The Digestive System

Let’s meet our sunny plant allies for this month!

The plants this month are warming, comforting, and healing to the digestive system. With all of the chakras, our physical health affects our energy body, and our energy (and emotional) body affects our physical health. I find with many, many people the emotions held in the solar plexus greatly affect the functioning of digestive system... and when our digestive system is not functioning well, the fire of our solar plexus suffers.

Our gut is often called our second brain! Our enteric nervous system is made of the nerves woven through our intestines, which greatly affect the functioning of our digestion. When we feel nervous, fearful, or emotionally upset the nerves in our gut can cause spasms and a nervous belly feeling we all know well. For many of us stress goes right to our gut, and for this reason we often use herbs like chamomile, lemon balm, blue vervain, lemongrass, and other plants that are nerve calming to soothe an upset belly.

In the solar plexus we experience a lot of our joy and playfulness, and we know that 95% of our serotonin is produced in our intestines by our gut bacteria. That’s a MASSIVE source of JOY folks!!! Taking probiotics is so important, and making sure that our intestinal environment is healthy for those little critters. Plants like burdock, dandelion, elecampane, and jerusalem artichoke help to feed our gut flora with inulin they need to thrive. We also want to be careful with our diet to keep inflammation in the gut down, and tend to the health of the tissues of our intestines. I hope you spend some time this month loving on your bellies, and exploring these incredible plants of the digestive system. They are powerful for healing the intestines, strengthening our digestive fire, and building the inner hearth of our solar plexus.

Let your tea time be blissful!
Sage

The Fire Within ~

Our digestive system provides our body with nutrients for growth, repair, and energy! Next to breathing oxygen, this provides all the fuel our body needs. We rely on the power of our digestive system to destroy and break down our food (earth), into the nutrients needed for fuel and cellular repair. The digestive system breaks down food into essential nutrients for our cells, and hydrates our body with water. The digestive system breaks down large molecules into small - Proteins are broken down into amino acids, carbohydrates into simple sugars, and fats into fatty acids. Vitamins and minerals are tiny enough molecules for the body to absorb without breaking them down first. I find that when someone has a weak digestive system, we can use nourishing herbal infusions, broths, plant juices, and fermented (predigested) food to help assist nutrients to be received easily… Think about making your food as easy to digest as possible! It’s helpful if the nutrients are already dispersed into liquid, as in the case of broths or nourishing herbal infusions.

Stress impacts our digestion!

When we are under stress, our body puts less energy into digestion. Our body needs the energy to fight or run from danger, so energy is burned rather than stored. Our body is made to digest while we are resting and calm. Stress slows the production of digestive juices, digestive enzymes, and slows blood flow to the digestive system. It decreases repair of tissue in the digestive tract, as well as the production of gastric acids in the stomach, and bile in the liver (responsible for digesting fats). Stress causes tension and contraction of muscles in the gut, which stalls peristalsis needed for food to move through the intestines. Stress can also signal the immune system to overreact throughout the gut and lead to chronic inflammation. Since our body is made to evacuate in case we need to run or fight danger, high stress or fear can cause spasming of the intestines and lead to emptying of the bowels… which many of us have experienced when we get nervous!

Herbs to ease stress in digestive system ~ Lemon balm, chamomile, catnip, blue vervain, passionflower, skullcap, motherwort, peach, ginger, adaptogens etc.

The Allies ~ Digestive System Tonics

Ginger, Turmeric, Lemon balm, Orange peel (Citrus sinensis and C. aurantium),  Marshmallow root, Peppermint, Burdock and Dandelion.

Guided Tea Meditations

Please use this guided meditation to journey with this month’s plant allies.

Choose a few plants to journey with in meditation each month, and journal about what comes through. This is a guided meditation to use when you are drinking a tea and journeying with a plant. Tea meditations are the root of our practice at the Gaia school! As we receive directly from the plants, we learn through our own bodies, and we create space for the plants to speak to us. Feel free to pause the recording at any time, play some of the meditation music given to you via Spodify, and rest into receiving the plant without distraction of my voice if that is most helpful.

Blessings on your journeys!

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

Most of us are in love with ginger! It is one of the most beloved plants and spices around the world. Ginger is Native to Asia, though it is now used as food and medicine all throughout the tropics. In ancient India, ginger was called "the universal medicine” and has been used for over 5000 years. Ginger rhizomes are primarily used, and in some species of ginger the stalks and flowers are medicinal as well. Ginger tea seems to be a panacea, helping us with any ailment that arises! Ginger is sweet and mothering, calming to the nervous system, and soothing to our emotions. Many people don’t think of ginger as calming to the nerves, but many of us feel deeply soothed when we drink ginger! As we all know ginger is very warming, and helps to increase heat for people who run cold and damp. It increases blood circulation, and helps to move stagnant blood where it has puddled such as a bruise (caused by leaked/broken capillaries causing blood to pool in the tissues). I add ginger to so many of my tea blends, to increase blood flow, and speed delivery of other plants through the body.

