Website visitor asks:

Are there any great herbal antacids available?

Hi,

My favorite herbal antacid is meadowsweet herb, and we include it in our Stomach Pills formula that addresses an array of digestive issues.

Meadowsweet herb is often misunderstood by practitioners tied to reductionist theories as it contains salicylic acid, the same compound as in aspirin. Actually, salicylic acid was originally isolated from plant compounds such as meadowsweet or willow bark and was then synthesised based on these natural sources.

Because meadowsweet does contain significant levels of a substance linked with causing stomach problems, some well-meaning, mis-informed  souls deduce that it must also cause stomach problems. Actually, meadowsweet has been used throughout history to treat ulcers and a host of other stomach problems. As it turns out, the salicylic acid is not broken down and made available until the herb enters the small intestine, so it will not cause the problems that the isolated synthesised aspirin does. This is one of the reasons I advocate whole herbs and why I rely on historical uses of herbs tested over hundreds, and sometimes thousands of years of practical application.

My only issue with using meadowsweet this way is that it often is only a temporary solution that does not address the true underlying imbalances that truly lead to acid reflux or GERD; mainly being Liver Qi Stagnation. Unless herbs that sooth the Liver energetic system are used, those suffering with chronic acid reflux are unlikely to experience prolonged relief.

Best of Health,

Catherine