Heartburn is most often caused by too much acid in your stomach, or hiatel hernia. Herbs that decrease stomach acid include licorice root, meadowsweet, chamomile and lemon. Herbs that absorb excess acid are slippery elm, marshmallow, flax and fenugreek seeds. The acids in carrots and apples also neutralize stomach acid. Clinical studies have shown that chamomile, marshmallow, licorice, slippery elm, calendula, garlic, wild yam and St. John's wort protect the stomach from its own acid and also reduce inflammation and infection of the lining. If you suffer from gas, try using coriander, anise, caraway, fennel and basil in your cooking, or make yourself a tea of peppermint, thyme, lemon balm or chamomile. Most of these herbs are described as digestive stimulants, but research has found that they actually relax intestinal muscles and relieve cramping. Peppermint is the most popular of all of these herbs. Caution: people with gastric reflux should not drink peppermint tea because it relaxes the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach.
Many people assume that their stomach problems are caused by too much acid, but poor digestion of proteins can result in too little stomach acid. Gas and indigestion following a high-protein meal are an indication of this. A treatment for low stomach acid is to take herbal bitters, which encourage your stomach to produce its own acid. True to their name, these herbs are bitter. One of the best-known bitters is gentian. Bitters are quite popular in Europe but have a rather limited popularity here in the USA. However, we drink our bitters without even knowing it. The primary ingredient in beer is the digestive bitter known as hops. Other bitters include goldenseal, Oregon grape root, blessed thistle, chicory and dandelion.
You can forget taking capsules to disguise the bitterness- you won't get the same results this way. You can mix bitters with tastier herbs such as orange peel and spices, or even sweeten them. Fortunately, you do not need much of a bitter to enjoy its effects. Just fifteen drops of a tincture or a quarter teaspoon of the powdered herb before each meal is enough. (Recommended amounts of all these herbs are considered safe for otherwise healthy, nonpregnant, nonnursing adults. Use all herbs cautiously and be aware of any contraindications.)
Heartburn Formula
1 tsp. each chamomile flowers, lemon balm leaves, licorice root
1/2 tsp. slippery elm
1/4 tsp. each fennel seeds, catnip leaves
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups apple juice (optional)
Combine herbs and pour boiling water over them. Steep 15 minutes, strain out herbs and add juice. Drink 1 cup after each meal. Store in the refrigerator. This will keep for a few days.
by Judy Burger
