TYLER TOLMAN BLOG
Essential Oils for Digestive Problems
Essential Oils for Digestive Problems
The digestive system is basically the engine for your body. It takes in foods, breaks them down, absorbs all the good stuff (nutrients, minerals, etc) and then distributes all the good parts to the rest of your body, getting rid of the waste, to keep it functioning at optimals levels.
So like the engine of a car, if it’s not functioning properly, your car is not going to work efficiently and over time, something is going to eventually break. And then another thing will break, and another. Fixing the individual issues won’t fix the main problem, and eventually the car will no longer function. And, of course, it’s important that you are putting the right things in.
And if you aren’t putting the right products into your car, or putting the right foods into your body, you are going to know about it sooner or later.
Your Digestive System
The journey your food takes through the digestive system starts right at the top of your body, your mouth, working it’s way down through the esophagus to your stomach, intestines, all the way down to the bottom of your body…in a nutshell.
It’s very common to experience digestive problems, from constipation, IBS to more serious concerns such as cancer. As you may know, all disease starts in your gut, as a result of poor nutritional intake, fatigue and impaired immune function. So it’s very important to be on top of your digestive health to ensure these issues don’t lead to bigger issues.
Essential Oils for Your Digestive Health
I talk a lot about whole foods, juicing and cleansing to help to improve and maintain a healthy digestive system. But there are a lot of essential oils that can also be a great tool to supporting your ‘engine’.
Ginger Essential Oil
As I’ve talked about in another blog, ginger is a powerhouse full of health benefits. It’s anti-inflammatory component can assist with any inflammation in the gut, causing constipation, fatigue, acne…the list is endless. Ginger also helps to manage blood sugar levels to support the stomach and speed up the digestion process to help empty the stomach.
Ginger Essential oil can help with a number of digestive issues, such as nausea, gas, diarrhea, motion sickness…to name a few.
Spearmint Essential Oil
Spearmint contains a compound called carvone, naturally found in spearmint, that has been shown to strongly inhibit muscle contractions in the digestive tract, helping to relieve digestive upsets. These upsets include IBS (reducing discomfort), nausea, vomiting, and bloating.
Cumin Essential Oil
Cumin is a warm, nutty spice, most commonly used in Indian dishes. But its most common traditional use was for indigestion. Cumin has been known for increasing digestive enzyme activity, speeding up the digestion process. It can also increase the release of bile from the liver, which helps the digestion of fats and certain nutrients in the gut.
Cumin essential oil can also help with digestive discomfort, nausea, bloating, and constipation.
Fun Fact: In ancient Egyptian civilization, cumin was used as a spice and as a preservative in the mummification process.
Using Essential Oils to Relieve Digestion Issues
The most effective way to benefit from using the above oils to assist and support your digestive system is to apply 1-3 drops into a carrier oil (coconut or jojoba) to your abdomen and massage onto stomach in a clockwise direction (natural direction of digestion).
But that’s not to say you can’t put some drops into a diffuser to then also benefit from the lovely aroma that these oils produce, or even add to your food.
So if you are experiencing digestive issues, you are not alone, and in a way this a good thing. It means that because it is so common, there is a lot of research, knowledge and tools out there to help get it back on track.
The important takeaway is to make sure you are listening to your body (gut) so you do something about it before it becomes a bigger problem somewhere else in your body.
Thanks for reading!
