Help for an ailing stomach

[Fiach]

Greetings all,

My husband tends to have pretty bad stomach/digestive problems from time to time. I was wondering if anyone has a nice herbal remedy or even some thing that gives relief. I usually make him a mint tea with a bit of honey and hope for the best. He says that helps temporarily usually. I would just like to try to help him the best that I can.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Aurora]

Hi Fiach,

Have you tried Ginger tea? as i've found it helpful when i have an upset stomach, but i don't know how much it would help with digestion.

[Fiach]

No I have not tried ginger. I'll have to pick some up and experiment. Thanks!

[skydove]

If its indigestion, as well as the ginger and peppermint suggested, chamomile and fennel teas can be soothing. Chamomile helps dispel wind and soothes the stomach, its good if you are going to bed with an upset stomach, you can mix it with peppermint as a tea or a tincture, but if you get heartburn ease up on peppermint as for some people it makes it worse.
Marshmallow soothes mucus membranes and so would help the stomach. Angelica is another one you could try and this is good when you get bloating or cramps. You can either go to a health food shop and get capsules/ tablets of these or if you have access to herbs PM me and I will go through making tinctures. Oh yes, if you are making food that you know you have trouble digesting try adding fennel seeds to your recipe. Eating fresh cut pineapple half an hour before food is a pleasant way to stimulate your digestion to make it more effective, I think it does something to help the enzymes break down food. He could also try the probiotic range of food available. They reduce the harmful bacteria in the gut which cause diarrhoea improve digestion and make b vitamins easier to absorb.

[katie bridgewater]

Hi Fiach
Do you know what causes this problem? I would do my best to discover what causes it and seek medical advice, rather than rely on herbal remedies, although of course it is also good to alleviate the symptoms. He could be intolerant or allergic to one of several things. The most likely IMO would be intolerance to wheat or gluten (not exactly the same), dairy, or yeast. You can ask your GP to test, or you could see a nutritionist and investigate elimination diets. Other possibilities are low level infection or an ulcer. It might even be stress that is causing these symptoms.

If it's an intolerance, then eliminating something which is causing indigestion now may have a far reaching health benefit in the future for your husband. If it's an illness, then it needs to be treated properly. In both cases, the strain on the immune system and digestive system, not to mention the stress caused by constant or regular pain and discomfort may eventually lead to more serious disease later in life if you do nothing.

I speak from experience as I myself was amazed to discover the difference in my digestive health (and my complexion!) when I eliminated gluten from my diet after my mum's undiagnosed gluten intolerance finally manifested at the age of 75.

[Fiach]

Hi Fiach
Do you know what causes this problem? I would do my best to discover what causes it and seek medical advice, rather than rely on herbal remedies, although of course it is also good to alleviate the symptoms.

He's a heavy guy and already under a doctors care. Most of the time the doctors are just like "you are overweight" and he's left to just fight through it. He has the over the counter stuff that sometimes can help but more times than not its not enough.

--------

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will surely try them next time he has an issue

[katie bridgewater]

Most of the time the doctors are just like "you are overweight" and he's left to just fight through it. He has the over the counter stuff that sometimes can help but more times than not its not enough.

Such a medical cop out that 'overweight' thing. Mum had the same thing for decades, with 'overweight' being blamed for things that eventually were diagnosed, including underactive thyroid. She's lost lots of weight without trying since she found out her body couldn't tolerate certain foodstuffs and cut them out. In my case, the doctor didn't mention my weight when, a couple of years ago, I went in with bad pain in my abdomen and right side, and to be fair, did send me for hospital tests to eliminate gallstones, gall bladder infection, ectopic pregnancy, liver disease, cancer, stomach ulcer, hernia, and a whole long list of scary things that can cause the same symptoms. But when they found absolutely nothing wrong with me, I was sent home with an official diagnosis of 'unexplained abdominal pain' and told to 'come back if you can't put up with the pain and we can maybe give you something for that'...funnily enough, I've been feeling fine since I cut out milk, gluten, heavily processed/sugary foods and caffeine from my diet. I do really miss beer, though!

It does sound quite possible that your husband's problems might be linked to his diet (though I only speak from experience and I am not a medical professional). I hope he will decide to try and find out if there's something his body doesn't process well and reclaim his health. There's loads of stuff on the net about candida, gluten intolerance and other food allergies, and lots of support organisations for people with them. Good luck and blessings on you both.

[shirley mclaren]

I agree with Katie. I think you need first to pinpoint exactly what the cause of the problem is. If it occurs from time to time, it might perhaps be food allergy. All the same, I think it best to research what actually is the cause of it, even visit the doctor if necessary, before taking herbal remedies. Whilst those mentioned - ginger and camomile are good, sometimes professional guidance is needed - at least then after you have that, if you think herbal remedies are sufficient, then you can go ahead safely.

BB

Shirley

[skydove]

Hi Fiach, Just wanted to apologise that I did not firstly say as the others had been doing that you should of course find out from your doctor the underlying cause of your husbands stomach and digestive problems to see what is causing the symptoms, I was just trying to give general herbal advice. I hope he has success visiting the doctor, I know how unenlightening these visits can sometimes be, when the person with the problem isn't listened to and that makes you feel you want to take action yourself to help him. Perhaps try going again, and if you are worried go in with him, sometimes being a little more insistent pays dividends and makes doctors take you a little more seriously, you could always ask for a second opinion.

[Nicholaas]

Bad doctors notwithstanding, seeking professional medical advice is a must. It could be anything from an allergy/intolerance to an inflammatory process (diverticulitis, IBS, etc). With any of these, you'd want to get it diagnosed before trying any alternative/soft remedies.