Gingers is one of our most beloved digestive aids, high in enzymes that help us to digest our food. It really helps to relieve gas, and reduce intestinal cramps or spasms. It is actually a lovely anti-spasmodic, relaxing to smooth muscle such as the intestines and uterus, as well as skeletal muscle in the case of muscle cramping. I find it’s wonderful internally and externally (as a massage oil) for all kinds of cramps. Ginger is one of our strongest anti-inflammatories, soothing inflammation in our intestines, lungs/bronchials, joints, and whole musculoskeletal system. Mixed with turmeric it is in my top 5 anti-inflammatories next to magnolia bark, cat’s claw, marshmallow, and burdock. I recommend ginger for people who have stagnant fluids, low energy, poor circulation, and inflammation anywhere in the body. If you have digestive allergies or inflammation caused by wounding in the intestines, ginger can help decrease inflammation daily. You can drink it as a tea or cook with it to receive the benefit!

Ginger is a heart tonic! Ginger is strengthening to the heart and eases heart palpitations. It has been shown to be anti-inflammatory to blood vessels and prevents atherosclerosis (plaque build up on the arterial walls caused by long term damage and inflammation). It has been proven to clear clogged arteries, reduce plaque, and lower cholesterol levels. Ginger is blood thinning, though generally safe to drink while on blood thinners, and it reduces blood clotting.

Ginger is wonderful antimicrobial for lung infections, cold & flu, decongesting the respiratory system, and soothing a sore inflamed throat. It is a warming expectorant helpful for clearing mucous from the lungs, soothing asthma, and reducing the spasms of coughs. I love it mixed with lemon, which also reduces mucous. It is antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial! Ginger has also been used for malaria and syphilis, which is especially important to me since these are related/similar to Lyme disease and Babesia.

Ginger contains essential oils, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, carbohydrates, proteins, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, steroids, terpenoids and tannin. The rhizomes are rich source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and iron. Generally not used by anyone on anti- platelet medication.

To make an Infusion: Pour a quart of boiling water onto 1-2 tbsp. of the fresh grated ginger and let infuse for 15 minutes. If you are using dried root, simmer 2 tsp. in 1 quart of water for 10 minutes with the lid on to keep the oils in. Dried ginger is much hotter than fresh ginger, so dilute it to taste.

Video ~ Ginger & Orange Talk from Hawaii

Turmeric

Curcuma longa

Turmeric is a miracle medicine, used for thousands of years in Asia and now around the world. It has gained popularity over the last handful of years, so let’s explore this beautiful plant. Turmeric is a close relative of ginger, also native to Asia, and similarly used as both a food and medicine. The rhizomes are more bitter and drying than ginger, which is important to consider if you are taking turmeric frequently. For this reason in Asia it is often mixed with a fatty milk and honey! Golden milk is a delicious Ayurvedic tea blend made with coconut milk, turmeric, and other yummy spices. I’ve included a recipe below! Turmeric feels like drinking a gentle warm fire, or liquid sunshine.

Turmeric is very cleansing to our digestive system, our blood, and the fluids of our whole body. It strengthens our liver, pancreas, kidneys, and helps to build our digestive fire. It helps to strengthen our digestion, relieve gas, and calm general indigestion. Turmeric is especially helpful for IBS, colitis, and Crohn’s disease. I think it is one of the best plants to help us release what we have been holding too tight to, clearing out the chemicals of emotion in our blood… and supporting us in letting go. The bitter nature of turmeric stimulates gastric juices in the stomach, pancreatic juices, and bile produced in the liver. It is one of the best plants to help improve the overall function of your digestive system. I often combine it with burdock, dandelion, orange peel and yellow dock as a bitter tonic before meals.

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory helpful for arthritis/joint pain, and inflammation through the intestines. It contains curcumin (causing the bright yellow colour) that reduces inflammation by lowering histamine levels, and inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines. You can use it to soothe inflammation of the urinary tract, or apply in externally to any inflamed wound. Turmeric is stimulating to the immune system, but safe if there is an autoimmune issue where the immune system is over-reacting and attacking your own body.

Turmeric is a broad spectrum antimicrobial used for colds, flu, fevers, and any time of infection. It is antifungal (helpful for killing candida overgrowth in the gut), antiparasitic (great for travel), antibacterial, and antiviral. You can use the juice or tincture of the rhizomes topically for wounds, boils, burns, sprains, swelling, and bruising. The juice or extract is used in the ear to treat ear infections. Because turmeric is blood cleansing, it is clearing to the skin, which is helpful for eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.

Turmeric is warming, it increases circulation, thins the blood (so it should not to be used while taking blood thinning drugs or around a surgery), reduces blood clots, and prevents heart attacks. Like ginger it supports general heart function! Turmeric has powerful antioxidant properties that are anti-aging, helpful for brain function, and for the health of our cardiovascular system. Turmeric is also a powerful medicine to prevent cancer, having anticancer and antitumor actions. You can blend it with other powerful anticancer plants such as burdock, astragalus, and medicinal mushrooms like reishi. It can even be used to treat cancer in our pets!

My favorite way to consume turmeric is as a traditional Ayurvedic golden milk, or in high doses via liquid extract capsules.

