In the last 10 years, terms like microbiome, microbiota, and dysbiosis have entered the mainstream. More people than ever have at least heard of the gut-brain connection. The information available about these concepts varies widely, so it can be daunting to know what the next step is after “Ok, I know my gut health impacts my overall health.” Now what?
In this article, we’ll look at gut health from a homeopathic perspective—how to use homeopathy to address acute digestive complaints, what remedies support the “second brain” when under stress, triad remedies for more stubborn symptoms, as well as a few other tips to consider for optimizing your digestive health.
Since gut health is multifaceted, it truly is an art to bring the gut into balance. A healthy balanced gut is essential to a healthy mind and body overall, so its importance really can’t be overstated.
Your Gut Affects Every Body System
The state of your gut’s health has far-reaching effects on the rest of the body. It’s our gatekeeper to the outside world and one of the main filters our body has to determine what is okay and what is not–food of course but also toxins, viruses and bacteria. We also must digest our life, the news we read or hear, and the information we consume. Our gut can be profoundly affected by perceived stress and emotional upset.
Studies indicate that Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), for example, may affect as much as 30% of the population. IBS symptoms can range from gas, constipation and/or diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. It’s a multifaceted condition that can be caused by a number of factors, stress among them.
Sometimes there is an imbalance in the GI tract, yet no specific gut symptoms. Non-gut related symptoms that are often related in some way to a gut imbalance include skin outbreaks, eczema, environmental allergies, brain fog/focus or memory challenges, insomnia, hormone imbalance, heart palpitations, and anxiety/depression to name a few. Even lung issues can be tied to an imbalance in the gut microbiome. Interestingly, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) regards the lung and colon as partner organs and I’ve seen evidence of this connection repeatedly throughout my career.
Acute Homeopathic Support for Digestive Distress
Over the years, I’ve been honored to help many clients optimize and balance gut function. Homeopathy is a wonderful tool I often use to help with acute or problematic symptoms along the way, while we’re working to bring more chronic issues under control.
Acute symptoms typically arise suddenly and are self-limiting. Most of us, no matter how fastidious we are with our diet, have at one time or another, experienced acute digestive symptoms such as food poisoning, nausea, or constipation. In fact, recent studies estimate that 2 out of 3 Americans experience digestive symptoms of some kind at least 2 to 3 times a month. Empower yourself by having a few tried and true homeopathic remedies at your fingertips for common digestive upsets. You never know when you might need something that can bring great relief and literally save the day.
Here are a few of the most used, go-to remedies to have on-hand for acute situations to speed healing and ease recovery.
Nux vomica is the first remedy to consider for any sort of acute digestive issue. The individual needing Nux vomica often feels irritable or angry. They tend to overwork or overindulge in food or alcohol. It’s a great remedy for stomach upset after eating a rich meal that seems to sit heavy in the stomach afterwards. Some common symptoms include:
- Diarrhea that alternates with constipation
- Constipation in children
- Constipation caused by overindulgence or overuse of laxatives
- Abdominal cramping or sharp pains in the abdomen, worse with food, especially cold food
- Infants with colic and seemingly angry emotions or outbursts
- Stomach pains that are worse with anger and tight clothing
- Stomach pains that are better with warm drinks and warm applications
Read more about the powerhouse remedy Nux Vomica here!
Arsenicum album is the first remedy to consider when you suspect food poisoning of any sort. The person needing Arsenicum feels fearful, restless and chilly—they need a heavy sweater or want to sit by the fire. In general, symptoms are marked with burning sensations (burning eyes, burning stomach, burning throat, etc.) that improve with warm drinks, a warm bath, and warm applications. Some common symptoms include:
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea that “burns” the skin
- Gastritis marked by extreme burning in the esophagus or stomach
- Terrible nausea with vomiting
Carbo veg is the first remedy to think of for indigestion with gas and burping, no matter what was eaten. A keynote of this remedy is “air hunger.” The person needing Carbo-veg will need fresh air or wants the fan turned on no matter what, even though they may feel a bit cold. Some of the common symptoms improved by Carbo veg include:
- Bloating, indigestion, burping that occurs about 30 minutes after eating
- The skin of the abdomen feels tight and stretched like a drum
Keynote symptoms include all manner of gut issues and symptoms. The person needing Lycopodium has a sensitive gut and tends to experience digestive symptoms often. They generally feel better in the open air. This is a great remedy for constipation, especially constipation that occurs while traveling. Other common symptoms improved by Lycopodium include:
- Pains that are right-sided
- Bloating with a distended abdomen that is relieved by burping or passing gas
- Loud rumbling in the abdomen
- Symptoms that are usually worse between 4pm and 8pm
China
China acts mainly on the liver and intestines. It is a remedy to consider when the person is weak and exhausted. Common symptoms improved by China include:
- Bloating that is not relieved with burping or passing gas
- Abdominal cramps that are better by bending double
- A good remedy to try if Carbo veg was tried but not helpful
- Supports recovery after abdominal surgery
This is the first remedy to consider when vomiting and nausea are the primary symptoms. Ipecac is especially helpful when there is constant nausea that is unrelieved by vomiting. Bouts of vomiting seem spasmodic and unrelenting.
