The majority of people I meet on a daily basis are suffering with some sort of digestive trouble.
They tell me that they cannot absorb fats, or they suffer with either too little or too much acid, get indigestion, are bloated and gassy, feel the burn of acid reflux and gerd, and just don’t feel well both before and after meals.
That totally stinks! Eating should be a pleasure, not a pain.
The folks that are suffering have tried every remedy under the sun (and on the internet) and they are still not finding relief.
I’ve got a remedy that is so simple you will probably doubt its effectiveness. And, exclaim, “Andrea, how could this possibly be so easy?”
The remedy I’m suggesting for digestive wellness is thousands of years old, and up until recently it was used much more commonly.
It’s called chamomile tea.
I’m not kidding.
Somehow amidst all of the hoopla around digestive enzymes, leaky gut formulas, prebiotics and probiotics, we’ve neglected this classic remedy for digestive woes.
A strong cup of chamomile tea 15 minutes before meals can do wonders to improve digestive health.
Here’s how…
Chamomile is a cholagogue (stimulates the production of bile), contains volatile oils that relieves indigestion and stimulates appetite, reduces nausea, gas and stomach cramps, and is also effective for treating insomnia.[1]
In the tea recipe below, I’ve added in Rose to help cool inflammation for those that are suffering with that terrible burning feeling in their gut that rises up into their esophagus aka heartburn. Rose is sweet, cooling, astringent and anti-inflammatory with an affinity for the mucosa and gastrointestinal tract.
Food is medicine! Natural healing is possible using food and herbs as medicine.
Prepare yourself a calming cup of chamomile and drink it before meals, for a few days in a row. Let me know how you feel – and more importably… enjoy your next meal.
[1] Rodales 21st Century Herbal, Michael J. Balick, PhD, Rodale 2014, p. 138
- 1 tbsp. chamomile flowers
- 1 tbsp. rose petals and buds
- Boiling water
- Put chamomile and rose into a tea ball and place into a large mug.
- Top with 6-8 oz. boiling water.
- Steep 7-10 minutes.
Andrea Beaman is an internationally renowned Holistic Health Coach, Natural Foods Chef, Speaker and Herbalist. Named one of the top 100 Most Influential Health and Fitness Experts, she is also a recipient of the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Award for Excellence in Health-Supportive Education and a Health Leadership award from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Since 1999, Andrea has been teaching people how to harness the body’s own preventative and healing powers using food, herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
