Natural Herbal Beauty

Ginger Tea

According to Ayurvedic medicine, ginger tea is excellent for stimulating agni, or digestive fire. At the same time, it reduces ama, or the accumulation of toxins in the digestive tract. Sip hot ginger tea after meals as a digestive aid. Ginger increases circulation and has antimicrobial properties, and is excellent for treating colds, flus and other respiratory problems, digestive ailments, and menstrual cramps. I drink ginger tea daily as a health tonic. (more…)

Stress and anxiety can also play a part in another common disorder, “irritable bowel syndrome” — a name that is often little more than a convenient label for a range of symptoms that can embrace just about any bowel irregularity which does not have a clear pathological cause. Sufferers can complain of numerous problems typical of poor digestive function or food intolerance — including constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence, stomach cramps, nausea, bowel tenderness, headaches, general tiredness, depression or anxiety. Food intolerance is a common cause: one study suggests that two-thirds of IBS sufferers actually display some sort of food allergy. The main culprits include dairy food, gluten (found in wheat, oats, barley and rye), caffeine-containing drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, eggs and red meat. If food intolerance is the cause, then it is important to identify and avoid the problem categories. (more…)

There was a saying in medieval Europe to the effect that “death dwells in the bowels” — a belief that good health, or the lack of it, was closely linked to good digestion. In Ayurvedic medicine, digestion plays a similar central role with the agni, or digestive fire, responsible for preserving health and numerous remedies used to improve and strengthen this vital energy force.

Modern herbalism, too, puts great emphasis on good digestion with a wide range of herbs to stimulate, relax, normalise and generally improve function. As well as those which have a relaxing and antispasmodic action on the gut, herbal digestive remedies are generally classified as:

• bitters — which stimulate the taste receptors leading to increased gastric acid and enzyme production;
• carminatives — which help to relieve flatulence, digestive colic and gastric discomfort by toning the mucous membranes and improving peristalsis; (more…)
   

Stress and anxiety can also play a part in another common disorder, “irritable bowel syndrome” — a name that is often little more than a convenient label for a range of symptoms that can embrace just about any bowel irregularity which does not have a clear pathological cause. Sufferers can complain of numerous problems typical of poor digestive function or food intolerance — including constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence, stomach cramps, nausea, bowel tenderness, headaches, general tiredness, depression or anxiety. Food intolerance is a common cause: one study suggests that two-thirds of IBS sufferers actually display some sort of food allergy. The main culprits include dairy food, gluten (found in wheat, oats, barley and rye), caffeine-containing drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, eggs and red meat. If food intolerance is the cause, then it is important to identify and avoid the problem categories.

Soothing herbs such as marshmallow and meadowsweet can help to relieve IBS symptoms, as can digestive tonics and stimulants like peppermint and golden seal. Astringents, such as herb Robert and agrimony, can be added to these remedies to ease any symptoms of diarrhoea. (more…)

Minor stomach upsets with abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting affect most of us at some time. They can often be associated with food poisoning, an excess of rich food or too much alcohol; in such cases soothing herbs like slippery elm and marshmallow can bring relief. Other stomach upsets are linked to chills, when warming herbs such as chili and ginger can be useful.

For some, the problem can be stress related, with any increase in nervous tension or anxiety levels usually accompanied by digestive problems; relaxing carminatives can be useful in these cases. The wide range of herbal relaxants offers plenty of choice depending on individual need and tastes, but a good mixture for nervous tummies is:

• 2 parts chamomile flowers
• 2 parts lemon balm herb
• I part lavender flowers
• Use 1-2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs per cup of boiling water, infuse for 5 minutes, strain and drink. (more…)