Digestion is Key to Health
when digestion is good, food moves with ease through the intestines. Nutrients from the intestine enter the blood stream to nourish the body as a whole. Waste is eliminated on a regular basis. Mind and body feel balanced. Digestive upset impacts the whole body . There are many ways for you to support your own digestion though good habits and food choices. When the system goes awry it will send you clear signals of distress! That is when Chinese herbal medicine can put things right. Take care of your digestion and your digestive system will take care of the whole of you.
Five Steps to Healthier Eating
Eat a moderate amount of food
Give your digestion every opportunity to work for you. Cupping your hands together creates a shape approximately the size of your stomach. After chewing a meal should only be about 80% of this size.
Chew your food well
The mechanism of chewing begins the breakdown of food into a useful form. It is further refined by enzymes in saliva turning chewed food into liquid. A well-chewed meal is the best possible send-off for the journey through the digestive tract.
Relax when you eat
Try not to talk about upsetting topics at meals. Relaxing will help engage the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) or “Rest and Digest” mode. The PNS increases digestive enzymes and peristalsis, the natural movement of the stomach. This way your meal won’t get stuck as an indigestible lump in your stomach which can be the start of a variety of upsets.
Step away from the ice water
Traditional Chinese Medicine says cold food and drinks damage the stomach qi. This can be the cause of poor digestion and pain. The Stomach likes to be warm for optimal function.
Use salt
Your body needs it and it improves all tastes. It is necessary for the breakdown and absorption of food. There is no correlation between salt intake and high blood pressure or premature heart disease.(1) (2) (3)
Herbs at Home
Nothing is better than feeling better after a digestive upset. Be prepared by stocking some herbal allies in your medicine cabinet. Your family will thank you. Three formulas to have on hand and to bring on travel are Curing Pills, Quiet Digestion, and Huang Lian.
Curing Pills
A popular home herbal remedy in China, Curing Pills are here to help your indigestion. In the bottle, you will find tiny pills. You may wonder why so many tiny pills? They are easier to swallow and dissolve quickly. Many small pills increase the surface area and intestinal exposure to medicine. The herbs in Curing Pills ease a range of digestive conditions. These include upset stomach, motion sickness, bloating, nausea, gas, vomiting, and diarrhea. Hangover care is one of the traditional uses of Curing Pills. Three of the herbs, Ju Hua, Ge Gen, and Tian Hua Fen help absorb alcohol and ease thirst. If boats are your nemesis because of motion sickness, Curing Pills want to help. Take a serving size 30 minutes to an hour before embarking and enjoy the ride.
Usage
Open up the capsule and take the tiny pills with warm or room temperature water. Serving size is 2-3 capsules, three times a day.
Use with caution during pregnancy. Due to the Qi-regulating aspects of this formula caution is advised during late stages of pregnancy. Curing Pills are very useful and appropriate for morning sickness in early stages of pregnancy. Use with caution in Yin deficiency/dryness.
Quiet Digestion
Based on centuries-old Bao He Wan or “Preserve Harmony Pill”, Quiet Digestion is a modern formula. Quiet Digestion is different from Curing Pills in that its usage is broader and it is a large size tablet. Quiet Digestion covers the basic digestive complaints. These are bloating, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Quiet Digestion is also useful for a hangover, food poisoning, hiccups, poor appetite, erratic stools, motion sickness, and morning sickness. Taking Quiet Digestion for two weeks can help fine-tune the digestion. This results in improved absorption of herbal formulas and food nutrients.
Usage
Serving size: 2 tablets between meals; or 1 to 2 tablets before and/or after meals to help food absorb. In acute conditions take every two hours. If constipation results, reduce the serving size.
Both Curing Pills and Quiet Digestion are warm formulas. If symptoms present as hot, it’s time to call in a cooling herb. Hot symptoms are more extreme and include fever, feeling warm, and diarrhea like a jet.
Huang Lian
As a single herb Huang Lian (Coptis Rhizome) is effective in cases of dysentery and food poisoning. This herb cools and dries damp heat in the large intestine. In plain English, diarrhea like a jet of foul-smelling, urgent liquid, possibly with blood and mucus. Huang Lian contains berberine which has a broad anti-microbial impact. It is more effective than sulfa drugs for many of the bacteria that cause dysentery (4). Some of the bacteria it inhibits are Salmonella typhi, E. coli, Bacillus dysenteriae, and Staphylococcus aureus. As if this were not enough, it is effective against many pathogenic fungi, influenza and hepatitis viruses (5).
Usage
Begin taking at the appearance of heat symptoms. Huang Lian can be taken proactively if you suspect you have eaten something contaminated. This is a very bitter herb if you have difficulty with the taste choose capsules over packets:
Adult serving size: 2 to 3 tablets, 3 times a day with warm water.
Children serving size: 1/2 tablet, 3 times a day with warm water.
Serving size: 1 gm packets 3 x day.
As a tea, Huang Lian can be used topically. Apply to tongue and mouth to clear ulcers and anus to help resolve fissures. It may also be used topically on boils and abscesses.
Caution: Huang Lian is a cold herb. Prolonged use or excessive dosage may cause epigastric pain or gastric upset. Monitor and adjust the dose if necessary.
It is impossible to take herbs once vomiting has commenced. This usually stops once the stomach is empty. Vomiting is a very effective way for the body to rid itself of toxins from contaminated food. If vomiting evolves into dry heaves which seem to have no end, try sucking on ice chips. By numbing the vagus nerve ice * can break the cycle of dry heaves. When fluid can be kept down use Pill Curing or Quiet Digestion for a swift recovery. Either formula will resolve the upset and reinvigorate the appetite.
If you have questions or special considerations, work with your practitioner. If symptoms worsen or you have concerns, contact a knowledgeable practitioner. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
* No ice is not a rule, it’s a guideline. Chinese medicine considers the individual, the conditions and the environment. For example A person with a warm constitution living in a hot climate will better be able to tolerate cold foods and drinks.
References
1 Salt for HCL – “Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems”, Dr. Lauralee Sherwood, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning; 7 edition (2010)
2 Salt for absorption – “Anatomy and Physiology”, Gary A. Thibodeau, Kevin T. Patton, Mosby Elsevier; 6 edition (2007)
3 Salt – “Salt and our Health – Exposing Mainstream Myths”, Morton Satin, PhD, Vice President, Science and Research, The Salt Institute, Article published March 2012
4 Huang Lian – “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica”, Bensky/Gamble, Eastland Press; Revised edition, January 1993
5 Huang Lian – “Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology”, John K. Chen and Tina T. Chen, Chapter Two , Art of Medicine Press, January 2004
A licensed acupuncturist since 1999, Diana lives and works in Santa Cruz, California. Her practice focuses on pain management, stress reduction, and creating health. A longtime friend of plants, she loves the herbal side of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Diana shares her herbal interests through writing and a card game she designed and illustrated: Herb Apocalypse*. Volunteer work includes The Rabbit Haven, a rabbit rescue, and Livity Rising, free community healing clinics. Author of Herb Apothecary: The Coloring Book: 54 Chinese Herbs available on Amazon.
