Squelching The Fire Down Below

Many people suffer from conditions such as acid-reflux, heartburn, indigestion and ulcers. In an attempt to remedy the situation prescription medications such as esomeprazole, (also known as Nexium) are often used. This is not only costly – e.g. 30 pills for around $200.00 – but its assortment of possible side effects entail a hefty price as well. Among the less serious possible reactions are nausea, headache, diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain, constipation and dry mouth. The more serious possible side effects include difficulty in breathing, throat closure, swelling of lips, face, tongue and hives. As if all this is not bothersome enough, esomeprazole must be taken a half-hour before each meal with a full eight ounces of water and needs to be taken for an extended period of time. When one thinks again about the high cost of a mere 30 pills, the stress is enough to create a myriad of other health problems and the whole scenario becomes very hard to swallow.
Although I encourage you to check with your physician before beginning any new herbal and dietary regimen, it seems to me that there may be a much simpler and more economical way to treat heartburn, indigestion, ulcers and acid reflux through utilization of beneficial herbs and spices that can be added to meals and used in teas to bring about the desired health benefits. By simply adding the necessary spices and herbs to your meals you may be able to eliminate the need for prescriptions that carry with them such disastrous consequences.
For example, tomatoes or any type of red pasta sauces will give me a severe case of acid reflux and indigestion, and I’d just as soon as avoid them completely. However, my husband adores pasta with red sauce and I adore him, so by adding herbs like fennel seeds, basil, parsley and thyme in moderate amounts to my sauces when I’m preparing them, I’ve found a way to make us both happy while allowing me to have an enjoyable dining experience with no fiery aftermaths or volcanic eruptions. I even take it one step further and prepare a wonderful, relaxing after dinner tea containing herbs like fennel, ginger, chamomile, licorice, alfalfa and catnip. Not only do I sleep like a baby, I am also free from any signs of indigestion, heartburn or hyperacidity.
I realize that it may not be convenient to go this route when eating out in restaurants or at friend’s house, and friends probably would not stay your friends if they catch you adding herbs and spices to meals that they just prepared for you. Consequently, whenever I know I will be away from home, I always carry a bag of fennel seeds in my purse or pocket and (if needed) pop a handful in my mouth after dinner. This is actually an ancient East Indian technique. In fact, you will usually notice that a plate of fennel has replaced the mint candies near the cash register of traditional Indian restaurants. By chewing the fennel seeds not only will you put out any fires down below, you will also tame the savage dragon breath that usually follows a good meal.
If all this is sounding good so far and you’re wondering how you begin to go the natural way, you can start by walking to your spice rack and taking inventory of what herbs and spices you find. If you are lucky you will see fennel, basil, cloves, bay leaves, cumin, coriander, thyme, dill, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, parsley, celery seeds, caraway seeds, anise seeds, red and black pepper and this would mean that you are ready to go. The answers to your problems were there all the time just waiting for you to use them.
Now walk over to your tea cupboard and hopefully you will find herbs such as, chamomile, raspberry, dandelion, catnip, papaya, licorice, peppermint, alfalfa, spearmint and ginger. If you have all or some of these herbs in stock than you are well on your way. If you don’t have the herbs, it is certainly more cost effective to purchase bulk herbs and you can find a great place to purchase them by logging onto my website www.alternativetao.com, and then selecting the links page where you will find a link for Mountain Rose Herbs. There are also Ayurvedic herbs that are excellent for digestion and ulcers such as shatavari, (asparagus), cumin, cardamom, amalaki and triphalia. These can also be obtained at my website.
Coffee causes many digestive upsets due to its acidic nature. Yet for most people giving up coffee is too much of a sacrifice, so they choose to suffer needlessly. By adding small amounts of chicory in with your coffee grounds, you eliminate its acidic effects while creating a bolder coffee flavour. Furthermore, the addition of chicory also provides an economical solution by making your coffee supplies last much longer.
Chicory is quite strong so be careful to only add it in small amounts. For example, if you usually use 6 tablespoons of coffee for 10 cups, after mixing your grounds with the chicory you will only want to add 2 tablespoons at the most, otherwise the experience will be a bitter one. However, if you measure appropriately you will enjoy and savor the delightful beverage and suffer no digestive disturbances.
Finally, loose fitting clothing ensures better digestion and cuts down on stomach acids. In addition, eating slowly in a calm, peaceful environment with no noises or distractions and focusing on each and every bite will give your digestive system time to do its job properly. This practice is in sharp contrast to normal Western practices of talking, barely chewing before swallowing, watching television or just not giving our meal the attention it deserves.
So the next time you prepare your next meal add some beneficial herbs, prepare some herbal tea, turn off that television, replace those tight jeans with comfortable clothes and slowly, calmly enjoy each and every bite. After dinner sip the herbal tea while noticing not only how much better and more relaxed your body feels, but also how the natural approach to health and healing has relieved the stress of Western medicines on your bankbook.