Golden Milk Recipe

2 cups coconut milk
2 cups nut milk of choice
2 tsp fresh grated turmeric (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp. cardamom seeds
1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp. ground
1 pinch black pepper

Video ~ Turmeric, Ginger, & Garlic Oxymel

Lemon Balm

Melissa officinalis

Lemon balm is such a sweet beloved friend to our nerves and digestive system! It is so gentle and soothing to the solar plexus, helping us to love our tender inner child. The name Melissa comes from the Greek word meaning honeybee, because the bees love the flowers so much! It was planted at the Temple of Artemis to nourish the honeybees. Lemon balm contains some of the chemicals found in bee pheromones. Pretty cool! Like many of our mints lemon balm is minty, uplifting, and clearing to the mind. I think it’s a helpful anti-depressant, and blends wonderfully with st. john’s wort, catnip, oatstraw, or other mints like holy basil.

Lemon balm is calming to the digestive system, relieving to anxiety held in the belly. It eases stomach cramps and general indigestion, as well as relieving gas (carminative). It’s gentle antispasmodic action is soothing to all kinds of cramps & muscle tension. Lemon balm is such a wonderful ally for anxiety and stress, helping sooth tension and high emotions. I find it’s is a beautiful ally to help us be more loving to ourselves. It is also amazing for children, soothing any nervous fear, social anxiety, and low self esteem.

Lemon balm is a great anti-viral that helps in cases of herpes, HIV, Epstein barr, and other viral infections. It can be used internally and topically, and often combined with other antivirals such as Sweet Annie, St. John’s Wort, Echinacea, Elderberry, Yarrow, or or Calendula. It is used internally and externally for herpes, as well as combined with St. John’s Wort for HIV. Lemon balm is helpful for treating fevers, colds, and the flu. It clears mucous, soothes coughs, and help ease a sore throat.

Lemon balm is soothing to tension headaches and stress held in the neck, head, and shoulders. It activates the 3rd eye, and is wonderful for sleep - especially for kiddos. I love taking lemon balm after dinner to relax my body in preparation for bedtime….

To make Lemon balm tea ~ Pour 1 quart of boiling water over 1-2 tbsp. of dried lemon balm leaves. Let steep 15 minutes, strain, and drink. To make a fresh juice, put 1/4 cup lemon balm leaves in a blender full of water. Blend until liquified, strain, and dilute with water to taste. Tincture: 2-3 dropper fulls in water.

Video ~ Lemon balm & Catnip

Sweet & Bitter Orange

Citrus x sinensis

Sweet orange is deliciously AMAZING! I take it with me when I go on vacation because it gets me in the mood to feel really good. It feels warm, sunny, happy, sweet, and soothing to the nervous system as it tries to let go into relaxation. When I drink sweet orange I feel incredible sensual pleasure, joy, and lightness. It is a really yummy treat when you are feeling down. Brew yourself a hot cut of sweet orange tea, add some nut milk or coconut milk, honey, and maybe a little ginger if you want some extra warmth! Add a little holy basil and you’ll have a tea that tastes like fruit loops. Honestly. It’s wild! Cacao and sweet orange is heavenly as well… even better with a little vanilla bean added. When I go on vacation I drink sweet orange to help me get into the mood for play, lightness, and pleasure. It feel decadent! Just try chewing on a piece of the dried sweet orange peel, it tastes like candy! 

Orange is antidepressant, loving, warm, and calming to the nerves. It is stimulating to digestive juices, and the enzymes in orange peel help to increase digestion. Bitter orange peel (Citrus x aurantium) is even more stimulating to the production of digestive juices as a strong bitter. It can help to create movement in the gut when there is stagnation as a gentle laxative. I like to mix bitter orange with burdock root, marshmallow root, or ginger to increase movement when digestion is sluggish. 

Bitter orange increases digestion by stimulating gastric juices in the stomach and pancreatic juices in the pancreas. When you can feel a lot of food hanging out in your gut and not wanting to budge, try bitter orange! It is also a tonic for the liver and pancreas, increases bile production, gastric, and pancreatic juices. Like other bitters it is cleansing to the digestive system, and really helps to clear what is stagnating in the intestines. The peels are high in enzymes that will help you break down your food. It also is known to boost metabolism and give you energy. I always think the peel tastes so nourishing. You can dry your own in a dehydrator!

Orange peel is known to lower and balance blood sugar levels, even though it tastes sweet! The tea can be used for for diabetes, and is also really nice blended with cinnamon, dandelion and burdock. Orange is also a thyroid tonic and used for increasing insulin production (remember it is a good tonic for the pancreas, and the pancreas produces insulin).

Orange is very high in vitamin C so it is boosting to the immune system and helpful for fighting off colds and flu. The oils in orange are anti-microbial so it will help to fight infections, especially in the lungs and digestive system. It will help to reduce mucous and clear airways. This is true for lemon, lime, and grapefruit as well!

