Did You Know…this popular herb can banish bloat, eradicate gas, and even heal irritable bowel syndrome?
In the United States, fennel was once a widely prescribed drug for treating digestive issues. But that was before drug companies’ focus on patents and profit pushed natural remedies to the wayside.
It’s time for a fennel revival, especially if you suffer from any sort of digestive ailment—cramps, heartburn, indigestion, stomachaches, bowel irregularities, bloating, gas—you name it!
Make IBS Symptoms Vanish with Volatile Oils
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects the colon. In the United States alone, IBS afflicts between 25 and 45 million people! If you or someone you know is plagued by IBS, then fennel might ease your suffering. Replete with volatile oils, fennel helps to prevent and relieve the symptoms of IBS (along with other gastrointestinal conditions) by first revving up the production of digestive enzyme secretions so that digestion kicks into gear. It also helps regulate contractions of the intestines, thereby alleviating cramps and trapped stomach gas.
Fennel contains the following volatile oils:
- Anethole
- Fenchone
- Estragole
Together, these volatile oils lend their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties to fennel. Better yet, these volatile oils render fennel anti-spasmodic, which means regular consumption of the herb helps to relax the muscle lining of the digestive tract.
How Do You Take Your Fennel?
The higher the volatile oils, the more effective fennel is for digestion. For this reason, you might want to consider getting your fennel dose via a high volatile fennel tea.
If you’re more of a do-it-yourselfer, you may purchase crushed fennel seeds from your spice store—or whole fennel seeds that can be crushed via mortar and pestle—and then brew as a tea.
Or, you can chew on a whole fennel seed. Daily ingestion of fennel can help prevent digestive issues from flaring up, but if you’re already suffering symptoms, fennel can help solve the problem.
When you add fennel to your daily diet, be on the lookout for the following health benefits (some positive side effects if ever there were any!): Detoxification—fennel is a mild diuretic and can help flush water and toxins from the body Pain relief—the anti-inflammatory properties of fennel help subdue joint pain Cold cure—fennel is a phlegm fighter, a sore throat soother, and a fever reducer Blood pressure regulator—fennel has been shown to help lower blood pressure Breath freshener—a quick fix for bad breath |
