Did you know that 74% of Americans have digestive disorders? These range from excess gas, pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or some mix of all. The reasons why are varied but most come down to stress, lifestyle and food choices. The majority of patients actually don’t even report it to their doctors because they think its “normal”. Next to sports injury, digestive disorders are the most common complaint I treat in my San Diego acupuncture practice.
Chinese medicine has always considered gut health to be linked with overall body health. In fact, health stats in the gut. Modern medicine has proven that the gut is literally the “second brain” of the body. Called the enteric nervous system, the gut is composed of over 100 million nerve cells that line the tracks. And this is all linked directly to the brain!
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses a host of modalities to treat gut issues. Below are some of the major herbs used within formulas to treat a host of problems:
Dandelion – Pu Gong Ying
Usually used for diuretic properties, it can also be used to treat digestive issues. It works by promoting healthy gut motility (peristalsis) and actually restores potassium instead of robbing it from the body- a common problem with pharmaceutical diuretics.
Hawthorn Berry – Shan Zha
Think food coma. This awesome herb is used to keep food moving through the digestive tract after large meals or for constipation. It is great for foods that hare hard for many patients to digest such as fats and meats.
Orange Peel – Chen Pi
Killer herb for nausea, vomiting, belching and bloating. Its bitter nature is also effective in treating loose stools.
Ginger – Sheng Jiang
Many people already know of ginger as digestive herb. Its actually a warming spice that benefits the circulatory system. A natural go-to for heartburn and nausea, it also helps to treat gas in the GI tract.
Peppermint
Not traditionally used in TCM, its still one of the best herbs available for digestive issues. It can be used for stomach ache, indigestion, diarrhea and heartburn. Its also helpful in treating IBS.
Herbs are medicine and should be prescribed by a licensed herbalist- which I am! Chinese herbal medicine is a large part of my Banker’s Hill acupuncture practice. Feel free to reach out or go ahead and schedule an herbal consultation on my website by clicking the “Book Now” button.