HERBAL TREATMENTS FOR INDIGESTION (DYSPEPSIA)
BY GODWIN IHESIE.
           The digestive system consists of the UPPER PART: the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, and stomach; and the LOWER PART: the intestines (small & large), rectum and anus.
           The teeth, salivary glands, pancreas, gallbladder and the liver are other organs that relate to this system.
           The primary function of the entire system is to break down the large foods we eat into small particles that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and for the extraction of energy and nutrients that are needed for the bodily activities.
           Studies have shown that most of the diseases that afflict the present-day humanity start from the digestive system. But specifically speaking, bad breath (Halitosis,) hiccups, belching, flatulence gas, heartburn, indigestion, Hiatus hernia, nausea and vomiting, gastroenteritis, gastritis, peptic ulcers, etc, are the most common problems that are associated with the upper part of the digestive system. In this write-up, our main focus is on INDIGESTION– which is medically known as DYSPEPSIA.
 Indigestion is simply the difficulty in digestion of foods. In most cases, certain people may have difficulty in digesting some foods like beans, cabbage, onions, refined and whole grains, etc, properly; and this may result in indigestion.
Generally, indigestion may result from the following factors:Â Â Â
(I) Â unwholesome eating habits:
           - Improper chewing of foods.
           - Eating in haste, i.e. eating too fast.
           - Eating when under stress or extreme fatigue.
           - Late night eating.
           -Drinking plenty of water with meals which upsets the digestive enzymes, and swallowing air while eating.
(II) Over eating and poor food combination.
(III) Excessive intake of:
       - Fatty, deep-fried "fast" foods, red meat, strongly spiced foods that       produce too much acid.
       - Refried food, ice creams, salad creams, food addictives, food colorants, etc.
       - Soft drinks, black coffee, red wine, alcohol and smoking.
(IV) Eating the foods that one is allergic to.
(V) Other factors include:
      - Lack of hydrochloric acid and some digestive enzymes which may lead to improper food digestion.
      -Inflammation of the stomach walls, gastritis, peptic ulcers, inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), poor liver function and obstruction.
     - Reflux of acid from the stomach.
     - Lactose intolerance (i.e. some people may lack the ability to digest the lactose component of some dairy products properly.
     - Intake of certain medications.
 Indigestion may give rise to the following symptoms:
(I) Pain, burning sensation and discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen. Sometimes the discomfort may be mistaken for those that are associated with the heart problems or other serious medical conditions. However, should indigestion be accompanied with symptoms like shortness of breath, severe radiating chest pain, vomiting and sweating, an urgent medical attention may be needed since these could be signs of serious medical conditions.
(2) Other Symptoms of indigestion are:
    (I) A feeling of fullness and heaviness after meal, gas, bloating and rumbling noise in the stomach.
  (II) Belching (eructation) and heartburn.
 (III) Nausea and sometimes vomiting.
 (IV) Lack of appetite for food.
 (V) Poor bowel movements and sometimes diarrhea.
 Poor food digestion often leads to food fermentation in the intestines; consequently, acids, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other gases are produced that result in the flatulence (gas) and pain.
 To help neutralize these acids and gases, pharmaceutical formulations called antacids are usually the first choice. But in Natural Medicine, the use of such antacids is not recommended, since they may not only suppress normal digestion, but also cause cycles of indigestion and poor bowel movement. Rather, patients with indigestion are advised to take a glass of diluted lemon juice – first thing in the morning as an effective natural antacid. However, the first step to be taken towards the treatment is to avoid:
 -All foods one is allergic to.
 -Refined foods, fizzy and carbonated drinks, fatty foods.
-Excessive intake of alcohol, strongly spiced foods, and smoking.
-Excessive intake of beans, soybeans, peanuts, lentils, etc.
-Avoid poor food combination: for example, water melon does not       combine well with other foods. -Avoid taking protein, sugar, milk, fruits and vegetables – all in one meal.
-Avoid taking plenty of water with meals.
-Chew foods properly and swallow gently.
-Avoid eating under stress, when extremely fatigued, when angry or agitated – for these may upset the entire digestive system.
-For those who eat plenty of meat, it is advisable to combined it with plenty of raw foods, deep-green, leafy vegetables, onions, garlic, tomatoes, etc – so long as one digest these food items well.
-Fruits like pawpaw (Papaya) contain papain, and pineapple contains bromelain – these two enzymes help the entire digestive system and they should be taken generously.
