Have you ever tried using herbal remedies for your IBS and anxiety? In my experience, herbs are great for addressing digestive and stress-related symptoms in a gentle way. If you’re like me and don’t love taking medication, herbs can be an amazing and more natural alternative that doesn’t require a prescription from the doctor.
Below, I will share all the different herbs I personally use for my IBS, anxiety and related symptoms.
Disclaimer: I am not an herbalist and am only sharing what I have discovered for myself, so please remember to do your own research and always start with small doses of a new herb to avoid potential unwanted side effects.
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Liver Support Herbal Blend
The Nature’s Answer Liver Support Herbal Blend helps me so much whenever I have trouble digesting my food. It significantly reduces symptoms of low stomach acid, resulting in bloating, heartburn and general discomfort in my upper digestive tract. It works just like a digestive bitter for me and is great when I’m eating lots of bland foods during flares or stressful times.
In addition to that, I love that it supports my liver when I’m taking paracetamol for headaches, which is inevitable sometimes.
You can find the Nature’s Answer Liver Support Herbal Blend here.
California poppy
Speaking of headaches: I have found that California poppy helps with tension headaches as well as those that start above one eye, which I usually get when I’m very stressed and anxious. California poppy is also generally great for anxiety and helps me sleep better.
Of course, California poppy is nowhere near as strong as pain medication. But it still works, and sometimes it’s enough to get rid of a mild headache altogether.
You can find the California poppy tincture I use here.
Marshmallow root
Marshmallow root is supposed to soothe and heal the digestive tract, and I feel like it does exactly that. I love taking it after IBS flares, or after stomach bugs. The tincture seems to coat my intestines from the inside to calm down inflammation, thus reducing uncomfortable symptoms of IBS.
You can find the Marshmallow root tincture I use here.
Throat coat tea
Another calming alternative to marshmallow root is throat coat tea. This tea not only soothes the throat, but also the digestive system. It’s amazing to drink after flares, but I love the taste so much that I drink it every single morning. The ingredients give it a cosy, Christmas-y taste that works so well in the winter months.
My favourite throat coat teas are from Traditional Medicinals (available here) or Yogi Tea (available here), which is a little less expensive.
Lemon balm
If you have anxiety and suffer from anxiety-induced IBS flares, lemon balm can be a great herb to try. For me, it helps mitigate the effects of stress on the gut and generally calms down my nervous system. During stressful times, I take lemon balm tincture several times a day, but I also love the tea form for added warmth and comfort. Both make my gut feel much more comfortable and less irritated overall.
You can find the Lemon balm tincture I use here, and the Lemon balm tea I use is available here.
Calendula
Calendula can be used on the skin, but also works wonders internally. I have found that it’s great for reducing inflammation and discomfort in my gut. It’s my favourite tincture to take when my IBS-D is flaring and seems unable to calm down, even when the acute IBS flare is over. Calendula tincture helps me so much with lingering discomfort and sensitivity in my digestive system.
You can find the Calendula tincture I use here.
Yarrow
Yarrow can be used for so many things. It’s said to have antibacterial and antiviral properties, so it can help with various infections. I love taking it after stomach bugs, especially those that tend to linger for a while.
In addition, its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties make it great for calming down the digestive system during or after IBS flares.
Yarrow is also a bitter herb and can be used instead of a digestive bitter before meals, similar to the Liver Support Herbal Blend I mentioned before.
I personally use dried yarrow (available here) to make infusions, but they taste so bad that I believe a tincture (available here) might be a better option. I haven’t personally tried the tincture, but I have lots of tinctures from the same brand at home.