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| Herbs to the Rescue! |
| In addition to all of the preceding strategies, you have a wealth of digestive friends in the world of herbs. Herbal medicine offers safe, effective treatments for every digestive disturbance and has stood the test of time for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. |
| Herbs can be eaten raw in salads, juiced with vegetables, added to soups and other foods, brewed as teas, taken in capsules and made into tinctures or liquid extracts. |
| Teas |
| The most familiar herbal preparations are teas. Teas are either infusions, made by pouring boiling water over fresh or dried leaves or blossoms; or decoctions, made by simmering roots or bark. In either case, a beverage-strength tea is made by combining 1 teaspoon dry tea (or 1 tablespoon fresh herb) with 1 cup water. Double or triple the amount of herb for a medicinal strength tea. For best results, prepare infusions in a glass or ceramic pot with a tight-fitting lid; prepare decoctions in a covered saucepan. Let infusions stand 10 to 15 minutes before straining and serving; let decoctions simmer on low heat after reaching the boiling point for 10 to 15 minutes, then let stand another 5 to 10 minutes before serving. |
| In some cases a cold infusion is recommended. Mix shredded or chopped plant material with cold water and let stand overnight, or place plant material in a roomy muslin bag, suspend the bag at the top of a glass jar filled with cold |
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