You may remember the antacid commercial about the gentleman who couldn’t believe he “ate the whole thing.” You can be sure that Native Americans had similar moments. Because their food supplies could be uncertain, they sometimes went a little overboard during times of plenty.
How did they spell relief? With herbs that helped the digestive system work a little more efficiently, and also with remedies that simply helped them feel a little better.
One remedy, which may sound bizarre, was to mix the earth from beneath a campfire with water, boil it, strain it, add a touch of salt, and down the hatch it went. No one’s been willing to personally test it, but researchers suggest this “cure” actually may have been effective because the charcoal-infused ashes could have neutralized excess acid in the stomach.
A more palatable remedy for discomfort caused by over-eating is to drink a tea made from goldenseal, ginger, or wormwood, according to herbalist David Hoffmann. Each of these herbs can neutralize stomach acid and also stimulate muscular contractions in the intestines, which makes digestion work more efficiently.
Because overeating often causes belching or flatulence, you may want to take a tea containing peppermint or fennel, both of which help reduce the buildup of gas in the digestive tract.
Finally, because emotional stress is a common cause of indigestion, you may want to take a tea that’s mildly sedating, such as hops, valerian, chamomile, lavender, or rosemary, Hoffmann says.
This indigestion remedies article is taken from :
Healing Secrets of the Native Americans - Porter Shimer
