5 Best Herbs to Ease Indigestion

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Indigestion known as dyspepsia is a term used to describe when one feels fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and aching in the upper abdomen that may cause to bloating, belching and nausea. Having the symptoms of indigestion or dyspepsia is no joke. How do we deal with it?

Browsing the internet, I found this article from green.yahoo.com which mentions the use of herbs as natural remedy for indigestion.

Herbs  have been used for thousands of years to treat any ailments and indigestion is just one of them.

Here is the top 5 list of herbs known to be beneficial as natural remedy for indigestion:

Fennel and Fennel Seed – Fennel seed has long been used to help fight gas, cramps and acid indigestion. It can also help ease spasms in the intestinal tract. No wonder Indian restaurants always serve the fennel seed mix called Mukwas every after dinner.

History tells that fennel known for its carminative function, something that helps the body expel gas and sooth indigestion. Fennel is also incorporated in gripe water, used to treat infant colic.

Fennel leaves can be used to make tea. NYU Langone Medical Center says that a typical dose of fennel is 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of seeds per day.

Lemon Balm
Lemon balm which belongs to the  mint family has been the favorite since the Middle Ages. It can reduce stress and anxiety, ease indigestion. One with sleeping problem or poor appetite may also take lemon balm as natural remedy.

Today, lemon balm is usually mixed with other calming herbs to help promote relaxation. Soothing the stress alone can sometimes ease the feeling of indigestion.
To reduce indigestion, flatulence, or bloating, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends:
Capsules: Take 300 – 500 mg dried lemon balm, 3 times daily or as needed.
Tea: 1.5 – 4.5 grams (1/4 – 1 teaspoonful) of dried lemon balm herb in hot water.  Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.
Tincture: 2 – 3 mL (40 – 90 drops), 3 times daily

Turmeric
Turmeric is the main spice in curry and is the one which imparts that intense golden glow that contains curcumin. Chinese traditional medicine used turmeric to aid digestion and liver function, relieve arthritis ache, and regulate menstruation.  It has also been tradionally used in Ayuverdic as treatment for heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, and stomach bloating.

The National Institutes of Health recommends a dosage of 500 mg of turmeric four times daily for dyspepsia.

Ginger

Ginger is very famous in Asian, Indian, and Arabic Ayuverdic practices. In China, ginger has been used to aid all types of digestion disorders for more than 2,000 years. Modern medicine also recommends the use of ginger as a remedy for indigestion, nausea and vomitting.

For general purposes, the standard dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided into 2 to 4 doses per day.

Peppermint
Peppermint is often used to soothe an upset stomach or to aid in digestion. Peppermint gives a subtle numbing effect that is why it often used to treat many pains from headaches, menstrual cramps, and flatulence, It is also used to tread skin iritations, anxiety, nausea, and diarrhea.

Peppermint oil seems to be helpful for a variety of conditions that involve spasm of the intestinal tract. Most studies have involved irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for which peppermint oil has shown considerable promise.

Peppermint relaxes the muscles that struggle with digestive gas and improve the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. In studies  on using peppermint to treat IBS, there seems to be a trend indicating mild effectiveness in the reduction of some symptoms, especially flatulence and abdominal pain and distension. However, if your symptoms of indigestion are related to a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, peppermint should not be used.

For these and all herbs, do not exceed dosage recommendations, and be sure to consult with your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medication.

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