How to Improve Your Gut Health Naturally

Learn how to improve your gut health naturally with the following list of different herbs.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Chamomile has relaxing and sedative properties and is recommended for digestive issues, in particular those that are the result of, or worsened by stress. Its anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties help to sooth the stomach and alleviate gas and bloating.

Chamomile combines well with peppermint because they both help to relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract thereby helping to dissipate the gas that causes the stomach to bloat.

The herb may also relieve diarrhoea, upset stomach, loss of appetite, nausea, motion sickness, vomiting and chronic heartburn. For chronic heartburn do not combine with peppermint. A cup of chamomile tea after a meal is the perfect remedy to lessen the discomfort of over-eating.

St Mary’s Thistle – Silybum marianum

St Mary’s Thistle is powerful antioxidant that helps our body maintain health and energy by protecting the body from free-radicals and lipid peroxidation. It does this by blocking the entrance of toxins into the organs as wells as helping to remove toxins from the liver. This then enables the liver to maximise its detoxifying and cleansing potential.

St Mary’s Thistle also increases the body’s production of glutathione, an antioxidant compound necessary for detoxification. It also increases bile production which has an important role in carrying toxins to the bowel for elimination. The increase in bile production, coupled with the increasing anti-oxidant activity, helps promote liver cleansing, thus ensuring a very efficient detoxification process. The liver acts as a blood purifier cleansing the blood each day in order to support all our body systems.

St Mary’s Thistle is also able to promote healthy digestive function by increasing enzyme formation, decreasing inflammation and soothing the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.

Senna – Cassia angustifolia

Senna contains compounds called anthroquinones that work as a herbal laxative and help to strengthen the muscle tone of the walls of the bowel.

Senna is a strong stimulant laxative that softens stools and increases muscle contractions of the intestines (peristalsis), thereby increasing bowel movements. Anthraquinone laxatives work in two ways. Firstly, they assist with treating constipation by increasing the amount of water and electrolytes in the intestine.

Secondly they work by stimulating contractions of the colon muscles, helping to accelerate the passage of stools. Senna also helps to stimulate the production of bile in the liver, thereby speeding up the removal of toxins from your system. When this process is sped up, the body produces a softer, faster bowel movement as the intestines have had less time to absorb liquid from the stool. Senna works quite quickly, usually within three to nine hours. Caution: No herbal laxative should be taken for more than seven days consecutively.

Fennel – Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel seeds are recognized as a powerful carminative – a herb that assists in expelling intestinal gas. Fennel seeds also strengthen digestion, relieve lower abdominal pain and cramping, freshen the breath and eliminate bloating. Chewing on half a teaspoon of fresh seeds is a simple way to prevent or treat these digestive problems. Regular consumption of fennel seeds or fennel tea has also been proven effective for many people with more serious digestive disorders such as IBS.

Fennel contains rich volatile oils that are primarily responsible for its anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties that relax intestinal muscles thereby allowing trapped gas to dissipate.

Chewing on fennel seeds also improves the digestive process so that the food that is eaten moves more quickly through the digestive tract, lowing the chances of toxic gas compounds building up to the point of causing embarrassing and painful flatulence

Gentian – Gentiana lutea

Herbs that have a bitter taste promote digestive secretions and speed up the digestive process. Gentian is the herb of choice to use as a digestive tonic. It has a long historical use to stimulate appetite and improve a number of gastrointestinal problems including heartburn, vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach ache. Bitter herbs also reduce indigestion, bloating, gas and symptoms of food allergies as it increases the body’s capacity to appropriately break down food particles.

Consuming bitter herbs, such as Gentian, before a meal helps to improve the digestive process by increasing the flow of saliva, stomach acids and bile. Constipation, heartburn and dyspepsia are also address by taking 20 drops of gentian root tincture in a little water 30 minutes before you eat.

DIY – After Dinner Digestive Tea

2 cups water
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
2 slices of peeled finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon peppermint leaves

Directions:

Boil water and pour over herbs. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Strain tea, then sweeten with honey, if desired.