Eat These Plants for Intestinal Health

When your digestion isn’t working well, you feel it. Whether inflammation, constipation or irritation, you can’t take your intestinal health for granted. The digestive system is responsible for the absorption of nutrients as well as the elimination of toxic substances. If it’s compromised, so is your wellbeing. Happily, you can ensure smooth sailing simply by incorporating a few medicinal plants into your already healthy (right?) diet. Allow us to explain…

Signs of failing intestinal health

• All the symptoms of dodgy digestion are pretty easy to recognise. When you feel gassy, constipated, have diarrhoea or your tongue is coated in a lovely shade of white that leaves a strange flavour in your mouth, then there’s trouble in your intestines.
• Your stress levels play a bigger role than you think. As aware as you probably are that your lifestyle affects your intestinal health, you may not realise the full extent to which your nerves can cause problems for your intestines. There is an intricate system of nerves located there, so you want to strive to keep calm (if at all possible).
• If you don’t do it already, you should…detox your intestines, that is! It’s important to keep them clean and clear of toxins. Take the small intestine, for instance. It helps to bring nutrients to your blood, so if there’s a lot of toxicity there it has no choice but to get into the bloodstream. This accumulation can be a bit dangerous. Look at your skin to determine whether it’s time to flush out some of the baddies from your system. Dry, wrinkled or spotty skin is an indication, as are fatigue and pains in the kidney or liver.

Plants can cure gastroenteritis 

This discomfort is quite common. Consider yourself fortunate if you’ve never experienced it. When the intestines mucus lining is inflamed by infection or toxicity, you’re under attack by pathogenic microorganisms. Your body will let you know it, with diarrhoea, nausea and raised temperature. Sound fun? Don’t worry. Here’s a fix for you.

You’ll need…

Emollient, astringent and anti-inflammatory plants. It’s also a good idea to try to avoid eating solid foods for the first couple of days. The recommended infusions will provide essential treatment and they’ll work more efficiently if your body isn’t struggling to digest anything heavy.

1. Marshmallow plants

Look no further than marshmallow plant for emollience and the ability to calm inflammation. You’ll easily find it in health food shops, as loads of people buy it for its healing qualities. You just need one tablespoon of this plant for each cup of hot water. Enjoy this infusion’s mellow taste up to twice daily.

2. Mint and green anise

This potent duo is brilliant for soothing stomach pain. It keeps you hydrated and reliably eases intestinal inflammation. Put a tablespoon of each plant in one cup of boiling water. Leave it to steep for a few minutes, then strain it and sip slowly. Help yourself to 3 cups a day.

3. Black tea with lemon

What a classic! This treatment eliminates gastroenteritis bit by bit. In the meantime, you’ll feel well hydrated, less nauseated, calmer and with a much less pronounced feeling of pain and inflammation. First things first: prepare the black tea. Then – if you’re certain that your stomach can cope – put a few drops of lemon in and sip it steadily.

Plants can cure colitis

What is colitis? It’s inflammation of your large intestine – and, again, you’ll know it when you feel it! Its hallmarks are abdominal pain and diarrhoea. If it’s a serious case, these things will be accompanied by bleeding or pus. Sometimes, it’s a reaction to pathogenic microorganisms or the result of side effects to a medication you’re taking.

You’ll need…

Balancing and protecting from plants that are beneficial for intestinal flora. Astringent plants with the ability to ease diarrhoea and inflammation are the ones you want. These are very useful for easing intestinal transit and curing colitis.

1. Eucalyptus infusion

Eucalyptus is tops for treating colitis. It does it by absorbing the toxins from your intestines, so we strongly suggest that you drink two to three cups a day. Eucalyptus is easy to source from health food shops – and you only need four or five leaves of it for the infusion. You’ll soon be feeling relief.

2. Thyme infusion

One of the beautiful things about thyme is its culinary popularity. This ensures that you can buy it in most supermarkets, so you won’t need to seek out a specialist shop. It’s incredibly tasty as a tea, but it’s also hugely beneficial to your insides. This is because it fights against intestinal decomposition, which makes it great for treating inflammation and staving off invasive toxins and bacteria. Add one teaspoon of thyme to a cup of boiling water. Steep for five minutes and then sip it at a leisurely pace. Don’t rush it…but do drink two cups a day: one at breakfast and the other before dinner.

Plant power for intestinal colic

An obstruction of the digestive tract will cause intestinal colic and produce spasms in the muscles of the intestines. It’s also responsible for inflammation and the dreaded irritable bowel syndrome. Ouch! Even if you’ve never suffered it, you probably know others who have. It’s extremely uncomfortable and painful.

You’ll need…

Antispasmodics are the first necessity. The plants fit the bill. They can relax the muscle of the digestive tract and stop it tensing up. This sort of environment leads to the a blockage by faecal matter. You’ll need infusions that can loosen things up a bit. We do have a few suggestions for you.

1. Flaxseed, lemon balm and chamomile

With a mild and intriguing flavour, this infusion promises to soothe colic, ameliorate digestion, relieve spasms and impart relaxation. Flaxseed, lemon balm and chamomile are all very easy to find at supermarkets as ready-made tea bags. Simply boil two cups of water, then put a bag of each plant in it. Leave it to rest for five minutes and sip a cup at five hour intervals. You’ll feel an instant calming sensation. Even better, the cure is a pleasure to taste. Your intestines – and your taste buds – will thank you.