Your health: How to aid digestion

Anti-inflammatory components in Chamomile and Licorice can help calm the stomach. Photo / iStock

Over Christmas, when indulging in all the delicious festive treats, I get an increase in stomach bloating and passing gas. Is there any natural medicine I can take to alleviate these side effects?

I think many of us can relate to this question. The holiday period usually means at least a little over indulgence and if you're one of the many people with sensitive digestion it doesn't make for smooth sailing at festive events!

Fortunately there are some very effective medicinal herbs that can alleviate problematic symptoms such as bloating and wind. The aromatic spices fennel seed, Aniseed, Cinnamon, as well as Peppermint, Dandelion root, Licorice root and Chamomile have been used extensively by many generations of physicians to improve and maintain good digestive function.

Anti-inflammatory components in Chamomile and Licorice help calm the stomach and mucous membranes in indigestion, whilst also having beneficial effects on the nervous system. The herbs Fennel, Peppermint, Cinnamon and Aniseed are carminative (able to relieve flatulence and colic) and help to reduce spasm in the digestive tract. Dandelion's bitterness helps to increase digestive juices and enhance the breakdown of food for better absorption, whilst supporting effective elimination of waste products.

In many countries there is a long-standing tradition of consuming these plants as a medicinal tea following meals to improve digestive function. They can also be used symptomatically whenever discomfort, indigestion, bloating or reflux occurs.

If you know ahead of time that a particular season or event is likely to bring an increase in your symptoms, I would suggest consuming one cup after each meal at least a couple of weeks in advance of this time. Experience with a number of my clients suggests that supporting digestion ahead of time can often result in less severe reactions when overindulgence does occur against better judgment. I wish you a healthy and joyful festive season.

Hi Sandra, I am a bit stressed lately with work and my usual symptom of this is haemorrhoids. Any tips?

Haemorrhoids (also called piles) are varicose veins in an awkward place. They are aggravated by pelvic congestion and conditions such as constipation, prostatic enlargement and loss of elasticity in the anal sphincter. They are also a common occurrence in pregnancy where an enlarged uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins. Other causes are obesity, hypertension and as you note in your question, stress or emotional tension.

The long-term goal of natural treatment is to maintain good venous and connective tissue tone to reduce further occurrences and improve venous blood return from the lower body.

Firstly, it is crucial that you increase dietary fibre if this is lacking, and resolve any associated constipation. Mucilage rich herbs such as Slippery Elm and Psyllium, usually taken as a powder mixed with water, help keep the stool soft and ease bowel evacuation. They also provide additional fibre, so should be increased slowly to allow time for your digestion to adjust to the increased roughage.

Fresh fruit and vegetable intake needs to be high to maintain optimum levels of flavonoids and other essential nutrients required to support circulation and connective tissue integrity.

The vein supporting medicinal plants Horsechestnut, Butcher's Broom, Witchhazel and Arnica combine well for the treatment of haemorrhoids. Horsechestnut has unique decongesting actions on stagnant blood vessels. Furthermore, it helps to increase the strength and tone of the veins, improve circulation and its analgesic properties can be soothing for painful haemorrhoids. Butcher's Broom contains valuable nutrients to strengthen and tighten capillaries, enhancing their ability to decongest venous flow, one of the hall marks of piles. Both plants are widely endorsed by international regulatory bodies such as the German Commission E, and clinical trials have shown them to be beneficial in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency.

A cream of the above plants is best applied to the area 2-3 times daily and can resolve this painful condition sometimes with remarkable speed, especially when the topical treatment is combined with an oral liquid of the same plants. If you have a tendency to develop haemorrhoids, then you many want to use these medicinal plants over a period of several weeks to strengthen the integrity of the tissue from the inside out. Make sure that you also help yourself to de-stress, since stress is one of your triggers. Relaxing herbs such as St. John's Wort or Passionflower are ideal.