Orange is a wonderful tonic for the heart and cardiovascular system. It has a healing effect to the blood vessels of the heart, reducing inflammation of blood vessel walls, and preventing atherosclerosis/heart disease. Orange will help increase circulation through the body, and improve blood flow to the brain. As an antioxidant it is anti-aging and helpful for the brian and heart especially. Orange has been shown to be a neural restorative, used for Alzheimer’s and brain function. What a powerful fruit!

To make Orange peel tea ~ Pour 1 quart of boiling water over 1-2 tbsp. of dried orange peel. Let steep 15 minutes, strain, and drink.

The Digestive System

Healing Mucous Membranes of the Digestive Tract

Your whole digestive system is made of tender mucous membranes, absorbing nutrients from your food into your blood stream. Mucous membranes are porous so that nutrient substances our body needs can pass through them. In your intestines nutrients pass into the blood where they are sent to the liver to be processed and stored. Our mucous membranes are where we open to receive the outer world into our body's inner world... They are porous and receptive, and therefore vulnerable. There is a lot of white blood cell activity in mucous membranes to kill off any pathogens that might enter the body from the outside environment. These sweet tissues need our love and tending! Mucous membranes of our digestive system can easily be damaged by toxins in our food, which includes food that our gut can't easily digest (and ends up hanging out a bit too long in our intestines). When mucous membranes are damaged by what we eat they get inflamed... which can turn into chronic inflammation if the wounded tissue is not healed.

All mucous membranes have a lot of good bacteria living on them, helping to fight off pathogens that would cause infections (harming our cells). For the digestive tract this is especially important since our gut bacteria helps us to break down our food, as well as kill pathogens. Our entire gut from mouth to anus is covered in beneficial bacteria. If the tissue of our mucous membranes is not healthy, the bacteria will not thrive, which causes infections of harmful bacteria, as well as fungal infections such as candida. If you take antibiotics you will kill off beneficial bacteria, this leaves the chance for the harmful bacteria and other pathogens to take hold and thrive.

Here are some plants to heal the mucous membranes of the digestive system, especially if you have had longer term inflammation or chronic digestive issues. They will help to soothe and love up those tender gut tissues. As you drink them, send healing prayers and love to your beloved organs. I recommend combining these herbs with digestive enzymes, probiotics with every meal, and gut healing foods. My intestines love green juices, nourishing herbal infusions like nettles and oat straw, veggie or bone broths, carrots, and cooked greens. A general low anti-inflammatory diet, with some soothing demulcents like chia, flax, and oats can do wonders.

Herbs for mucous membrane repair ~
Aloe, Marshmallow root, Astragalus, Calendula, Violet juice, Chickweed juice, Plantain, Burdock, Oatstraw, Coconut water, Banana, Carrot and Beet juice

Marshmallow Root

Althaea officinalis

Marshmallow is probably my favorite soothing anti-inflammatory vulnerary for the intestines next to Burdock. The roots are cooling, moistening, demulcent, and full of anti-inflammatory polysaccharides. Marshmallow root is used for any digestive system upsets, soothing to the whole digestive tract. Marshmallow increases healthy gut flora, and soothes intestinal spasms or cramping.

Marshmallow root is one of the plants I use the most in my herbal practice. It is the best demulcent I’ve found, moistening and soothing to inflamed and wounded tissue. It is especially healing and soothing to mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, intestines, vagina, and colon. Marshmallow root is a strong anti-inflammatory, and healing to all tissues that have been damaged by infection, inflammation, or allergies. It helps to prevent toxins from passing through our mucous membranes or damaging our tissues, similar to burdock. I will use burdock and marshmallow together as an antidote to food poisoning and any kind of toxin exposure. It will help to heal the mucous membranes of the digestive system in the case of long term inflammation and infection in the gut.

Marshmallow helps tissue to heal post infection, and is incredibly soothing during an active infection. It will help to heal tissues of the lungs and bronchioles. It is a wonderful soothing demulcent for sore throats. Marshmallow is wonderful when there has been damage to the urinary tract from infections, helping to heal the tissue and prevent future infections. Marshmallow is a plant I might add to other antimicrobial blends to help repair tissue while also fighting off infection. 

I think of marshmallow for all kinds of inflammation, and often combine it with hot drying herbs to balance them out. If you have a plant that is too astringent and drying, you can add some marshmallow root to keep that plant from drying your tissues out. Examples of this would be marshmallow root with rose petal, sage, nettles, ginger, or any other drying/astringent herb.

Drinking the tea feels like a warm soothing hug to all of our cells.  Many people who drink marshmallow root feel their nervous system relax and feel calmed where there is unrest and a feeling of hot inflammation and fire. With burdock, linden, oatstraw, and other demulcents that are cooling to heat and inflammation, tissue will often feel soothed and calmed when the heat and inflammation is relieved. I find that marshmallow root helps us to feel protected, holding a boundary between us and our environment, blocking anything that might harm us from entering. 

I don’t use marshmallow root when there is a lot of dampness or mucous in the body, or I will mix it with a plant that will help to clear dampness such as ginger, bitter orange, turmeric, or any of the bitters such as yellow dock or dandelion that can also be drying. 

