An introduction to treating IBS with herbal remedies
There are several natural, herbal remedies available that can be useful in relieving your symptoms of IBS. Together with supportive dietary and lifestyle choices you can work towards treating IBS
Bitters
Herbal bitters encourage the secretion of digestive juices and enzymes, which will promote optimal digestion. The efficient breakdown of food in the stomach will leave the partially digested food in a suitable state for the next stage of digestion taking place in the small intestines.
In the small intestines the carbohydrates, fat and protein you have consumed are further broken down into their simplest components, the form in which they are able to be absorbed. Anything too big or partially undigested by this stage will travel on to the large intestines to undergo fermentation. Any food appearing in the colon, which should be been processed more efficiently earlier, may give rise to unpleasant symptoms associated with IBS such as bloating, flatulence, stomach pain, constipation or diarrhoea.
Promoting optimal digestion as early as the stomach may prevent aggravating your gut and the nasty symptoms associated with it.
Tormentil
A herb called Tormentil can be used to help calm erratic contractions of the gut and maintain normal, rhythmic movements. This herbal remedy is particularly useful in diarrhoea dominant IBS, which is characterised by abnormally fast and inconsistent contractions of the gut and loose stools as a result.
Silicol gel
The gut is prone to irritation in IBS, especially after you consume a trigger food. A product called Silicol gel acts as a protective barrier in the digestive tract, soothing and calming the walls of the intestine. This can be effective after a flare up or during episodes of diarrhoea when stomach cramps and spasms can take hold.
Molkosan
Molkosan is used to support the long-term maintenance of your gut function.
Molkosan works to create an environment that supports the good bacteria in your gut. You have over a thousand different strains of bacteria present in your gut, which can be categorized into ‘good’ or ‘bad’ strains. For general health you want the beneficial benefits of the good bacteria to outweigh the bad as if numbers diminish and the bad bacteria dominate, symptoms associated with IBS can arise.
To read more on the importance of good bacteria visit our page via the link.
Herbal remedies for mood
Your mood and mental health are thought to influence IBS. Read our blog on how stress can impact our digestive system to understand what affect stress can have on your body and digestive system.
Several herbal remedies are available to help address emotional problems that may be aggravating your IBS.
Stress Relief Daytime drops contain a synergistic combination of two herbs, Valerian and Hops, which have been used traditionally to help people deal with stress and anxiety.
In instances of low mood being the issue, a natural herbal remedy called St. Johns Wort can be very beneficial. Anything more serious that mild anxiety or low mood may require a trip to your doctor for further assessment.
