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IBS Supplements > Herbs as Medicine > Fennel
Fennel ~ Exceptional for IBS Bloating and Gas
Fennel's documented use goes back to ancient China, and the plant is mentioned in virtually every European work on herbal medicines from ancient times to modern day. The mild licorice-flavored seeds are native to the Mediterranean, were known to the ancient Greeks, and were spread throughout Europe by Imperial Rome.
In the 1st century A.D. Pliny attributed 22 healing properties to fennel. According to Chaucer, the 14th century English poet, fennel was one of the nine holy herbs of the Anglo-Saxons.
The United States once listed fennel as an official drug to be used for digestive problems, and today the herb is still used daily as an after-dinner digestive aid from India to Italy to Spain.
High volatile oil fennel tea is exceptionally beneficial for bloating and gas, which tend to be the most difficult IBS symptoms to overcome.
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Fennel Tummy TEABAGS
45 jumbo bags |
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$11.66
(10% off $12.95 list price) |
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Fennel has anti-spasmodic properties and it stimulates the production of gastric juices. It's extremely useful for gastrointestinal and menstrual cramps, bowel irregularities (studies have shown that fennel regulates contractions of the small intestine), colic, heartburn, indigestion, and stomachaches.
The primary volatile oils in fennel are anethole, fenchone, and estragole. Anethole has a chemical structure similar to dopamine, a chemical that is naturally present in the body. Dopamine is known to have a relaxing effect on the intestine. Fennel also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, probably also as a result of the anethole, which has been shown to be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticarcinogenic.
Using fennel every day will actually help prevent bloating and gas in the first place, but if you're already suffering from these problems fennel will help relieve them.
Fennel is available as a dried, light greenish brown seed in spice shops or the bulk section of health food stores, and can be easily brewed into a delicious tea. Lightly crushing the seeds before brewing them with hot water will increase their strength. Whole fennel seeds can simply be chewed (a custom you may be familiar with if you've eaten in Indian restaurants), though they tend to get caught in my teeth so I prefer the teas.
Click here to learn more about herbs for IBS.
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