For gut healing and repair ~ Mix 1-2 tsps marshmallow powder in 1 quart cool water, steep for 1 hour or overnight. Strain and drink between meals. Or simmer on low 1-2 tsp. marshmallow root in 1 quart water. Cool, strain, and drink 2-3 cups a day.

Marshmallow root video coming with our roots harvesting bonus lesson!

Aloe

Aloe barbadensis

Aloe is a powerful healing plant for the whole digestive tract. I have them growing all through my house! It is a famous wound healing (vulnerary) plant used for burns and wounded tissue. Aloe is a member of the lily family, it is native to North Africa. There are 400 species of Aloe, and it was used by Egyptians, in Greece, China, and the Americas, recording back to 1500 BC. Ancient Egyptians called aloe the “plant of immortality” - Nefertiti and Cleopatra used it in their beauty regimes. Aloe gel is the clear gel contained inside the leaves when they are cut open. Aloe latex is yellow and comes out of the leaves when they are cut. The yellow latex in the leaves is very laxative and antimicrobial, but toxic to ingest much so it’s best to use the gel internally and save the leaf skin for external use only.

The inner pulp of aloe leaves are used, both internally and externally. The pulp is wound healing, pain relieving, and anti-inflammatory. It can be used for inflammation anywhere in the body, especially the digestive tract and the musculoskeletal system. Aloe is cooling to heat, mucilaginous, demulcent, and soothing to all inflamed mucous membranes. It is healing to the tissue of the digestive, urinary, and respiratory tracts… especially helpful for repair post infection. It is can be used for any inflammatory conditions of the intestines such as colitis, gastritis, IBS, and chrone’s disease. Aloe is healing to ulcers, soothing to heartburn, and hyper acidity.

Aloe juice or gel is alkalinizing, cooling, and cleansing to the whole body. It’s a gentle laxative helpful for constipation if you are feeling a bit blocked. Aloe has been used for thousands of years as a tonic for intestinal ailments and strengthening the whole digestive system. It regulating to blood sugar and is helpful for diabetes. Aloe is also a liver tonic, used for hepatitis infections. Aloe is strengthening to the immune system, (containing polysaccharides), and immune modulating, which means it can be used for auto-immune diseases where the immune system attacks our own cells. Aloe is also anticancer and anti-tumor… isn’t it amazing!? The gel also contains antimicrobial compounds to fight infections (antiviral, anti-bacterial, and antifungal effects). It is known to be used for strep infections, herpes/shingles (as an anti-viral), and fungal infections externally or internally.

Drink 2 tablespoons aloe juice in 12 oz of water on an empty stomach to heal inflamed digestive mucous membranes. To make your own fresh aloe juice - Aloe gel is the clear gel contained inside the leaves when they are cut open. Scrape out the gel from a 6 inch medium leaf and add it to 3 quarts water. Blend on high until completely mixed. Water down as needed. Do not use skin of the aloe leaf (laxative and toxic).

Banana

Musa acuminata & M balbisiana

Bananas are incredible gut healers, and great for the digestive system! The fruit is healing to intestinal wounds and inflammation. Banana increases the thickness of the mucous membrane of the stomach, and helps heal ulcers in the digestive tract. The fruit is used to sooth heartburn and high acid (causing any burning in intestines). Banana feeds healthy bacteria in the intestines, and can be taken with probiotics. Banana is used to ease both constipation and diarrhea because the fruit is rich in non-digestible fibers including cellulose, hemicellulose, and alphaglucans. It helps restore normal bowel function without laxatives. Banana is alkalinizing and increases nutrient absorption in the intestines. It is great for babies with digestive issues or diarrhea!

Eat your bananas… They rehydrate the body and are very rich in electrolytes. Bananas contains tryptophan, a protein the body converts into serotonin! It supports a positive mood, relaxes the body, and is antidepressant. The fruit is neuroregenerative, antioxidant, prevents neurotoxicity, supports mental alertness and brain function. Bananas really are a joy tonic for the solar plexus!

Make a Fruit Shrub! - Fill a pint jar 1/2 full with chopped up banana and 1/2 full of a medicinal plant of choice (Ginger or turmeric are great). Fill jar with apple cider vinegar and 1-2 cups honey. Steep for a couple of weeks, and enjoy spoonfuls!

Video ~ Calendula & Gut healers

Bitters

Bitters are so important for healthy digestion! Sluggish digestion can be caused partly by low bile production, low intestinal enzymes, low gastric (stomach) acids, and low pancreatic juices/enzymes. Bitter herbs like dandelion, yellow dock, wormwood, blue vervain, motherwort, bitter orange, gentian, and others help to activate the production of all our digestive juices. They stimulate the production of gastric juices in the stomach, pancreatic juices, and bile in the liver (which helps to break down fats by emulsifying the fats, like soap in oily water). Take bitters before a meal to increase your digestive fire! Sours can also be used to activate our digestive juices, such as hibiscus, citrus, apple cider vinegar, schisandra, fermented foods, and any other sour tasting plants. Bitters and sours used over a period of time helps to keep our digestive fire strong.

