How to Support a Healthy Gut

Understanding IBS, Digestion and the Herbs That Can Help Support Digestive Wellbeing

Digestive health influences far more than simply how comfortable we feel after eating. Every day, our digestive system works to break down food, absorb nutrients, eliminate waste and provide our bodies with many of the nutrients required for energy, growth and cellular repair.

Yet digestive discomfort is incredibly common.

Bloating, excessive gas, abdominal discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, changes in bowel habits and that uncomfortable feeling of being overly full can all be signs that our digestive system needs some attention.

For some people, these symptoms are occasional. For others, they become part of everyday life. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for example, is characterised by recurring abdominal pain accompanied by changes in bowel movements, which may include constipation, diarrhea or a combination of both.

The relationship between our gut and brain means that stress, emotions, lifestyle, sleep and eating habits can all influence how our digestive system feels and functions. Supporting gut health therefore isn't necessarily about finding one miracle food, supplement or herb.

It is about creating an environment in which digestion can function well.

Due to numerous customer requests, I was inspired to create a new formula called "IBS and Digestive Harmony Tea", a gentle herbal blend of Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Yarrow, Chamomile and Marshmallow Root traditionally enjoyed to support digestive wellbeing, comfort and relaxation.

But before looking at the herbs, let's explore what is actually happening inside our digestive system.

How to support a Healthy Gut and Why Is Gut Health So Important?

+Common IBS symptoms can include:

• Recurring abdominal pain

• Bloating

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Alternating constipation and diarrhea

• Changes in bowel movements

• A sensation of incomplete bowel emptying

• Mucus in the stool

IBS is generally divided according to the predominant bowel pattern: constipation-predominant IBS, diarrhea-predominant IBS or mixed IBS.

The exact causes aren't completely understood, and different factors may contribute in different people. This is important because it explains why there is rarely a single solution that works for everybody with IBS.

The Gut - Brain Connection

The Gut-Brain Connection for health gut and digestion

One of the most interesting developments in digestive health has been our growing understanding of the gut-brain axis. Your digestive system and brain constantly communicate with each other. This two-way communication helps explain something many people have experienced firsthand: when we become nervous, anxious or highly stressed, we can actually feel it in our stomach. Some people lose their appetite.

Others develop butterflies, nausea, urgency, bloating or changes in bowel habits. IBS is now classified as a disorder of gut-brain interaction. In some people, altered communication between the gut and brain may affect how quickly food moves through the digestive system or how strongly normal intestinal sensations are perceived. This doesn't mean that digestive symptoms are "all in your head". Quite the opposite.

It demonstrates that our nervous and digestive systems are physiologically interconnected. It also means that supporting digestive health can involve more than simply changing what we eat. Sleep, stress management, movement, relaxation and the way we eat can all matter.

Other Common Digestive Conditions

Not every uncomfortable digestive symptom is IBS. Digestive symptoms can occur with a wide variety of conditions, including:

Constipation: Occasional constipation is extremely common. Diet, hydration, activity, medications, routine changes and other factors can all influence bowel movements.

Diarrhea: Short-term diarrhea can occur for many reasons, including infections and dietary changes. Persistent or recurring diarrhea deserves medical investigation.

Castro-esophageal Reflux: Reflux occurs when stomach contents travel back towards the esophagus, often creating heartburn or an acidic sensation.

Food Intolerance: Some people experience digestive symptoms after consuming particular foods or ingredients. Lactose, for example, can cause digestive symptoms in people who don't adequately digest it.

Coeliac Disease: Coeliac disease is an immune-mediated condition triggered by gluten and requires appropriate diagnosis and dietary management.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases and are quite different from IBS. They require professional medical assessment and management.

IBS and Digestive Harmon Tea Blend

Meet the Herbs in Herbal Healing's IBS And Digestive Harmony Tea

Our IBS and Digestive Harmony Tea brings together five complementary herbs: Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Yarrow, Chamomile and Marshmallow Root. Each contributes something slightly different to the blend.

