Marshmallow - soothes your digestive tract

Herbs that soothe and calm your digestive tract, promoting better heatlh part 2 – marshmallow.

Herbs covered in this post:
Marshmallow

Herbs covered in future posts:
Comfrey Root
Slippery Elm

Marshmallow – the herb that gives the name to the confectionary is a member of the mallow family and it does like to grow in damp places (like marshes). It grows a long stem and has a velvety texture on its leaves – from the small hairs that cover it.

Benefits – It is used traditionally to treat a range of illnesses, a lot of them respiratory, such as asthma, bronchitis, the cold, sore throats and as a cough suppressant. It is also used for digestive inflammation, such as crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, and it is this ability to soothe and promote healing in the digestive system that makes it of particular interest to those who suffer from digestive complaints such as systemic candida. It has also been found that the inside of the leaves is a useful wound healer.

How it is taken – often it is the root that is used in medicinal preparations, although the leaves and the flowers can be as well. Making a tea either from dried root or leaves/flowers is one of the most effective ways to take marshmallow. If you can find a ready prepared marshmallow tea, that is great, remember to check the ingredients list and see if anything else has been added, most other herbs will be fine, but some may have side affects and contraindications with other medication you may be on. Also, obviously, you don’t want a tea with caffeine in it. If you decide to grow your own marshmallow that is great – remember it likes a damp spot, by the side of a lake, for example. You can then harvest the root off plants that are two years old or more and the flowers and leaves as they appear fresh each season. Once you have dug up the root, chop it into small pieces and leave it to dry. The leaves and flowers can be used fresh to make tea or put in salads. To make tea you need 1 tsp – 1 tbsp of dried chopped root, or 1 tbsp of fresh crushed leaves/flowers per cup of cold water.

Side affects – marshmallow does not seem to cause any side affects directly, although taking it with other medication can reduce the body’s absorption of medication – so it is a good idea to take it at a different time of the day or to consult your health care provider. If you do experience any side affects after taking it, then of course stop and talk to your health care provider.