Bitters ~ Bitter leafy greens, Dandelion leaves, Artichoke leaf, Elecampane, Yellow dock, Bitter Orange, Gentian, Blue Vervain, Hops, Wormwood, Turmeric, Cacao, Motherwort, Oregon grape root, Goldenseal, and Barberry.

Demulcents

Demulcents are herbs that have a mucilaginous quality that are coating to the entire intestinal tract. They soothe the whole digestive tract, prevent infection, reduce inflammation, and protect the tissue. Demulcents help to block toxins from damaging the mucous membranes and being absorbed into the blood. The mucilage is anti-inflammatory, cooling to heat, and soothing to heartburn, ulceration, and pain. Demulcents are best taken cool since they get more mucilaginous when they have cooled down (imagine the way oatmeal congeals). To receive the most benefit from demulcents drink them between meals so they are able to coat more of the digestive tract. To soothe heartburn, drink after a meal when relief is acutely needed!

Demulcents ~ Marshmallow, Slippery elm, Licorice, Aloe, Carrot juice, Calendula, Linden, Oatstraw, Oatmeal

Mindful eating

Chew Your Food…

Digestion begins in the mouth, where we macerate our food, turning it into smaller molecules, so that our body can continue to break it down. Chewing is extremely important, as we want to create more of a smoothie like consistency of our food, for the digestive juices to have more access to surface area of our food, then able to break it down further much more easily. Our mouth also produces saliva which has enzymes in it that help to break down our food, as well as antiseptic compounds that fight infection. 

Herbs for oral health ~ Clove, yarrow, spilanthes, black birch, wintergreen, tea tree, oak bark, sage, peppermint, fennel, neem, pine resin, usnea, plantain, myrrh, calendula, marshmallow, ginger, coconut oil, turmeric, thyme, cinnamon, goldenseal, aloe.

The Stomach

Food spends up to 5 hours in our stomach! As food moves down into our stomach, it passes through the esophagus, and is then held in the stomach by the esophageal sphincter. Once in the stomach, our food is mixed together with gastric juices for digestion. The stomach produces hydrochloric acid, which helps to break down long chain amino acids (complex proteins), such as in meat and high protein foods. The enzymes produced in the stomach also help to break down our food into a smoothie consistency. From there the food leaves the stomach and heads to the small intestine.

The stomach produces mucous to protect the vulnerable mucous membranes that would be damaged by the hydrochloric acid. If the stomach is not producing enough mucous, it can be burned and damaged by the hydrochloric acid, causing ulceration/wounds that can be bleeding. Certain chemicals, toxic foods, and long term stress, can cause mucous production to lower. Demulcents like marshmallow root, linden, licorice, and burdock, or aloe can help to coat and protect the stomach. If there is ulceration, you can use wound healing plants like plantain, calendula, and comfrey to help heal the stomach lining - Yarrow to stop any bleeding. If mucous production is low, focus on the demulcents!

Heartburn and acid indigestion is often the result of low stomach acids, causing poor digestion in the stomach. If this is the case for you, you’ll crave sours, and apple cider vinegar (2 tbsp. in water) will help prevent heartburn from occurring. You can increase stomach acids by taking bitters and sours before a meal. If acid production is too high, you’ll want to focus on demulcents instead and examine your diet as a possible cause.

Increasing Gastric Juices ~ Bitters (dandelion greens, yellow dock, elecampane, blue vervain etc.) and sours from fermented herbs/foods, herbal vinegars, citrus, hibiscus, schizandra.

Demulcents for heartburn and acidity ~ Marshmallow, slippery elm, oatstraw, linden, licorice, carrot juice, calendula

The Intestines

When food moves into the small intestine it is very acidic due to the hydrochloric acid, causing burning and damage to the small intestine if it is not alkalinized. The pancreas and the liver release alkaline substances into the small intestine that lowers the acidity of the blended food (chyme) coming from the stomach. The pancreas creates pancreatic juices filled with enzymes that help to further break down your food. The liver produces bile, which passes into the gallbladder, and is then released into the small intestine every time we eat in order to digest fats. 

Once the blended food moves through the small intestine, it is further broken down by gut bacteria and enzymes the intestines produce. Nutrients then pass through the intestinal lining into the blood stream, to be sent on to the liver for further processing before moving into the blood to be sent to all of our tissues and cells through the body!

Food moves through the intestines through a series of muscles relaxing and contracting through the gut (very similar to how a worm moves), which causes peristalsis. Much like the way a worm moves, our gut shortens and lengthens to help the food pass through our intestines. Nutrients are slowly absorbed through the whole passageway of travel through the intestines. In order to increase the surface area of absorption, the intestines are lined with villi, little finger like projections of the mucous membranes. If the intestinal lining /villi is damaged through toxins, infection, allergic inflammation, or damage to the cells of the intestines, inflammation will occur to stimulate healing and cleanup of the dead cells. Long term inflammation of the intestinal lining mucous membranes causes further damage to the cells and tissues, as well as the beneficial bacteria of the gut. This can result in leaky gut, where the intestinal lining becomes so damaged larger molecules and toxins are able to pass into the bloodstream. You can use different plants to help heal the lining of the intestines, such as vulneraries (wound/tissue healing plants), anti-inflammatories, and demulcents.

