Over the past 8 weeks, my husband has been very ill with a combination of gastritis, a hernia, and diverticulosis throughout the colon. It is very scary when a loved one is ill, especially when I did not know how to help him. We went from doctor to hospital to surgeon, as they tried to find out what the causes of his symptoms were. He had stopped eating, was coughing badly and heaving until he was sick. He lost weight dramatically and with that, all his energy. He could hardly walk or think for himself and needed a lot of help.

We could not help with herbs as we did not know what was wrong. Well, a colonoscopy, gastroscopy, chest x-ray, and abdominal ultrasound later, we found out that his digestive tract was very unhappy. He needed penicillin, anti-fungal tablets, and omeprozole. He is still very weak and is having to learn an entire new way of eating and exercising. He is also depressed.

Now that he is on the road to recovery though, there are some herbs that can be of benefit. He is very willing to drink them, and most of them are gentle yet effective. (The first 3 is from information taken from the following website: http://diet.ygoy.com/2011/06/17/what-are-the-best-herbal-teas-for-gastritis/)

Chamomile Tea: It is well known for treating stomach aches as it is soothing to the stomach in different ways. Chamomile contains chamazulene content which is an anti-inflammatory agent. This agent helps to provide relief when you are suffering from any unknown food allergy reaction. A study that was published in the October issue of Planta Medica in 1994 explained how chamazulene prevented the release of free radicals present in food allergy reactions. Chamomile is known to prevent gastrointestinal inflammations. It is a mild type of sedative, and therefore, it relieves stress which is a common cause of stomach pain. You must steep the chamomile tea bags in hot water and avoid dipping them in boiling water as boiled water destroys the active compounds.

Peppermint Tea: It is well known for relieving irritable bowel syndrome, gastrointestinal cramps, non-ulcerative stomach pains as well as stomach pains related to gallbladder disorders. According to experts, peppermint is a common stomach ache remedy in the world. You can use either peppermint leaves or purchase peppermint tea bags for the preparation of peppermint tea. Steep 1 tablespoon of the tea powder in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes then drink as required.

Lavender Tea: It is well known for encouraging the secretion of bile and therefore, it helps in relieving stomach pains due to gallbladder disorders that prevent the fat digestion. Lavender is an effective yet a mild sedative that helps in the treatment of low-level anxiety. You can prepare lavender tea by steeping 1 teaspoon of chopped lavender in 2/3 cup of hot water for 10 minutes.

Valerian: When he becomes anxious, 20 drops of valerian tincture in a little water help to calm him down.

Sleep eezee herbal tea: He is having great difficulty sleeping which does not help the situation at all. As we all know, proper rest is one of the greatest healers. When this is absent, one becomes anxious, angry, even irrational. This herbal tea is helping a lot as he is now sleeping for at least 4 hours at a stretch, as opposed to less than 2.