Good digestion is one of the keys to well-being.

I know, I know. We don’t really like to talk about our digestion. It is not really considered appropriate for polite company. But did you know that what is going on in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract may well set the tone for health or illness in the entire rest of your body?

The gastrointestinal tract is the place where our body meets the outside world. Think about it. It is a hollow tube (more or less) that runs from mouth to nether region and gets to decide what is allowed in (absorbed) or barred from entering (excreted). Think of it as your body’s bouncer. In making these decisions, this very intelligent and highly innervated organ is in constant communication with all other body systems, especially your brain.

It also very carefully digests the food you eat into very tiny particles that your body will be able to take in and utilize. This is very important, because if food is allowed to leak past the gut lining before it is properly broken down, your body will very likely not recognize it as something usable and your immune system may well sound the alarm that an enemy is on the premises. Many food allergies, autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammatory conditions are thought to originate from what is called “leaky gut”.

Poor digestion is rampant in our culture.

Poor diet and chronic stress are two of the biggest causative factors in our digestive processes becoming dysfunctional. Since the advent of processed food and the modern (high stress) lifestyle we have seen the rate of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions skyrocket in our society. You should know that diseases such as stroke, heart disease, Alzheimers and diabetes are now becoming recognized as inflammatory conditions.

How can we heal?

Returning to a diet free of processed foods and full of plants, healthy oils and nourishing proteins is of course the first thing to do.

Reducing stress and improving one’s resiliency to stress is the other necessary step.

In addition, Medicinal Plants can be invaluable in the process of improving our digestion and healing our damaged gut tissue.

Bitters

Bitter plants have a long history of use for stimulating the appetite and improving the entire digestive process. The bitter constituents in the plant are perceived by bitter receptors on the tongue and the lining of the esophagus and respond by stimulating secretions of all digestive juices. It is important to actually taste the bitters, so taking a capsule or pill will not do the trick!

Bitter greens were once a mainstay of people’s diets and eating bitter greens on a daily basis is still one of the best examples of food as medicine. A common obstacle today is that many modern folks do not like the bitter taste. Does bitterness cause you to make a face and say “yuck”? Well, you are not alone in this predicament! Bitterness has been bred out of many of our common foods and our overconsumption of sugar has so addicted us to sweets, that the bitter taste is a shock to the system. I have found that as I began to reintroduce bitter foods in my daily diet my palate’s appreciation for them grew gradually over time and I now truly enjoy bitter foods and like the balance they bring to my plate. So, start slowly and give yourself time to develop a renewed appreciation for the bitter flavor. Who knows, perhaps after a time you will notice that your body actually begins to crave the taste!

An easy way to start would be to add a few bitter greens to your salads. Some wonderful options include radicchio, endive and especially dandelion leaves. If you have always only looked upon dandelion as an obnoxious weed, look again! Dandelion is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, not to mention a wonderful bitter vegetable that will make your gut so happy! Get in the habit of eating your salad as an appetizer, thus preparing your digestion for the heavier main course. This is traditional practice in Europe where I grew up and where bitter greens are always a part of this first course.

Taking herbal bitters before eating is another way to stimulate a vigorous digestive process and better absorption of nutrients from our food. Mix a teaspoon of a bitters tincture into sparkling water, toss in an ice cube or two and you have a wonderful pre-dinner aperitif to sip on and let your body know that “food is coming so get ready!”.

As if that wasn’t enough, another fabulous effect of bitters is that they relax you! Remember the part about stress? In order to digest food, our body activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is the part of our nervous system that tells us to relax and enjoy. By stimulating this system, bitters contribute to a lessening of tension and stress.

For more fabulous information about bitters, please read this amazing and entertaining article by Michigan herbalist Jim McDonald:

http://www.herbcraft.org/bitters.pdf

Let’s put the bitters back in our day!

My Orange Bitters are an herbal blend containing a combination of bitter/cooling and warming/stimulating herbs for a perfectly balanced digestive stimulant. The bitter constituents of Orange Peel, Artichoke leaf, Gentian root and Dandelion root stimulate secretion of all the digestive juices, including saliva. Warming Ginger and Fennel stimulate secretion of gastric juices, reduce bloating, and balance out the cooling action of the bitter herbs.

My Peppermint Bitters contain peppermint instead of orange peel. Peppermint too improves digestion and reduces bloating. However, it can aggravate gastric reflux (also known as GERD or heartburn) which seems kind of rampant in our society these days. I recommend avoiding peppermint if you struggle with heartburn. Again, cleaning up your diet may significantly reduce those symptoms for you.

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*For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.*