Herbs to Aid Digestion
Herbalists have a remedy for practically any digestive woe you could have, from indigestion and nausea to diarrhea and gas.
Digestives
Herbal medicine offers several options for improving overall digestion. These herbs, generally known as digestives, stimulate the production of digestive fluids and encourage regular elimination. The best-known digestive herbs include these:
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, C. aromaticum)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
Carminatives
Another group of herbs are classified as carminatives, meaning they work to dispel gas and relieve cramping. Carminatives have antispasmodic (anticramping) action on the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. Here are some of the better-known carminatives:
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Anti-diarrheals
Herbal remedies for diarrhea slow the transit of fluids through your GI tract to return your digestion to its normal pace. They include:
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum)
Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
Psyllium (Plantago ovata, P. psyllium)
Sangre de grado (Croton lechleri)
Antiemetics
A group of herbs known as antiemetics work to combat nausea and stop vomiting. Herbal remedies for nausea and vomiting include these:
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Herbal demulcents soothe inflammation in the digestive tract:
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
Flax (Linum usitatissimum)
Gentian (Gentiana lutea)
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
Herbs can also stimulate regurgitation. Ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha) has been used by generations of indigenous people in the Amazon to induce vomiting. It was adopted by seventeenth-century Europeans and used to make syrup of ipecac, an OTC emetic and once-popular remedy for accidental poisoning.
Laxatives and Diuretics
Several medicinal plants aid in the elimination of bodily waste. Herbal purgatives (or laxatives) have been used for centuries to relieve constipation and speed the transit of food through the digestive system; diuretics are used to relieve water retention and treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and urinary tract infections. Herbal laxatives include:
Aloe (Aloe vera)
Flax (Linum usitatissimum)
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Psyllium (Plantago ovata, P. psyllium)
Some popular herbal diuretics are:
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Tea (Camellia sinensis)