Lemon Balm – Melissa officinalis	Lemon Balm is one of our favourite herbs for a digestive blend because it bridges two important areas: relaxation and digestion. Lemon Balm has traditionally been enjoyed to support calmness, relaxation and digestive comfort.
Peppermint – Mentha piperita	Peppermint is perhaps one of the most recognisable digestive herbs. For generations, people have finished meals with peppermint tea because of its refreshing flavour and association with digestive comfort. Caution: People prone to reflux or heartburn should be aware that peppermint may aggravate their symptoms.
Yarrow – Achillea millefolium	Yarrow is slightly bitter and aromatic character makes it particularly interesting in digestive herbalism. Bitter herbs have traditionally been consumed around meals as part of digestive preparations.
Chamomile – Matricaria chamomilla	Chamomile's gentle floral aroma is immediately associated with slowing down and relaxing. And has been enjoyed for both relaxation and digestive wellbeing, making it a natural companion to Lemon Balm in this formula.
Marshmallow Root – Althaea officinalis	Marshmallow Root has a very different character from Peppermint or Chamomile. The root contains naturally occurring mucilage and has traditionally been valued as a soothing herb.

A Herbal Tea Is Part of the Picture — Not the Whole Picture

It can be tempting when experiencing digestive discomfort to look for a single solution.

"Which tea should I drink?"

"Which probiotic should I take?"

"Which food should I eliminate?"

But digestive health is usually more nuanced. Even probiotics, which are heavily marketed for gut health, aren't universally beneficial for IBS. Research suggests some strains or combinations may help some people, but evidence is inconsistent and we don't yet have a simple answer about which probiotic is best for every person with IBS. A more useful approach is to look at the entire digestive environment.

10 Practical Ways to Support your Gut Health

5 Practical Ways to Support Your Gut Health

Eat More Plant Variety	Aim for diversity with vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all contribute different fibers and plant compounds. Think variety rather than perfection.
Increase Fibre Gradually	Fibre plays an important role in normal bowel function and also provides substrates used by intestinal microbes. Increase fibre gradually while observing how your body responds.
Drink Enough Water	Hydration and digestion go hand in hand. Water contributes to normal digestive processes and is particularly important when increasing dietary fibre. Herbal teas can also contribute to daily fluid intake
Slow Down When You Eat	This is one of the simplest digestive practices and one of the easiest to overlook. Sit down. Take a moment before eating. Chew your food thoroughly. Creating a calmer eating environment is particularly relevant when we consider the gut-brain connection.
Support the Gut by Managing Stress	Because the gut and brain communicate with one another, stress management can impact digestive wellbeing. Regularly give the nervous system opportunities to move out of constant high alert. Include: Walking, Gentle exercise, fresh air. Deep breathing, Yoga Meditation Spending time outside, Gardening Journalling with relaxing music Taking regular breaks Sitting quietly with a cup of herbal tea

When Is the Best Time to Drink Digestive Harmony Tea?

Create a Digestive Ritual

One of the reasons we love herbal tea is that the ritual itself has value.

1. Preparing tea requires you to stop.

2. Boil the water.

3. Wait while your tea steeps

4. Sit down and sip slowly.

After meals	During the afternoon	During stressful periods	In the evening
A refreshing end to breakfast, lunch or dinner.	When you want a caffeine-free alternative to another coffee.	An opportunity to stop and create a quiet moment.	Lemon Balm and Chamomile make this a lovely blend to incorporate into an evening wellness ritual
For most people, 1–3 cups daily can be enjoyed as desired.

A Gentler Approach to Gut Health

Our digestive system doesn't need us to be perfect. It needs us to pay attention.

• Sometimes that means eating more fiber-rich whole foods.

• Sometimes it means drinking more water.

• Sometimes it means identifying a food that simply doesn't agree with us.

  
  

And sometimes it means recognising that we've been eating every meal in a state of hurry and stress. Supporting digestive wellbeing is often about the small things we do consistently.

• Eat slowly.

• Move regularly.

• Drink water.

• Enjoy a variety of nourishing foods.

• Prioritise sleep.

• Learn what your individual digestive system tolerates.

• Create moments of calm.

And when you want a simple herbal ritual to accompany those habits, reach for a warm cup of Herbal Healing IBS and Digestive Harmony Tea. or an alternative herb al blend is Herbal Healing's Tummy Health Tea

Important Note

IBS and Digestive Harmony Tea is a food product intended to support general wellbeing and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent IBS or any other medical condition. If you have persistent or unexplained digestive symptoms, are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication, or have a diagnosed gastrointestinal condition, speak with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before introducing new herbal products.