Herbs

Medicinal plants have a millennia-old tradition in medicine.

They can also help against various problems that cause a thick belly. With a combination of different medicinal plants you can support the slimming belly from several sides.

Medicinal plants against flatulence

Several popular and tasty medicinal herbs can help against flatulence.

They relax the digestive organs and facilitate the elimination of air in the abdomen.

If these herbs are ingested together with food, they can also prevent the development of flatulence. This is one reason why cabbage is traditionally cooked together with caraway.

Typical medicinal plants against flatulence are:

• fennel
• anise
• caraway
• ginger
• angelica
• peppermint
• yarrow

Medicinal plants against constipation

Traditionally, there are a lot of medicinal plants for constipation. However, many of these medicinal plants have a laxative effect due to a slight toxic effect. Because of this toxicity, the body tries to get rid of the intestinal contents as quickly as possible. Then you have effectively fought constipation, but at the same time you have poisoned yourself a little. This cannot be the aim and purpose of an application of medicinal plants.

Therefore, only mildly acting medicinal plants should be used against constipation and it is better to keep your fingers off the more powerful laxative herbs.

The following medicinal plants have a mild effect against constipation:

• elecampane
• apple
• marshmallow leaves
• figs
• fennel
• oats
• ginger
• caraway
• flax
• horseradish
• sweet pepper
• yarrow
• juniper berries

Note: Apples, figs, peppers, oats and horseradish are eaten to help against constipation. From flax the seed is used soaked in liquid.

The other medicinal plants listed can be used as herbal tea.

Medicinal plants against water retention

Water retention in the body can have various causes, such as kidney problems, cardiac insufficiency, hormonal disorders or salty food.

Most medicinal plants that act against such edemas only promote the excretion of water through the kidneys without treating the cause.

If you often have edemas without knowing their cause, you should therefore consult a doctor. If you know the cause of water retention, you can also treat it specifically.

The following are some typical medicinal plants that promote water excretion:

• field horsetail
• birch
• nettle
• goldenrod
• skinflint
• elder

Medicinal plants to balance hormones

An imbalance of the sex hormones can contribute to the development of a thick belly.

It therefore makes sense to use medicinal plants for a balanced hormone system, especially when you are in the menopause. Younger women can also benefit from these medicinal plants if they suffer from PMS. Even men can use these medicinal plants because they do not act like hormones but help the body to balance hormone production.

Here are some medicinal plants that can have a balancing effect on the hormone system:

• fenugreek
• St. John's wort
• carrot
• monk's pepper
• red clover
• yarrow
• soy
• Black cohosh
• Wild Yams

Medicinal plants for metabolic activity

Traditionally, there are many medicinal plants for the metabolism. To what extent each of these plants actually stimulates metabolic activity, however, is unclear in most of these plants.

Many of the classic metabolic herbs have a stimulating effect on urine production. Although this helps in the elimination of waste materials, it does not necessarily have to activate the metabolism.

Bladderwrack plays a special role in the metabolism plants because of its iodine content. In iodine deficient areas it can help to stimulate a sluggish thyroid gland. But if there is iodine hypersensitivity, the bladderwrack can also be harmful. The use of the bladderwrack should therefore be discussed with the doctor.

Mate has a metabolically stimulating effect in that its caffeine content stimulates the metabolism. Mate tea is therefore comparable to coffee or tea. Mate also promotes urinary excretion. This combination of effects makes it a popular weight loss herb.

The following medicinal plants are considered to have metabolic properties:

• birch
• bladderwrack
• Verbena / Verbena
• ginseng
• goldenrod
• elder
• ginger
• dandelion
• lovage
• Paraguay
• yarrow
• licorice
• juniper

Medicinal plants for sugar metabolism

Some medicinal plants regulate the sugar metabolism. You can lower your blood sugar level. This reduces the need for insulin, which facilitates weight loss.

These medicinal plants can also help with mild forms of diabetes.

When losing weight, these medicinal plants help to achieve a more balanced sugar metabolism.

