We are what we eat, eating makes us happy and having a good digestion helps continue that happiness. The number of issues that poor digestion can cause are many and can surely not be very agreeable. They range from diarrhea, a stomach upset, gas or bloating and my least favorite, heartburn. Western medicine most often takes a dreadful toll on your system by attempting to neutralize the acids present in your stomach. Doctors agree that it is very rarely just a single thing creating digestive problems. There are several herbs for digestion that you can have, Jamison Starbuck, J.D., N.D., who is an accomplished and licensed naturopathic and homeopathic consultant prescribes: Gentian, Fennell, Ginger, Aloe and Peppermint.

These roots and herbs have been there for ages and and make ideal herbs for digestion. Peppermint is one of the oldest medicinal plants that we identify and is common to find in your beautiful garden or growing naturally in your backyard. “Herbal Medicine” author Rudolph Weiss says that the peppermint herb has three primary benefits. It can encourage the gallbladder and liver to produce more bile, which assists in disinfecting the stomach from any imbalances. It also has several aesthetic properties that help anaesthetize the mucous membrane which discourages nausea and vomiting and also aid in the lessening of gas and indigestion. This is a simple herb for digestion that can be had in various forms, but generally the more enjoyable is tea.

Based on the book written by Phillips, S., et al. “Zingiber officinale (ginger) — an anti-emetic for day case surgery,” Ginger is popular for its aromatic properties, just remember that smell of freshly chopped ginger being fried while awaiting your order at a table in a popular Thai restaurant or even the pervading scent in your kitchen when fresh ginger is being cooked. Ginger is also popular due to its anti-nausea properties. In a trial conducted on a group consisting of 80 very tense young naval cadets, on the high tide open waters in 1988, they came to a conclusion that Ginger had major advantages in decreasing seasickness and nausea. Not just that, it also revealed that Ginger was a good preventive measure, and a cure too.

Some herbs for digestion, like Fennel, Aloe, and Gentian, help the control and prevention of stomach upsets. Fennel has a mainly strong impact against relief of spasms in smooth muscles and other digestive issues like morning sickness. It has also been recognized to be used in patients going through radiation treatments to help calm their stomachs. Aloe, in addition to having a naturally smoothing effect on your stomach, also includes amino acids, vitamin C and enzymes. Gentian is one of the lesser known herbs for digestion. Owing to its bitter taste, which assists in encouraging digestive juices it makes it an excellent preventive measure against a stomach upset. Gentian also helps you to extract all supplementary nutrients into your system like vitamin B12, and iron.

Obtaining herbs for digestion can be as easy as growing them yourself, or procuring them from the local market, but remember, if you are not sure then you should get advice from a professional and don’t forget to drink lots of water. Herbal remedies can work,   as long as they are used safely.