Want to add an easy to grow, sweet smelling, aromatheraputic plant to your garden? Grow peppermint!
Peppermint has long been used as a digestive aid. The ancient Egyptians used peppermint to soothe indigestion; modern herbalists recommend it for other stomach problems, too — like nausea, diarrhea, and even hiccups!
Now research is showing that adding peppermint to your diet can help ease the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome! Peppermint helps ease stomach spasms because it has a relaxing effect on digestive tract muscles. The drawback is that you may see an increase in acid reflux or heartburn, because the peppermint has relaxed the muscles that would otherwise protect you from the reflux. Peppermint also can increase bile flow, so if you have gallbladder problems, peppermint may not be a good choice for you.
Peppermint oil is available as a specially-coated capsule that helps prevent heartburn by dissolving in the intestines instead of in the stomach. Two different studies (one in Germany and one in Taiwan) found that more than half of all IBS sufferers who tried peppermint oil supplements experienced less abdominal pain, gas, and bloating.
You may not need to go for the peppermint oil capsules if you only have occasional indigestion or other stomach problems. A cup of peppermint tea can be just as helpful! If you grow your own peppermint, just hang the leaves up to dry, and then steep the dried leaves in boiling water for three to five minutes.
And if all else fails, there’s always a peppermint tummy rub! Add a drop of peppermint essential oil to your favorite lotion or massage oil and rub; though peppermint feels cool at first, it is a warming oil. You may see it as an ingredient in rubs for athletes and arthritis sufferers. Be sparing with the peppermint oil; using too much can mean the difference between pleasantly warm and an uncomfortable burning feeling.