and all the beneficial effects on digestion described above. If you have a sweet tooth but high-carb desserts bother your digestion or your sleep — especially after the evening meal — try it with or without a dollop of honey or agave nectar in the place of dessert. Your digestion will thank you.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita, M. chamomilla, Chamomilla recutita) for digestion

Chamomile is another botanical nervine that is popular for digestive symptoms, used singly or in combination, as a tisane, tincture, or homeopathically. Sometimes referred to as “mother of gut,” chamomile has traditionally been prescribed in the treatment of both acute and chronic gastric distress, such as inflammation and cramps of the digestive organs. Though scientific studies on humans are limited, there is research on extracts of dried chamomile flowers demonstrating spasmolytic (spasm-dissolving) and anxiolytic (anxiety-dissolving) effects, and together with chamomile’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, these actions may explain its overall soothing effect on digestion.

Numerous chemical compounds have been isolated from chamomile flowers, including apigenin. The pharmacologic effects of this phenolic flavonoid are not fully understood, but apigenin has been noted to have an affinity for the GABA receptors in the brain, where it may exert a natural inhibitory effect on our central nervous system. (GABA receptors also have sites where the action of barbiturates and anti-anxiety drugs takes place.) Generally recognized as safe and well tolerated, chamomile may, however, rarely cause allergic symptoms in those sensitive to plants in the sunflower (Asteraceae), celery (Umbelliferae), or onion (Amaryllidaceae) families.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis); rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis); and valerian (Valeriana officinalis) for digestion

Often formulated into combination products, lemon balm, rosemary, and valerian are three additional botanical nervines that are used to help dispel digestive spasm, relieve gassiness, calm queasiness, and diminish pain. There is somewhat limited clinical evidence to support their use, but based upon observation and available research, these herbs are generally well tolerated and can be taken orally to help reduce symptoms of GI disturbance.

Lemon balm, also known as bee balm or Melissa, is another member of the mint family used internationally for centuries to allay gas, spasm, and dyspepsia, as well as to increase “calmness.” Rosemary is noted for its antispasmodic effects, and the German Commission E has approved the use of rosemary leaf for the treatment of dyspepsia. Research into the active constituents of medicinal plants often turns up biochemical similarities between different species. Rosemary and lemon balm, for instance, share the polyphenol compound known as rosmarinic acid. While valerian is better known for treatment of restlessness and nervous sleep disturbance, and is often formulated with other herbs such as hops or lemon balm for use as a mild sedative or anxiolytic, one of its nicknames is “all-heal,” and historically valerian has been used for a wide range of gastrointestinal indications, including constipation, GI cramps, flatulence (gas), colic, nausea, IBS, and viral gastroenteritis.

Other herbal digestive aids

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) for digestion

With origins in traditional Ayurvedic, mid Eastern and Mediterranean basin medicine, preparations of fennel leaves and seeds are noted to help prevent and relieve gassiness and diminish bloating, heartburn, and constipation. Fennel is also believed to promote the secretion of digestive enzymes and to improve a weak appetite. To infants with colic, fennel has also been traditionally given as a tea, in combination with other medicinal herbs, or as a fennel seed emulsion. In one small trial there was significant relief of colic symptoms noted, with no side effects reported. Fennel is generally recognized as safe but may rarely cause an allergic reaction. It is not recommended for use in pregnancy.

Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) for digestion

Ginger root has been used and studied extensively for a range of biological activities, but people have been using it medicinally for so long we’re not even sure of its origins. One of the oldest known written records dates back to at least 2000 BC China, where its use was first mentioned in the herbal compendium of the Divine Plowman, Emperor Shen-Nong. Some 4000 years later, there is considerable experimental data, collected by scientists worldwide, regarding ginger root’s ability to strengthen and mildly stimulate the stomach and intestines, as well as to calm nausea and vomiting. The active constituents are thought to be chemical compounds called gingerals, which function as inhibitors of proinflammatory chemicals called prostaglandins. Ginger formulations have been relied upon to soothe travelers’ queasiness both on land and sea — even (experimentally) in space! — as well as by women in first-trimester pregnancy to quell morning sickness. Some of the diverse “stomachic” qualities attributed to ginger include antiulcer, gastric secretory and antisecretory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antinauseant (antiemetic), and anti-motion sickness. It can be used in the form of fresh gingerroot or ginger juice, in teas or decoctions, gingerale, or dried and encapsulated gingerroot powder.

Digestive bitters

A bitters formulation may be an infusion, tincture, or distillation (usually in some type of spirits), of aromatic herbs, barks, fruits, and roots with a range of medicinal qualities, but with a primary overall effect of improving digestion. This digestive effect is thought to arise predominantly through enhanced production of digestive enzymes, by nutritive support of the epithelial lining of the GI tract, and by downregulating intestinal irritation and inflammation.

Many different bitters formulations exist, handed down through the ages from elders familiar with the native flora. Swedish bitters, probably the most well known here in the West, has its origins in 16th-century Europe, where it was used for a number of indications, including stomach cramps. One “original” recipe is believed to have been a tincture of aloe, myrhh, saffron, senna leaves, camphor, Angelica root, rhubarb root, and other ingredients of a somewhat esoteric nature, in a mixture of several different spirits. Nowadays there are a number of different preparations labeled “Swedish bitters” that contain more variable combinations of herbs from around the globe. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), cardamom seed, milk thistle seed, fennel seed, dandelion root, gentian root, ginger root, and other herb leaves, flowers, bark, roots, or seeds are among the many plants used. Citrus essences such as bitter orange or lemon frequently added as flavorings to bitters formulations.

Angostura bitters, which most people think of a cocktail ingredient, was originally compounded as a remedy for stomach maladies. A few drops in mineral water to taste makes a welcome digestion-enhancing alternative to the drink menu list of sugary sodas, alcoholic beverages, and fruit juices. It owes its refreshing taste to the bark of the angostura tree and gentian root, among other ingredients.

Digestive herbs — more than just for taste

These are just a few of countless herbs with a long tradition of use as phytotherapy for digestive upset. Look for these herbs at your health food or grocery store, in your garden, or at a local naturopath or herbalist, and give them a try. Keep in mind that no one treatment will work for everyone in the same way, and there are myriad additional components to a natural approach to healing digestion. And as always, before using herbs to treat an ongoing or chronic digestive condition, it’s wise to consult someone a qualified herbalist, naturopath, practitioner of Oriental medicine, or functional medicine practitioner. You can heal your digestion naturally, given time and the proper support, but sometimes it takes professional assistance — from someone who has dedicated their life to studying and helping others achieve better health through natural means — to create a platform from which you can then draw on nature’s herbal compendium to maintain your digestive wellness.

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References & further reading on healing herbs for digestive problems

 

Original Publication Date: 11/16/2009
Last Modified: 02/17/2010