Herbs to help you through indigestion

It's that indigestion time of year.
Ah yes, the beauty of overeating eating greasy foods, all that chocolate, and perhaps lots of alcohol.
It's the season for indigestion, that burning uncomfortable sensation.
The good news is, nature offers a few ways to handle indigestion.
There are some herbs that seem to be natural remedies for such occasions.

Fennel
We are told that Fennel seed fights gas and acid indigestion.
Fennel has been used as a carminative, which means it helps the body relieve gas issues.
Fennel is also one of the ingredients in "gripe water," a traditional use for treating colic in infants.

The Fennel dose for making tea is 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of seeds per day, according to NYU Langone Medical Center

Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is part of the mint family and was used during the Middle Ages as a way to reduce stress and anxiety, and reliving indigestion.

There seems to be some evidence that lemon balm just may help to reduce indigestion.
The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests 300 - 500 mg dried lemon balm, (Capsules)
As a tea:  1/4 - 1 teaspoonful of dried lemon balm herb in hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.

Turmeric
Turmeric is that spicy ingredient in curry which gives it the golden color, and it is also used for digestion problems.

Traditionally, Turmeric has been used for heartburn, stomach discomfort, diarrhea and intestinal gas.
The National Institutes of Health recommends 500 mg of turmeric four times daily for indigestion.

Ginger
Ginger has been used for digestion issues for more than 2,000 years.
Even today health professionals recommend ginger to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting and as a   digestive aid for upset stomachs.

It's interesting, in Germany,  ginger is used as a treatment for indigestion and motion sickness.
It's also interesting to note, that while most anti-nausea drugs work on the brain and the inner ear, ginger  acts directly on the stomach.
The recommended dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided up into 2 to 4 doses per day.

Artichoke Leaf
In traditional European medicine, artichokes leaves played an important roll in digestion.

There has been a lot of research concluding that the Artichoke plant does indeed stimulate the kidney and gallbladder.
In 2003, a study showed that the artichoke leaf  alleviated symptoms of indigestion.
The European recommended dose is 6 grams of the dried herb or its equivalent per day, usually divided into 3 doses.
Use Artichoke leaf extracts according to label instructions.

Peppermint
Perhaps everyone knows that peppermint is used to make an upset stomach feel better.
Peppermint has this little numbing effect to treat nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, and stinky gas.
Peppermint oil seems to sooth the spasms of the intestinal tract.

Peppermint seems to relax the muscles that strain with digestive gas and improve the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats.
As a word of caution, if your symptoms of indigestion are related to gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, peppermint should not be used.

Cayenne

The people at NYU say that oral use of cayenne can ease the pain of indigestion.
Capsaicin seems to sooth discomfort in the stomach even though it is often blamed for indigestion.
For treatment of digestion, cayenne may be taken at a dosage of 0.5 to 1.0 g three times daily before you start your meal.

Don't exceed the dosage recommendations, and if you have concerns or questions ask your doctor.
If you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medication, ask your doctor about these herbs and you.