Meadowsweet
Meadowsweet is an herb with some truly amazing but not very well known benefits. It’s valued as a powerful anti-inflammatory with an emphasis on its ability to soothe stomach conditions such as heartburn, burning in the digestive tract, ulcers, and acid indigestion. One very interesting benefit of Meadowsweet is studies show its ability to inhibit the growth of H. pylori which is a type of bacteria.
What is H.pylori?
- pylori is a type of bacteria that lives in the digestive tract and the bowels. It is thought to affect 3/4 of the population. It can live inside the body for years without the person with this condition even knowing they have it. The stomach has a layer of mucus that is designed to protect it from stomach acid. H. pylori attack this mucus lining and leave a part of the stomach exposed to acid. Once it erodes the mucous lining, it leaves the stomach exposed directly to stomach acid. Then the combination of, the bacteria and the stomach acid leads to irritation of the stomach lining. This can eventually cause ulcers.
Ulcer symptoms
This includes a dull or burning pain in the stomach, especially when the stomach is empty. An antacid might temporarily ease the pain, but the pain will eventually come back. Another symptom of eroding of the stomach lining is gastritis.
Gastritis symptoms
This is caused by inflammation of the stomach lining. Symptoms can vary but include severe pain in the upper belly region, a gnawing burning feeling in the stomach, and a regular nauseated feeling or even vomiting.
Dangers of Overuse of Pain Relievers
The other culprit of irritating and eroding the mucous lining of the stomach is the overuse of pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen or otherwise known as NSAIDS. The way that NSAIDS work is by prohibiting the body’s production of Prostaglandins.
Prostaglandins
These are chemicals produced by the body naturally that send a signal to produce inflammation. This type of inflammation can cause pain and fevers. The problem is that NSAIDS block the production of all Prostaglandins. Even though Prostaglandins can cause pain and inflammation in the body, there are also other protective Prostaglandins that serve an important role in creating a buffer of the lining of the stomach. This protection of the lining of the stomach prevents the eroding effects that powerful stomach acids possess. Once this very delicate balance is disturbed, it can cause all kinds of very undesirable side effects that can start a major downward spiral including ulcers, gastritis, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and peptic ulcers. Not to mention damage to the liver and kidneys with prolonged use.
Meadowsweet Benefits:
Meadowsweet is known for the ability to coat and soothe the stomach lining and protect the mucous membranes. It is valued as a powerful anti-inflammatory with cooling and soothing properties especially for the digestive tract in general, for ulcers, headache, headache with nausea, acid indigestion, lowering acidity, and for inflammation or irritation of the urinary tract.
Meadowsweet is one of the main ingredients in our Hair of the Dog Formula. Although this formula was created for the relief of the effects of drinking alcohol, we have more customers use it for digestive issues than for hangovers. If any of the issues or symptoms described above are a problem for you, give Meadowsweet a try and see what it does for you.
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311636.php#symptoms-of-an-h-pylori-infection