Peppermint and the Digestive System

            Peppermint Mentha piperita (L.) has a special affinity for the digestive system. This herb has been used in many things for years to help with stomach upsets and even nausea. I personally have drank this tea many times when I feel unwell to soothe my stomach and make the nausea go away.

            Peppermint is a soother for the digestive system. It is helpful for lack of appetite, diarrhea, flatulence, IBS, nausea, and vomiting (Petersen, 2020, p. 35). Many studies have reported a decrease in abdominal pain, distention, flatulence, and bowel movements in people with IBS. This is a safe herb to use as a natural remedy for issues with the digestive system.

            I found a research report about peppermint being used for irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. “The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, functional gastrointestinal syndrome characterized by relapsing abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. As a common digestive tract disorder, IBS affects an estimated 5–15% of Western populations (Alammar, 2019).” This study took in other studies and comprised them into one research paper. Twelve random trials with 835 patients were chosen. The results showed that peppermint was a safe and effective treatment for IBS.

            You should try to experiment with this if you have been dealing stomach issues. This is a great tasting herb that helps me a lot with nausea and stomach pain. I have included this in my Stomach Aid Tea along with other herbs to help soothe and calm stomach irritation. Drinking or eating things with peppermint is a smart choice as it is a natural remedy instead of a pharmaceutical solution. It is important to treat our bodies naturally first as to avoid any adverse effects from medications.

-       I am Gabby Stout, founder of Soul of the Lotus LLC. I have a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health Sciences with an Herbalism Specialization. Please feel free to email me with any questions or shop on my website to start enjoying holistic wellness products today!

References

Patton, K. T., & Thibodeau, G. A. (2019). Structure & function of the body - E-Book: Structure & function of the body - E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Petersen, D., BS, Dip. NT, Dip. Acu, RH. (2020). NAT 212 Anatomy and Phisiology III (19th ed.). American College of Healthcare Sciences.

Alammar, N., Wang, L., Saberi, B., Nanavati, J., Holtmann, G., Shinohara, R. T., & Mullin, G. E. (2019). The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 19(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0