Indigestion

An attack of indigestion can be triggered by too many fatty or spicy foods; stimulants such as tea, coffee, or alcohol; or emotional upset. Digestion also tends to slow a bit with age, causing bloating, indigestion, wind, and fatigue. Herbal remedies ease symptoms and help improve digestion.

Herbal tea for indigestion
Fennel seed, ginger. and peppermint are all excellent as mild aids to the process of digestion.The fragrant essential oils that give them their characteristic flavours and aromas stimulate the flow of digestive juices, relieve indigestion, and help ease the pains associated with wind.
250ml (8fl oz) water
I teaspoon fresh chopped ginger root '12 teaspoon fennel seed 'h teaspoon dried peppermint
Simmer the ginger and fennel in the water in a covered pot for about five minutes. Remove from the heat and add the peppermint Cover, and steep for an additional ten minutes. Strain the tea. sweeten it with honey if you desire, and sip while warm.

Herbal digestive tonic
Herbal digestive tonics include bitter herbs such as dandelion and gentian. which stimulate digestive fluids. Herb such as fennel and ginger ease gas pains. Liquorice soothes the intestina tract and sweetens the tonic.
15g ('hoz) dried dandelion root 7.5g ('hoz) dried gentian root 7.5g ('/,oz) dried liquorice root 7.5g ('1+oz) dried fennel seeds 7.5g ('hoz) ginger root I bottle vodka
Grind the herbs into a coarse powder in a clean blender. Place in a wide-mouthed glass jar and cover th herbs with vodka, plus an additional Scm (2in). Stir well, cover, and place in a warm, dark place. Shake the jar every day to keep the herbs from settling. After two weeks, strain the liquid from the herbs through severel layers of muslin, reserving the liquid. This is the tonic. Store the bitters tonic in a dark glass container in a cool, dark place. It should remain potent for at least three years.Take half a teaspoon in 60m1(2fl oz) of warm water about 15 minutes before meals to get your digestive juices flowing.

Cultivate a taste for bitter foods
Bitter flavours trigger the flow of digestive fluids. Eating a salad that contains a handful of greens (such as rocket, dandelion, or radicchio) before lunch or dinner is an easy way to get a tasty ration of bitters.

Chew food thoroughly
Digestive enzymes are secreted in your saliva, and the production of stomach juices is triggered when you begin to eat. The more thoroughly you chew your food, the easier you make it on the rest of your digestive system. Plus, slowing down relaxes your stomach and digestive organs, which helps them work properly.

Digestion enhancer
Drinking a small amount of liquid facilitates digestion, but gulping large amounts dilutes stomach juices and can cause bloating and indigestion. Try sipping a small cup of digestionenhancing ginger or peppermint tea during a meal.