Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Yes, you can combine as you wish

and mix a dry blend of all the herbs you mentioned, then brew 1-2 tablespoons at a time to make a strong cup of tea. The stronger the better. Teas work best for quick relief, when you need help NOW.

Using the oils extracted from those herbs, in the form of peppermint, fennel, ginger oil capsules, will be better for a preventative. Oil capsules are stronger than teas, but you must take them on an empty stomach, and they have to reach your small intestines before they dissolve. So they work best taken in advance of symptoms (like before a meal, or last thing at night if you have problems in the morning).

Ginger will help as a tea, added grated raw to foods, or grated and then cooked into foods. Powdered ginger is likely not strong enough to have any benefits.

Brew the herbs for tea in a big loose tea strainer - bigger the better, as you want to use a generous amount of dried herbs.

Also, feel free to add other herbs/spices to get the flavor you want - just about all herbs and spices are digestive aids, so it's hard to go wrong here. Start with the foundation of herbs best for IBS symptoms, then add whatever else you want to suit your tastes (cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, etc. will make it taste like chai).

XOXO
Heather

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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