-Spices like: Cayenne, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, basil, turmeric, cloves, lemongrass, etc; when added to foods as condiments, help to promote good digestion, good appetite for foods, and therefore prevent indigestion and associated digestive tract problems.
 Curry powder is a well known condiment among housewives and chefs. It is added to foods to help promote digestion, food assimilation, absorption; and above all, to enhance the activities of the gallbladder, liver and the entire digestive organs.
 In herbal medicine, BITTERS and CARMINATIVES are two broad classes of herbs that are used in the treatment of most cases of digestive problems including indigestion.
BITTERS;
Generally, bitter tasting herbs are known to exhibit: anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. Most importantly, bitter tasting herbs stimulate digestion and the detoxifying actions of the liver. However, a single bitter fasting herb may not necessarily be called Bitters because in herbal medicine practice, BITTERS are combinations of herbs; or an herbal remedy that usually have bitter taste too, and must have the following activities when taken in small amounts before meals will:
i) Stimulates and revitalizes the entire digestive system by promoting the flow of saliva, bile and other digestive juices that aid digestion and prevent
-Indigestion.
-Flatulence and gas.
-Excess stomach acid and heartburns.
-Stone formation in the gallbladder.
ii) Stimulates the detoxifying action of the liver and enhances the entire functions of the organ.
An efficient functioning liver is very vital to good health and the prevention of tumor formation in the body.
iii) Prevents or reduces allergic reaction to proteins.
iv) Stimulates the repair of the mucous membranes that lined the stomach walls.
Above all, Bitters promote bowel movements and elimination of waste products of metabolism.
Most of the European Bitters contain ALOES, which in part is responsible for the bowel movement.
Apart from using bitters for: Stimulating sluggish digestion, preventing and treating constipation, it is equally useful in the treatment of:
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chronic skin diseases.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chronic inflammatory diseases.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Female problems, etc.
CARMINATIVE HERBS;
These are herbs that help in the treatment of indigestion. And most importantly, carminative herbs help in expelling gas (flatus) from the bowels.
     By chewing gum, swallowing food and drinking rapidly and by smoking, we swallow air, which causes gas in the stomach.
Sometimes, due to poor food combination or the breakdown of certain food, excess gas is generated in the gastrointestinal tract.
In some occasions the gas may be released through the rectum or when we belch. The gas or flatus may be odorless when it is composed of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen and methane. However, it becomes offensive when it mixes with sulphur.
(i)Â Â Â Carminative herbs support digestion of foods by stimulating peristalsis, thus preventing poor bowel movements and the associated problems.
(ii)Â Â They alleviate intestinal pain (colic). Carminative herbs are often used in conjunction with laxative herbs that contain anthraquinone to help stop the intestinal gripping associated with the use of some laxatives.
(iii)Â Â Â Nearly all the carminative herbs are very rich in aromatic or essential oils which give them their aromatic properties. Also, it is their essential oil contents that make them very useful as intestinal antiseptics.
(iv)Â Â Â Â Like the aromatic herbs, carminatives may exhibit diaphoretic (sweat inducing), nervine (nerve calming) and expectorant properties. Some of them also show some circulatory stimulant activities.
(v)Â Â Â Â Many of the spices and herbs used in different traditions and customs for cooking belong to the carminative herbs:
Most of the herbs mentioned above are used in different forms, e.g. infusion (tea), cold extract and fresh sap, etc for the treatment of indigestion.
Heartburn is sometimes called ACID INDIGESTION or OVER ACID STOMACH. It is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest or stomach that starts from behind the breastbone, radiating to the neck up to the throat.
In some instances, the discomfort of heartburn may be mistaken for those of heart problem.
Overweight, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, overeating and some diseases like hiatus hernia, gastritis, ulcer, etc may precipitate heartburn. In these conditions, the digestive juice and stomach acid flow upwards from the stomach into the esophagus, hence the name gastro esophageal reflux.
BY GODWIN IHESIE.
           The digestive system consists of the UPPER PART: the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, and stomach; and the LOWER PART: the intestines (small & large), rectum and anus.
           The teeth, salivary glands, pancreas, gallbladder and the liver are other organs that relate to this system.
           The primary function of the entire system is to break down the large foods we eat into small particles that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and for the extraction of energy and nutrients that are needed for the bodily activities.
