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| natives like aniseed, lemon balm, cardamom, fennel and peppermint to relieve gas. Follow the standard recipes for making teas: use 1 teaspoon dried herb per cup of water for a beverage strength tea and 1 tablespoon per cup for medicinal strength; infuse leaves and blossoms in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes in a teapot or capped glass jar and decoc roots, bark and seeds by simmering them in a covered pan for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat. Drink up to 4 cups of any of the teas listed above per day, or take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon tincture 3 to 4 times daily. |
| Another sensible strategy is to take a teaspoon to a tablespoon of Swedish bitters or a similar bitter aperitif before eating. The bitter taste stimulates saliva, bile production and the secretion of other digestive juices. You may want to experiment with hydrochloric acid (HCl) supplements and digestive enzymes as well. Because indigestion is so often linked to food sensitivities, keep a food diary and eliminate whatever doesn't agree with you from your diet. Last, drink more water, especially when pain occurs, up to one 8-ounce glass every 15 to 20 minutes until pain subsides. |
| See also the descriptions of gas/flatulence and gastritis. |
| Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
| IBS is a chronic disorder in which the muscle of the lower colon produces exaggerated contractions, causing pain, gas, bloating, and alternating constipation and diarrhea. The cause may be food sensitivities, a lack of dietary fiber, insufficient beneficial bacteria or stress. |
| All of the recommendations for treating diverticulitis, colitis, Crohn's disease and diarrhea apply here; refer to those sections for specific instructions. |
| In general, drink frequent glasses of water, gradually increase the amount of soluble fiber in your diet, drink raw fruit and vegetable juices and treat constipation with mild laxative herbs (senna or cascara sagrada as recommended in the section describing constipation). Avoid common allergens and work toward a more tranquil life. |
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