Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
Digestion is a fascinating topic. Healthy digestion is essential for optimal wellness; without it we don’t absorb the nutrients from our food; we end up de-energised, under-the-weather and at worst, develop chronic illness as the digestive systems fails to delivery what is necessary to repair, maintain and uphold our day to day health. Most people seem to need a little assistance with digestion at some point or other… be it sluggishness from over-eating, eating too much of the ‘wrong’ thing, or increasing sensitivity to various foods, regularly consuming helpful digestive herbs in your daily cuisine or teas can be really supportive.
This recipe is for a digestion-supporting tea, using one of my favourite home made blends. You can find these dried or fresh herbs in good health food stores or a traditional herbal apothecary. Better still, if you can, then grow your own. There are so many different combinations. If you dive in and explore, you may well develop a passion for it and find a unique blend that works just for you.
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The herbs I am using in this blend and their health benefits:
Fennel seeds can provide quick, effective relief from digestive disorders. Flatulence, bloating, indigestion and many other digestive tract issues have all been shown to respond well to fennel seeds. In India, it is apparently common place to chew fennel seeds to help digestion after meal because they are known to treat gas by expelling gases quickly from the stomach.
Fennel seeds contain volatile oil compounds like anethole, fenchone, limonene, anisic and cineole which have been found to offer good digestive, carminative (a carminative is something that promotes the elimination of excessive gas from the digestive system whilst soothing the intestinal tract) and anti-flatulent support. Not only do the oils from fennel seed assist in the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract, they also contain anti-acidic properties.
Ginger is an all round digestive super-star and truly deserves a place in any healthy tea recipe. It has been used for medicinal and culinary purposes in countries like India and China for thousands of years. It’s truly tried and tested. Whilst adding a subtle vibrant zing to this tea, studies (both in the scientific community and the home kitchen) have proven it’s ability to support the digestive system.
Indigestion also responds very well to ginger and it is well regarded as a helpful carminative. This warming spice also helps stimulate saliva, bile and gastric juice, which all act as an essential part of the digestive process. It is commonly thought that phenolic compounds, primarily gingerol and shagaol (amongst volatile oils), are related to ginger’s ability to encourage healthy digestion.
Lemon Verbena has an excellent reputation for soothing the digestive system and alleviating digestive track spasms. It has a delicious lemony tang, making it a great addition for a digestive supporting tea.
Fennel ‘digestion aid’ tea recipe with ginger and lemon verbena
Prep time – 2 mins
Cook time – 10 mins
Total time – 12 mins
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 2 heaped teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried lemon verbena
- 500ml water
Instructions
- It is essential to crush the fennel seeds to release their volatile oils. Crush by using a pestle and mortar or the back of a large chefs knife.
- Grate a teaspoon of fresh ginger (without the skin).
- Boil 500ml of water in a saucepan along with the crushed fennel seeds, grated ginger and dried lemon verbena.
- Once it has started to bubble then allow to simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately by pouring through a tea strainer. Alternatively turn off the heat and leave in the sauce pan to enjoy when you are ready.
Article Resources
http://www.doctoroz.com/article/health-benefits-ginger
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3016669
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger
More articles by Trinity Bourne:
- 10 Reasons Why We all Should be Eating Ginger – Recipes Included
- Top Tips for Making Deliciously Healthy Salads
- No-Bake Carrot Cake Recipe (Gluten Free & Vegan)
- The Health Benefits of Beetroot – Recipes Included
- The Importance of Eating Seeds for a Healthy Diet – Tips, Benefits & Recipes
- Global Animal Industries – the Ghosts in Our Machine
- Foraging Guide – with 12 Nutritious Wild Plants That Anyone Can Find
- Keeping Slugs & Snails Off Your Veggies – Compassionately
- Chocolate Paradise Coconut Bar Recipe – Vegan, Raw, Absolutely Delicious!
- The Superfood Health Benefits of Celery (with Recipes!)
About the author:
Trinity is an experienced, empathic energy worker and the author of ‘Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen’, a recipe book designed to inspire the soul through conscious vegan, wheat-free cuisine.
Around 18 years ago, during a profound spiritual awakening, the world around her shattered. She became engulfed in a white, universal, timeless, formless light until nothing else existed – other than the nameless truth at the core of all sentient beings. During this life-changing experience Trinity experienced the soul of all other sentient beings, trees, creatures, people as one pulsating energy. Transcending her into a higher realm of unity and oneness, this experience imparted a divine energy that she has been sharing through spiritual work ever since.
Understanding that the energy of our food directly impacts sentient life on all levels, Trinity founded Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen, a website devoted to inspiring the soul through conscious vegan cuisine. She is the co-founder of the Openhand Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the evolution of humankind. She works as the divine complement to her soul mate Open to help facilitate the global ascension process and feels incredibly blessed to be of divine service.
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