           Studies have shown that most of the diseases that afflict the present-day humanity start from the digestive system. But specifically speaking, bad breath (Halitosis,) hiccups, belching, flatulence gas, heartburn, indigestion, Hiatus hernia, nausea and vomiting, gastroenteritis, gastritis, peptic ulcers, etc, are the most common problems that are associated with the upper part of the digestive system. In this write-up, our main focus is on INDIGESTION– which is medically known as DYSPEPSIA.
 Indigestion is simply the difficulty in digestion of foods. In most cases, certain people may have difficulty in digesting some foods like beans, cabbage, onions, refined and whole grains, etc, properly; and this may result in indigestion.
Generally, indigestion may result from the following factors:Â Â Â
(I) Â unwholesome eating habits:
           - Improper chewing of foods.
           - Eating in haste, i.e. eating too fast.
           - Eating when under stress or extreme fatigue.
           - Late night eating.
           -Drinking plenty of water with meals which upsets the digestive enzymes, and swallowing air while eating.
(II) Over eating and poor food combination.
(III) Excessive intake of:
       - Fatty, deep-fried "fast" foods, red meat, strongly spiced foods that       produce too much acid.
       - Refried food, ice creams, salad creams, food addictives, food colorants, etc.
       - Soft drinks, black coffee, red wine, alcohol and smoking.
(IV) Eating the foods that one is allergic to.
(V) Other factors include:
      - Lack of hydrochloric acid and some digestive enzymes which may lead to improper food digestion.
      -Inflammation of the stomach walls, gastritis, peptic ulcers, inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), poor liver function and obstruction.
     - Reflux of acid from the stomach.
     - Lactose intolerance (i.e. some people may lack the ability to digest the lactose component of some dairy products properly.
     - Intake of certain medications.
 Indigestion may give rise to the following symptoms:
(I) Pain, burning sensation and discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen. Sometimes the discomfort may be mistaken for those that are associated with the heart problems or other serious medical conditions. However, should indigestion be accompanied with symptoms like shortness of breath, severe radiating chest pain, vomiting and sweating, an urgent medical attention may be needed since these could be signs of serious medical conditions.
(2) Other Symptoms of indigestion are:
    (I) A feeling of fullness and heaviness after meal, gas, bloating and rumbling noise in the stomach.
  (II) Belching (eructation) and heartburn.
 (III) Nausea and sometimes vomiting.
 (IV) Lack of appetite for food.
 (V) Poor bowel movements and sometimes diarrhea.
 Poor food digestion often leads to food fermentation in the intestines; consequently, acids, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other gases are produced that result in the flatulence (gas) and pain.
 To help neutralize these acids and gases, pharmaceutical formulations called antacids are usually the first choice. But in Natural Medicine, the use of such antacids is not recommended, since they may not only suppress normal digestion, but also cause cycles of indigestion and poor bowel movement. Rather, patients with indigestion are advised to take a glass of diluted lemon juice – first thing in the morning as an effective natural antacid. However, the first step to be taken towards the treatment is to avoid:
 -All foods one is allergic to.
 -Refined foods, fizzy and carbonated drinks, fatty foods.
-Excessive intake of alcohol, strongly spiced foods, and smoking.
-Excessive intake of beans, soybeans, peanuts, lentils, etc.
-Avoid poor food combination: for example, water melon does not       combine well with other foods. -Avoid taking protein, sugar, milk, fruits and vegetables – all in one meal.
-Avoid taking plenty of water with meals.
-Chew foods properly and swallow gently.
-Avoid eating under stress, when extremely fatigued, when angry or agitated – for these may upset the entire digestive system.
-For those who eat plenty of meat, it is advisable to combined it with plenty of raw foods, deep-green, leafy vegetables, onions, garlic, tomatoes, etc – so long as one digest these food items well.
-Fruits like pawpaw (Papaya) contain papain, and pineapple contains bromelain – these two enzymes help the entire digestive system and they should be taken generously.
-Spices like: Cayenne, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, basil, turmeric, cloves, lemongrass, etc; when added to foods as condiments, help to promote good digestion, good appetite for foods, and therefore prevent indigestion and associated digestive tract problems.
 Curry powder is a well known condiment among housewives and chefs. It is added to foods to help promote digestion, food assimilation, absorption; and above all, to enhance the activities of the gallbladder, liver and the entire digestive organs.
 In herbal medicine, BITTERS and CARMINATIVES are two broad classes of herbs that are used in the treatment of most cases of digestive problems including indigestion.
