Herbal Tea for Holiday Digestion 🍵 (or digestion anytime!)

With the holidays (and all of the festivities and gatherings that seem to go along with them) right around the corner, I am pondering how to best support the digestive systems of my loved ones, clients, and you, of course!

Last week, I shared an impactful story of one of my clients in which his abdominal pain and digestive system made him a frequent visitor to the emergency room. This gentleman’s story is very real and there are far too many individuals who share similar experiences, and yet these are likely (and thankfully) not the experiences that the majority of us don’t resonate with on a regular basis.

The experiences that most all of us can resonate with, especially around the holidays, involve: bloating, heartburn/acid reflux, gas/belching, constipation and/or diarrhea, stagnant digestion as if the food is just sitting there, and the list goes on.

Much of this discomfort stems from eating different foods, more/too much food, weird food combinations, etc. But we must also remember how difficult the holiday season can be emotionally. The food variances are enough to upset anyone’s digestive system but when we add in the emotional piece, it can only intensify it.

Challenging emotions around the holidays can show up in many ways, it may be that there’s some tense family/friend dynamics, it may be that this season stirs up grief and sadness, and/or it may be that the sheer added busyness of the season has taxed your nervous system and emotional capacity.

No matter the experience we each find ourselves in this holiday season, there are simple ways we can support our digestive systems and today I would like to share with you a gut heal tea blend.

(To give proper acknowledgement, the concept of gut heal tea blends and the thought process behind blending them is something I learned from Michigan herbalist, jim mcdonald.)

First to add into the blend are Plantain and/or Calendula. These two are incredible yet gentle healers (aka vulneraries) of the gut lining - the very part of our digestive system that will need some support when we consume those seasonal or nostalgic foods that we may have some sensitivity to.

Next, we will add in some aromatic and warming herbs. Consider: Ginger, Fennel, Cinnamon, Orange Peel, Cardamom, and/or Clove. These herbs are warming which is the very thing a full belly will appreciate because they help to keep things moving rather than stagnating. They will also help if there’s bloating and gas.

Finally, we add some Catnip, Chamomile, and/or Lemon Balm. These herbs support digestion, especially if there is bloating, gas, nausea, cramping, the like, but they are also relaxing and/or calming herbs, offering support for our nervous systems and emotions as well as our digestive systems.

That’s it! A simple blend of herbs to support digestion as well as our emotions and nervous systems. Blend from the heart, as I often do, or try equal parts of 1-2 herbs from each section to start and see how you like it.

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If you’re feeling like a little extra emotional support may be needed in this season, for any number of reasons, here are a few more herbs you may consider adding into your gut heal tea blend:

Motherwort and/or Yarrow to support your boundaries when around certain people that may try to push them a bit. Motherwort is a beautiful boundary supporter while Yarrow holds more of an “armor” sort of energy. A small amount of each of these herbs added into your blend may be all you need.

Hawthorne and/or Linden to bring some gentle tending to the heart. Holidays tend to come with both joy and grief for many of us; Hawthorne and Linden are two beautiful heart medicines that are gentle yet strengthening.

Might you allow yourself to play a little bit with the herbs you have in your cabinet?

Chances are, you don’t have all of the herbs listed above and that is more than ok, work with what you do have! See what combinations both taste good and feel good in your body.

The mere ritual of savoring a cup of tea that you enjoy will surely support your digestive system, nervous system, and emotions, regardless if it is the “perfect” blend.

Be well and I hope you savor many warm mugs of tea this season,

~ Kara