Digestion - Keeping The Digestive System Balanced - Digestion
By Ellen J. Kamhi, Ph. D. with Dorie Greenblatt
Digestion is the foundation for the health and balance of the whole body system. In a very real sense our physical body is formed by the molecules we eat and absorb. As the old adage says, “we are what we eat.” Our eating habits, lifestyle choices and state of mind as well as the foods we choose to consume all directly influence the effectiveness of our digestion. Ideally, a diet of good whole organically grown foods eaten at regular intervals in a stress-free environment would be wonderful. The reality is that few of us actually ever attain this ideal. Herbs have been used traditionally by civilizations around the world to aid the digestive system in several different ways. Herbs may act as digestive tonics, bitters, carminatives, vermifuges (killer of parasites), laxatives and astringents, which all benefit the digestive system in different ways.
Digestive Tonics
Digestive tonics can help to balance stomach acidity. Their tonic actions may be in part due to their ability to protect and soothe the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Nature’s Answer® has many digestive tonic herbs available in the form of fast-absorbing liquid extracts. Nettle Leaf (alcohol-free, organic alcohol) is a mild digestive tonic that is highly nourishing. It tones the walls of the intestinal lining as well as the veins that supply nutrients to the digestive system. Cat’s Claw (alcohol-free, organic alcohol), often called Una del Gato in the Amazon rainforest where it is harvested, is a tonic herb for the entire system. Scientists believe that its overall positive influence on the body is directly related to its healing effect on the digestive system.
Bitters
Bitters act to stimulate digestion through the increased production of digestive juices, from saliva to the release of bile. The Standard American Diet is sorely lacking in foods that taste “bitter”. There is actually a message sent via the nerves in ...
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