Digestive Enzymes ~ When our intestines are wounded they aren’t producing the enzymes needed to digest our food! In this case supplementation is helpful. I love digestive enzymes that are a combination of herbs and intestinal enzymes, which you would take during meals, or anytime your stomach feels distended and full of undigested food. There are many good brands, but I like Genesis Today Digestion Enzymes & Herbs the best! Find a brand that works well for you.

Tissue healing herbs for the intestines ~ Astragalus, marshmallow, plantain, aloe, calendula, violet, comfrey, slippery elm, dandelion, burdock, nettles, alfalfa, chickweed, nourishing herbs.

Calming gut inflammation ~ Often caused by digestive allergies, gut infections, poor digestion, toxins in our food.
Turmeric, Ginger, Marshmallow, Licorice, Slippery elm, Plantain, Calendula, Chickweed, Violet, Burdock, Elecampane.

Intestinal Cramps ~ Antispasmodics for the gut, soothing to indigestion and diarrhea with lots of cramping.
Fennel, Ginger, Peppermints, Chamomile, Lemon balm, Wild yam, Cramp bark, Lemongrass, Elecampane, Enzymes & Bitters

Diarrhea ~ Use astringent herbs after 3 days of diarrhea to allow the body first to release.
Blackberry leaf/root, Raspberry leaf/root, Agrimony, Oak bark, Witch hazel, Apple bark, Peach bark, bananas.

Constipation ~ Our stool is 75% water, so drink lots of warm water! Movement is also needed for peristalsis (intestinal movement that causes our foot to move through). So exercise! Running, cardio, dancing…
Magnesium citrate capsules, Fiber (whole grains, beans, fruit, chia seeds), Burdock, Aloe Juice, Green veggie juices, Bananas, Prunes, Senna, Psyllium seeds, Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Bitters that stimulate bile from the liver (which is a natural laxative).

Healthy gut flora

Thank all the little critters (beneficial bacteria) who live in your gut! These sacred beings help to break down your food, provide you with lots of joyful serotonin, and help your immune system protect your whole body from harm. You have powerful warriors living in your gut! We have 4-10x more bacteria in our body than human cells - Our body is only 25% human cells. There are more than 3,000 different species of gut bacteria, weighing about 3 pounds total. Our first big dose of microbes comes from birth canal, second comes from breast milk. Dirt, pets, family members, friends, all pass bacteria to babies.

Foods for your gut flora ~ Seaweed, Burdock, Dandelion, Chicory roots, Elecampane, Garlic, Flax seeds, Oats, Asparagus, Leeks, Onions, or Bananas. You will feel their happiness as your digestion improves!

Our gut bacteria create a large part of our immune system, so making sure that our gut bacteria are healthy is very important both for our digestion and ability to fight off infections. If 0ur gut bacteria are killed off by antibiotics, strong antimicrobial herbs, and by anything that damages the health of our mucous membranes such as toxic foods. To support healthy gut flora you will want to work on the overall health of the intestinal tract mucous membranes, reduce inflammation and toxic foods.

Probiotics ~ There are many great probiotics you can take to repopulate your gut with good bacteria! The cheapest good one is PB8, though I also like Jarrow and Garden of Life brands. Take 2 capsules with each meal if you are needing to repopulate.

Don’t forget your bacteria rich fermented foods!

You can help to kill off intestinal infections such as candida, parasites, or worms that can create damage to the intestinal lining and the bacterial community of your gut. It may be a bacterial infection, fungal, or parasitic. A stool test is the most accurate way to know what kind of infection you’re dealing with. Lowering sugar intake and taking anti-fungal herbs will help to kill off candida fungal infections in the gut!

My favorite plants to fight candida ~ Take 2-3 droppers full of tincture for 1-2 weeks.
Garlic (capsule is best), usnea, turmeric, sweet annie, oregano, calendula, elecampane, olive leaf, and black walnut. 

All of us get worms if we are eating organic produce, and need to deworm ourselves yearly. Worms and parasites picked up while traveling can cause gut problems for years, creating inflammation, bloating, pain, and an imbalanced gut flora community. You can get tested to see if you have any worms, parasites, our candida infections by getting a stool test through a holistic MD or a naturopath. Herbs like wormwood and sweet annie (strong antimicrobial artemisias), can help to kill off any worms or parasites helping the gut environment to prosper. 

Herbs for worms or parasites ~ Take them for 1-2 weeks as a tea or tincture. I recommend 2-3 droppers full 3x a day, but 1-2 droppers full for wormwood and quassia. Wormwood, sweet annie, mugwort, turmeric, clove, quassia bark.

Video ~ Sweet Annie

Wormwood (Artemisia) ~ Solar Plexus & Digestive Clearing Ritual

If you can feel energy that is stuck, blocked, or attached to your solar plexus that needs to be removed, try this ritual with wormwood. Wormwood (and other artemisias) are powerful for clearing parasitic or blocked energy in the solar plexus. I can tell I need a round of wormwood when it feels like I have a ball of blocked or parasitic energy in my intestines or solar plexus area. This is excellent if it feels like you have something feeding off of you in any way. Or possibly deeply buried feelings that need to be cleared from your solar plexus/digestive system. You will know if you need the wormwood. Likely you are feeling a lot of stagnation in your gut, dampness, or tightness.