Here is a list of known blood sugar lowering medicinal plants:

• cinnamon
• artichoke
• mugwort
• bean shells
• ginseng
• bilberry
• juniper

Medicinal plants against too much appetite

If you have a lot of appetite to fight, you often want a miracle cure that fights the excessive appetite.

There are such substances in the plant world, but most of them have considerable disadvantages.

• hoodia
• Various exotic, potentially harmful plants

Hoodia is a traditional desert medicinal plant in Namibia, chewed by migratory nomads against hunger. This is why it has come into the focus of the pharmaceutical industry. But Hoodia thrives almost exclusively in its traditional places and can hardly be cultivated. This is why over-exploitation of plant stocks is enormous when it is made available to overweight people all over the world. Furthermore, the effect of Hoodia is questionable if you don't move through the desert without food, but stand in front of a full refrigerator. Hoodia can't help resist the full refrigerator.

From time to time various medicinal plants are offered from China, which are supposed to reduce the appetite. But either these plants do not work, or they have very strong side effects, some of which are even life-threatening.

So far, no well-tolerated medicinal plant has been discovered that can reliably reduce the appetite of affluent citizens.

Tea blend for a slim belly

The following tea mixture works in different ways against a thick belly.

You can put together 100 gr of this mixture as a stock and make a tea several times a day.

You can make a tea blend with the following combination of medicinal plants.

• 20 gr fennel
• 20 gr ginger root
• 20 gr cinnamon
• 10 gr liquorice root
• 10 gr juniper berries
• 10 gr birch leaves
• 10 gr yarrow

Store the tea blend in a strong paper bag or in a glass in a dark place.

This is how you make the tea out of it:

• Take one heaped teaspoon of tea mixture per cup of tea (approx. 250 ml).
• Put the tea mixture into a tea filter bag or a tea net.
• Pour boiling water over the herbs.
• Let the tea steep for 10-15 minutes.
• Drink the tea in small sips.

It is best to drink at least three cups of this tea blend per day.

In the following the used medicinal plants are briefly described and explained, which task they are to fulfill in the tea mixture:

Fennel seeds taste slightly sweet and aromatic. They therefore promote the taste of the tea.

However, its main effect is directed against flatulence and constipation.

Ginger has become very popular in recent years. Its fresh, thick fleshy roots can nowadays be found in most well-stocked supermarkets. In this fresh form it can be used for cooking or fresh in tea. It tastes particularly strong.

Ginger has many effects, among others it strengthens the digestion and stimulates the metabolism.

The liquorice roots also taste pleasantly sweet. They remind a little of liquorice.

Licorice is considered to promote metabolism. It is supposed to help the cells of the body tissues to secrete toxins and waste substances so that they can excrete them.

This distinguishes licorice from many other classic metabolic herbs, which are often only diuretic,

Cinnamon promotes digestion and lowers blood sugar levels. Although this fact has not long been generally known, cinnamon has been used for centuries as a spice for sweet pastries. Cinnamon helps digest and metabolise the sweet food directly on the spot.

In a tea, cinnamon can also have a regulating effect on the sugar metabolism and lower the blood sugar level. It is therefore very suitable for a slim tea, which it also enriches with its typical aroma.

Because of its lower coumarin content, Ceylon cinnamon, whose bark is characterised by thin, leafy layers, should definitely be used. Cassia cinnamon, which contains more cumrain, has significantly thicker layers of bark.

Juniper berries are known to most people only as a spice, but not as a medicinal plant. However, juniper has very good healing effects.

Juniper is particularly suitable for slimming tea because it promotes digestion, has a diuretic effect, lowers blood sugar levels and stimulates metabolism.

The sweet and spicy juniper berries also taste very good in a tea.

It is best to crush the berries a little before mixing them with the other herbs. Then their aroma and active ingredients can develop particularly well.

The leaves of the birch are classic herbs for the slender line.

Birch leaves have a diuretic and stimulating effect on the metabolism.

The blood sugar level should also be lowered a little.

Yarrow has healing effects similar to juniper. It promotes digestion, relieves flatulence and strengthens the blood vessels.

In slimming tea, however, it is mainly because it can bring hormone production¬ into balance. It can therefore help against estrogen dominance.