Tea Time

IBS and tea is a topic I have yet to cover on this blog.  It isn't a treatment many doctors will discuss with you, so I happened upon tea quite by accident.  To read more you may want to check out some other bloggers, most notably Dr. Barbara Bolen of About.com.

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a tea or coffee drinker in any normal sense of the word. Most gastroenterologists advise against caffeine and I stick to this by sheer accident because I hate the taste and it gets me so revved up I can't function.  I'm a water girl 99.99 % of the time.  In recent years I have taken to experimenting with herbal teas as a digestive aid and have had mild success.

What do I use herbal teas for?  If I feel bloated, gassy or like I need to use the washroom I may look to drink a tea. Sometimes a glass of hot water will help, but I tend to have more success with tea.  My faves are as follows:

1. Mint:  This can be a little controversial, especially for those of you who have GERD (I do!).  If you have GERD then it can exacerbate your symptoms, but I have learned how much I can handle without causing problems.  I tend to buy organic mint or spearmint tea - it has no added caffeine or green tea.  My preference is David's Tea, but I also like the Refresh Tea at Starbucks - but not at home as it is far too expensive!  I tend to buy 100g from David's Tea and it will last me several months.

2.  Detox tea: I have only just begun to explore this tea, also from David's, so am still getting used to it.  The flavour is a little overwhelming, but it does appear to help with digestion.

3.  Pu'erh tea: These teas have a long history in China of helping with weight and digestion.  I'm still acquiring a taste for this; I'm having trouble getting on-board with the flavour; however, know that it works really well.  My favourite way to drink it is with some mint tea thrown in their to mask the flavour.

You can also make your own tea using freshly grated ginger, to find out more take a look at this article on IBS from Best Health.  For other home remedies that may help your IBS, take a look at this article on Discovery.

Do you use any herbal remedies to help manage your IBS or to aid in digestion?