Drink 1 cup of wormwood tea 2x a day for 3-5 days. Listen to how long your body wants it. Brew the tea by steeping 1/2 tsp. wormwood in 1 quart of water. You can increase to 1 tsp. if your body can handle it - wormwood is very strong and extremely bitter.

Communicating with wormwood ~ Close your eyes, and bring your awareness to your breath. Hold the wormwood tea or some of the dried plant in your hands, and spend a few minutes just breathing in the scent. Call in the spirit of wormwood (visualize reaching out to the plant. Invite it to be present with you. Ask wormwood to clear and banish anything in your solar plexus and digestive system that is causing harm. Invite help releasing and removing anything stuck within you that is not supportive for your wellbeing. Drink the tea, and make sure it’s not too bitter for your body (if it is you won’t want to drink anymore, so go water it down by half). Spend a few minutes drinking the tea and naming anything you want to clear in your solar plexus. After 20 minutes or so of receiving, thank the plant for the help.

The Liver

The liver is largest organ in the body, and the only organ that can re-grow itself! After nutrients pass through the intestinal wall, they enter the blood and head to the liver. This is the last stage of digestion. The liver is then responsible for metabolizing carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into what the body can use. The liver is the body’s main chemical factory, converting and modifying nutrients into forms as the body requires. The liver stores many essential nutrients - vitamins, and minerals, glucose (sugar), fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, K, B12, iron, and copper. After nutrients have entered the blood stream from the small intestine and passed to the liver for further processing and cleaning, nutrient rich blood heads from the liver to the heart to be pumped through the body to cells.

The liver also helps to eliminate and store toxins (such as metals and plastics) that have passed from the small intestine into the bloodstream. Enzymes in the liver break down toxins such as alcohol and drugs into inactive/un-harmful forms. This way toxins don’t enter the bloodstream and impact the rest of the body! The liver also metabolizes (breaks down) and removes hormones from the blood stream, which helps to maintain our hormone balance. White blood cells in the liver capture and digest bacteria, fungi, parasites, worn-out blood cells, and cellular debris through the blood.

The liver produces bile, (a greenish digestive juice) which is stored in the gallbladder, and then released into the small intestine to help break down fats every time we eat. Bile emulsifies fats by breaking down large clumps of fats (lipids) into smaller ones, allowing the body to break them down more easily. Below is a list of herbs that help to nourish and strengthen the liver, as well as stimulating bile production. All of the bitter herbs listed are also wonderful for gallbladder health.

Herbs to support the liver ~ Milk thistle, dandelion, turmeric, artichoke leaf, burdock, yellow dock, bitters, lemon, bitter orange, blue vervain, reishi, astragalus, siberian ginseng, elecampane, goldenseal, oregon grape root, barberry (berberine containing plants), wormwood.

The Pancreas

The pancreas is a very important digestive and endocrine organ! It produces enzymes and juices that help to break down food in the small intestine. It dumps alkaline fluid and enzymes into the small intestine once the acidic blended food (chyme) enters from the stomach. The pancreas is also an endocrine organ, producing hormones such as insulin and glucagons. Glucagon stimulates the liver to release glucose (sugar) into the blood when we need energy. Insulin slows the rate of glucose to be released into the blood from the liver, and increases cell uptake of glucose from the blood. This causes our blood sugar to lower - (insulin lowers blood sugar, glucagons increases it.) The liver and pancreas are both damaged by smoking, alcohol, and toxins we take into our body.

Herbs to support the pancreas ~ Dandelion, artichoke leaf, burdock, yellow dock, turmeric, bitters, lemon, bitter orange, oregon grape root, goldenseal, barberry, and blue vervain.

Dandelion & Burdock ~ Supreme Digestive Tonics

Burdock is probably my favorite of all gut healing tonics and anti-inflammatories next to marshmallow! It is especially good for those with hot, inflamed intestines. Burdock roots feed healthy gut flora, and restore healthy function to the intestines. It is a gentle laxative especially good for moving what is stuck in the gut. Burdock helps to cleanse the fluids of the body to support detoxification, and can be used in cases of food poisoning or toxic overload. As you remember from our April module it is also a deep immune tonic, healing tonic for the liver, kidneys, and adrenals. Dandelion is also a powerful digestive tonic, and one of the best bitter restoratives for the liver and pancreas. Since we already covered these plants in the first module I’ll let you go revisit them there, but I wanted to mention them again since dandelion and burdock are two of the most important digestive system tonics we have!

To soothe and heal inflamed intestines with burdock - Simmer 1 tbsp. dried or fresh roots in 1 quart water for 10-15 minutes. Low rice simmer. Strain and drink 2-3 cups a day between meals. Wonderful blended with marshmallow root or dandelion.

What is your gut telling you?
Listen to the foods and herbs its asking for…

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