[Fiach]

Hello all,

My husband is under the care of a bariatric doctor and set for a slew of tests. Thanks for all of your replies. I do understand the need to be under a professional doctors care. I was just hoping for a little advice for soothing the pain with a tea or something. Even if the only actual comfort was mental for the time being.

As for the suggestions of the gluten allergy... I am going to bring this up to him today. That is very possible.

Thank you all again for your suggestions and replies. The are most helpful.



Fiach

[Zylah]

Hello, Fiach -

I'm a nursing student going for my R.N., so although I have no professional qualification yet, I am in this field of study and have been for well over a year full-time.

This forum does have listed right up there at the top under 'Forum Rules' the disclaimer that a medical professional should be consulted prior to any serious action being taken; so please do not feel bad about seeking an herbal remedy.I take it for granted that you read the rules at the top and are posting with that intent in mind, as any of us should be. I totally understand and agree with your desire to provide relief even if it is short-term, while you wait for results from the doctor(s) you have consulted.

The physiological rationale for temporary relief is very clear: the body as a whole organism suffers when it cannot rest well. This is one major reason for employing pain relievers in medicine at all - the importance of good rest cannot be overstated. Herbal remedies, provided they are safe for the individual, are often a non-toxic method of relieving the symptoms so that the body can obtain much-needed repose. The immune system in particular is damaged by long-term lack of relief from pain or discomfort, largely because of the rest factor but also because it can sometimes expend energy trying to relieve symptoms rather than source if the body perceives symptomology as more severe. (hope that makes sense )

That said, my first reaction was to suggest ginger added to the peppermint tea, as Aurora said; Skydove's post was also helpful and informative. My fiance and I both find relief from the ginger-peppermint combination when we have indigestion. My daughter has acute Crohn's disease, and it also relieves some of her symptoms.

Every blessing to you and your husband

[blodyn]

As for the suggestions of the gluten allergy... I am going to bring this up to him today. That is very possible.

Fiach,
I am curious as to how your husband is doing. After reading your posts, I hope that you can find the source of his discomfort! I know from experience how very frustrating it is. There was a time where I was terrified of all food! I didn't know WHAT was making me so miserable. Shortly after being diagnosed with Grave's Disease (autoimmune hyper thyroidism), I was told that I also had "Sprue." (Celiac Sprue = Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy = Non-Tropical Sprue = Celiac Disease).

If you'd like more information, or a place to start researching, Celiac Disease (autoimmune gluten intolerance, essentially - not an allergy), consider checking out the University of Maryland Celiac Center (http://www.celiaccenter.org) and the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center (http://www.celiacdisease.net). They are both excellent sources of information.

Good Luck.

[danneva]

I agree with Katie. I think you need first to pinpoint exactly what the cause of the problem is. If it occurs from time to time, it might perhaps be food allergy.
Shirley

Abdominal pain in general is defined as a nonspecific symptom that may be associated with a multitude of conditions. Some do not occur within the abdomen itself, but cause abdominal discomfort. The pain is not easily diagnosed and it often takes doctors awhile to figure out what’s causing the pain. This can be especially true when a food allergy is the cause of stomach pain. Stomach pain as a result of allergies, particularly food allergies, can come on unexpectedly. The enzymes and protein in the food cause the problem. There are different ways to cope with stomach pain brought on by food or drug allergies. Your doctor should determine the best method.

[Melasha]

Stomachs can be so annoying can't they. I used to have a horrible time with mine, especially with any type of acidic issues. While acid reducers did help they never seemed to clear up the problem for long. I had to start looking at my diet, cutting down on acidic foods, and also worked on reducing stress and improving general health. I love natural remedies best and also use ginger and peppermint a lot - they work really well. One thing I found that works better than tums type things a lot of the time for me- papaya. Either eating the fruit or the chewable enzyme tablets. They even taste pretty good too and they're quite reasonable. I'm never without them now

[Jaguar]

I do really miss beer, though!

You should try Old Grist Mill gluten free rice beer. It's pretty tasty.

[danneva]

Studies have shown that gluten allergy has become a common health problem among people of all ages. Though it is not a very serious disease, if left treated it can lead to severe and complicated consequences like cancer, bone disease, etc. the most common symptom of gluten allergy is fatigue. Hives skin allergy is another sign of gluten allergy. Gluten allergy also tends to cause stomach problems. If you are affected by this allergy, you may experience diarrhea, abdominal cramps, constipation, minor rectal bleeding, etc. it may also cause nausea and vomiting in some cases. These symptoms are commonly seen when an adult is affected.

Google

[Huathe]

In the past my dad has collected Yellowroot ( Goldenseal ) from the forest and made a tea from it to treat the pain from his diversticulitis, a condition of the lower intestinal tract. He has sought medical help in the past for the condition and has somewhat modified his diet because of it. He contends that the Yellowroot Tea helps the pain. But the taste is horrible. The herb is both an anti-inflammatory and an antibiotic.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5449618_yellow-root-tea.html

[danneva]

Yeah. I just remembered. I had some Chamomile tea in the cupboard for a while ago and it was labeled “gluten free”. I also had an unopened box that was not labeled “gluten free”. I went to the store today and found a couple different types that were labeled gluten-free. Checked on their Chamomile tea and sure enough it was not labeled gluten-free.

[helenoftheways]

Hello Fiach

Sorry to hear about your hub's digestive problems. You say he suffers from them 'from time to time'. Could it be that there are certain situations in his life that he 'cannot stomach' or 'cannot digest'? Try asking him what happened just before the probs manifest; get him thinking & talking about it! Then get him to see that nothing's worth making himself ill for!