Medical herbalists generally put great emphasis on the health of the gastro intestinal tract in many conditions that people come to see them about, including skin complaints, hormonal imbalances etc.,as it is believed that the health of the gut and what we eat can affect many other areas of our health, not just our digestive processes. We generally quiz, monitor (and probably bore) our patients about their diets and digestion for this very reason.
Food is much like the fuel in a car, if you put low quality fuel in, you will get poor performance out - a generality I know - everyone knows someone who has had sausage and chips all their lives and lived until 105 - but this approach doesn't work for everyone by all means, food is becoming a big issue in health protection, or should we say, illness prevention
Diet is definitely important, but many of the digestive difficulties mentioned above can also be supported by a great range of different herbs from your medical herbalist. Simple remedies for indigestion may help, for example teas made from chamomile (Matricaria recutita) or meadowsweet (Filependula ulmaria). Herbs, usually with bitter taste, may be used to stimulate the digestive process itself, such as dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) which is a good liver herb - an organ central to an efficient digestion. Where the gut may need some tender loving care from herbs that will soothe the delicate lining of the intestines, such as marshmallow root which (Althea officinalis) and Marigold (Calendula officinalis) might be employed. There are also some herbs that could help with peptic ulcers as they are thought to inhibit the H.pylori bacteria which is causal to the condition. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is one such and where liquorice is not suitable (people with high blood pressure for instance should take care with liquorice) there are others. Liquorice is actually useful for a number of digestive conditions as it has anti-inflammatory and soothing demulcent actions - actually it is a great herb for many things
Where the condition is more complex, then more complex remedies are needed. Sometimes, because there is a connection between the gut and the nervous system, then a herbalist will also include herbs to give you nervous support in the medicine they formulate for you, this can be especially helpful in those conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, which are thought to have a stress component. Of course at the other end, there are herbal laxatives some gentle and some more powerful the latter which should be used only infrequently and with great care such as Senna.pods (Cassia senna). However, if your digestion is in good working order and your diet OK, you shouldn't really need laxatives.
This information is meant for educational purposes only and not intended as a guide to self-treatment. You should always seek professional healthcare advice for both diagnosis and treatment. Remember that herbs can interact with other drugs and may be contra-indicated if you have certain medical conditions, are pregnant or lactating. Take care when using wild plants or herbs, that you have the correct species from a reliable source.
Catherine Schofield Herbalist Cheshire Herbs and Herbal Medicine