BITTERS;
Generally, bitter tasting herbs are known to exhibit: anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. Most importantly, bitter tasting herbs stimulate digestion and the detoxifying actions of the liver. However, a single bitter fasting herb may not necessarily be called Bitters because in herbal medicine practice, BITTERS are combinations of herbs; or an herbal remedy that usually have bitter taste too, and must have the following activities when taken in small amounts before meals will:
i) Stimulates and revitalizes the entire digestive system by promoting the flow of saliva, bile and other digestive juices that aid digestion and prevent
-Indigestion.
-Flatulence and gas.
-Excess stomach acid and heartburns.
-Stone formation in the gallbladder.
ii) Stimulates the detoxifying action of the liver and enhances the entire functions of the organ.
An efficient functioning liver is very vital to good health and the prevention of tumor formation in the body.
iii) Prevents or reduces allergic reaction to proteins.
iv) Stimulates the repair of the mucous membranes that lined the stomach walls.
Above all, Bitters promote bowel movements and elimination of waste products of metabolism.
Most of the European Bitters contain ALOES, which in part is responsible for the bowel movement.
Apart from using bitters for: Stimulating sluggish digestion, preventing and treating constipation, it is equally useful in the treatment of:
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chronic skin diseases.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chronic inflammatory diseases.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Female problems, etc.
CARMINATIVE HERBS;
These are herbs that help in the treatment of indigestion. And most importantly, carminative herbs help in expelling gas (flatus) from the bowels.
     By chewing gum, swallowing food and drinking rapidly and by smoking, we swallow air, which causes gas in the stomach.
Sometimes, due to poor food combination or the breakdown of certain food, excess gas is generated in the gastrointestinal tract.
In some occasions the gas may be released through the rectum or when we belch. The gas or flatus may be odorless when it is composed of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen and methane. However, it becomes offensive when it mixes with sulphur.
(i)Â Â Â Carminative herbs support digestion of foods by stimulating peristalsis, thus preventing poor bowel movements and the associated problems.
(ii)Â Â They alleviate intestinal pain (colic). Carminative herbs are often used in conjunction with laxative herbs that contain anthraquinone to help stop the intestinal gripping associated with the use of some laxatives.
(iii)Â Â Â Nearly all the carminative herbs are very rich in aromatic or essential oils which give them their aromatic properties. Also, it is their essential oil contents that make them very useful as intestinal antiseptics.
(iv)Â Â Â Â Like the aromatic herbs, carminatives may exhibit diaphoretic (sweat inducing), nervine (nerve calming) and expectorant properties. Some of them also show some circulatory stimulant activities.
(v)Â Â Â Â Many of the spices and herbs used in different traditions and customs for cooking belong to the carminative herbs:
- Garlic (Allium sativum),
- Onions ( Allium cepa),
- Ginger (Zingiber officinale),
- Cayenne (Capsicum annuum),
- Turmeric (Curcuma longa);
- Thyme (Thymus vulgaris).
- Scent leaf (Occimum Gratissimum)
- Nutmeg (Monodora mystrica),
- Alligator Pepper (Aframonium melegueta),
- Black pepper(Piper guinenses),
- Ethiopian Pepper (Xylopia aecthipica),
- Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus),
- Other herbs with carminative properties include: Sage, Mustard, Aniseed, Celery, Dill, Fennel, Guava, Stinking weed, Lantana, Eucalyptus, Caraway, Cinnamon, Cloves, etc.
Most of the herbs mentioned above are used in different forms, e.g. infusion (tea), cold extract and fresh sap, etc for the treatment of indigestion.
- Chewing a small piece of fresh Aloe vera or drinking a spoonful of powered charcoal in warm or raw fresh milk, equally helps in the treatment of indigestion, but they are particularly useful and effective when used for the treatment of Heartburn (Gastro esophageal reflux disease).
Heartburn is sometimes called ACID INDIGESTION or OVER ACID STOMACH. It is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest or stomach that starts from behind the breastbone, radiating to the neck up to the throat.
In some instances, the discomfort of heartburn may be mistaken for those of heart problem.
Overweight, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, overeating and some diseases like hiatus hernia, gastritis, ulcer, etc may precipitate heartburn. In these conditions, the digestive juice and stomach acid flow upwards from the stomach into the esophagus, hence the name gastro esophageal reflux.