Herbs for Healthy Digestion
Spicy remedies to help you enjoy the feasts of the season.
Soon our cozy little city will become aflame with autumnal beauty as crispy stars flutter to the ground in orange and red swirls. Pointy maple leaves will hide in my hair and coat after long walks through the neighborhood. Chilled breezes will usher in fall.
I adore this time of year. We keep our homes warm with a fire in the stove, slow cooked meals, and gatherings with friends and family. You know it’s potluck season when the cooler weather finally tiptoes in! But sometimes after that fourth slice of grandpa’s famous tempeh loaf, mugs of boozy eggnog, and endless plates of pumpkin pie, the pain begins.
Our digestion can get thrown off pretty easily during the holidays. Whether we’re traveling to see family, eating lots of rich food we aren’t used to, or stressed out by mounting obligations, herbs can help us keep digestion strong.
Bitters
Bitter herbs help stimulate appetite and digestion by getting gastric juices flowing and your peristalsis moving. Just a drop of this often shunned flavor on the tongue is effective in activating the production of beneficial digestive secretions including saliva, gastric acid, and bile. This is helpful for constipation, gas related cramping, sluggish digestive movement, and to support a healthy appetite after an illness or while traveling. I like to keep a bottle of these bitters on-hand to take by the drop or to make a super easy bitter soda!
Dandy Bitter Soda
1 part organic dried orange peel
1 part organic dried dandelion root
1 part organic cacao nibs
¼ part organic gentian root
Fill 1/3 of a half pint jar with the herb mix. Pour unflavored vodka over the herbs until the jar is filled. Allow to extract for 2 weeks and strain. Use several droppers in a pint of bubbly water or take a few drops straight on the tongue.
Aromatics
Aromatic herbs have been used in traditional cuisines around the world to add bursts of flavor to a meal, and also to help stimulate healthy digestion. These plants have volatile essential oils that present strong aromas like fennel, peppermint, dill, coriander, and ginger to name a few. Many aromatic herbs are carminatives that help expel gas from the digestive system. This action can help ease bloating and gas related cramping.
Digestif Lozenges
4 parts organic maple or coconut sugar
2 parts organic cardamom powder
1 part organic ginger root powder
1 part organic licorice root powder
1 part organic acacia powder
water or organic fennel tincture
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Use a glass dropper to add one dropperful of liquid at a time to the bowl. Keep adding one dropperful of liquid until the mixture holds together in a clump, similar to the consistency of cookie dough. Be careful not to add too much liquid. Form into small lozenges about the size of a pencil eraser. They will be strong! Coat the outsides with additional licorice root powder if desired. Allow to dry on a screen or plate for a few days. Store in a glass jar or tin and take along to every party.
Demulcents
Some herbs are mucilaginous and produce slime that coats, soothes, and protects mucus membranes, as well as ease dry conditions. This slime action triggers a reflex that helps promote natural moistening secretions within the body systems such as respiratory, digestive, renal, and reproductive. Best extracted as an infusion in water rather than in alcohol tincture form, they can be helpful for ulcers, heartburn, and constipation.
Soothing Marshmallow Rose Tea
3 parts organic marshmallow root
2 parts organic rose buds
1 part organic cinnamon chips or ½ part powder or 1 stick
Fill 1/3 of a pint jar with herb mix (you can also bundle the herbs in cheesecloth) and cover completely with cool water. Refrigerate overnight and strain. Add honey to taste if you’d like a little more sweetness. Drink and enjoy!