GI Symptoms Associated with Stress & Emotional Upset
Worry, hurry, and unresolved conflict can also cause digestive upset. Not only do we digest the food on our plate, but we also digest life experiences and perceived stresses. The gut is often referred to as the second brain and is the home of the enteric nervous system—the peripheral, complex nerve network that lines our gastrointestinal tract. It’s no wonder that meals eaten when we’re in a rushed or stressed state can cause gut irritation, and if we often eat this way, can lead to chronic gut problems.
It’s important to slow down and chew your food. Your grandmother was right! Count how many times you chew your food before you swallow it—you might be surprised by the answer. Focus on slowing down, thoroughly chewing each bite a minimum of 25 times. You might find that with this practice alone, you end up eating less and feeling more satisfied.
Consider adopting a simple eating routine to help you relax and enjoy the experience. Here are a few ideas to consider: Take a few minutes to express gratitude or feel grateful for the food on your plate. Take 5-10 deep breaths before you begin eating. Light a candle or say a prayer. Having a simple way to slow down and relax can make a huge difference in your digestive function.
Homeopathy can also help! The following are a few remedies that support healing when digestive troubles are brought on by stress, hurry or worry:
Ignatia – This is a good remedy to consider when stomach upset and gut issues are associated with grief or loss.
Gelsemium – Consider this remedy when symptoms, especially diarrhea, occur from nervous anticipation, bad news or over-excitement.
Staphysagria – This remedy can be helpful for abdominal pain after anger, after being embarrassed or humiliated, or after surgery.
Colocynthis – Consider this remedy when digestive issues arise from suppressed or unexpressed anger, when the liver is swollen and tender, or when there is nausea with the slightest smell of food.
Natrum Muriaticum – Nat mur can be helpful when digestive issues arise from suppressed or “silent” grief, when a person is unable to weep or express sadness or anger and emotions instead get “digested” and stored in the intestines.
Triad Remedies
Sometimes one remedy is not enough. I have found great success throughout the15 years of my homeopathy practice using triad remedies, or a carefully chosen combination of 3 remedies. Using the formulas in a timely manner at the correct potencies can help progress get moving when other things have produced little or no results. If you’re interested in exploring triad remedies or a customized approach to your gut balance and health more generally, contact me for a free 30 minute discovery call to find out how homeopathy could help.
Simple Supplements for GI Symptoms
Of course, there are many other great tools to keep in your healthy gut toolkit. Here are the top supplements I recommend to my clients.
Activated Charcoal can be a life-saver when there is diarrhea, bloating, gas, food poisoning, and even cold or flu symptoms. Charcoal is a “binder” that absorbs toxins and escorts them safely out of the body. It can be helpful to lessen symptoms and ease recovery. It’s best taken on an empty stomach and should always be taken at least 1 to ½ hour before or after supplements or medications since it can draw them out of the body as well.
OxyPowder can be very helpful for stubborn constipation that is not being helped by magnesium citrate. Formulated by Dr. Edward Group of Global Healing Center in Houston, TX, it’s part of a GI cleanse protocol but can also be used alone for occasional constipation. OxyPowder is an ozonated magnesium combined with citric acid. Unlike laxative herbs like Senna that can cause gut inflammation and irritation, OxyPowder is gentle on the body and non-addictive.
L-Theanine and 5-HTP are two supplements that are useful to ease cramping or indigestion that occurs with stress and a nervous stomach. These may be especially good options if depression or anxiety are also part of the picture.
For overall gut health, I often recommend ION Intelligence of Nature, which also provides support to the immune system. Other times, for therapeutic reasons or depending on the individual’s unique health profile, a probiotic may be better indicated. One of my favorite probiotics is New Chapter’s All-Flora.
Please drop by any of Peoples’ locations for a customized recommendation based on your individual needs and history. Since gut issues can be so varied and personal, a one-on-one conversation could be very helpful and save you time and money!
Symptoms are the body’s only way to get our attention and tell us we need to make some changes. Over-the-counter homeopathic remedies are designed to address acute symptoms, but truly healing the gut on a deeper level is a journey worth taking and the impact that journey can have on the rest of the body can not be overestimated.
New to Homeopathy? Read my Introduction to Homeopathy here. Please reach out to me with questions or ideas for future gut-related articles or other homeopathy topics you would like to delve into and learn more about. I’d love to hear from you!
Jenna Blaze, DIHom, DSHP is a professional homeopath with 17 years of experience. She holds a diploma in homeopathy from the British Institute of Homeopathy, and an advanced degree in Sequential Homeopathy, a specialized style of homeopathy that supports detoxification and the healing of chronic health conditions. Jenna is also a certified Shamanic practitioner through Ancient Ways Shamanic Training and Healing. After her own drug-free recovery from Lyme disease, Jenna created Deep Healing Homeopathy, her unique style of homeopathy and healing to support healing of physical and emotional trauma. She specializes in pediatrics, Autism Spectrum (ASD), women’s health, immune system rebuilding, and healing of trauma-induced physical illness. She is passionate about empowering others to take charge of their health and achieve optimal wellness. To learn more about her practice, see her websites: www.jennablaze.com and www.livingspiritwisdom.com.
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