Have you heard about slippery elm? I remember taking slippery elm lozenges as a kid when I had a sore throat, they work great for that btw, but little did I know that the health and digestive benefits of slippery elm extended far beyond helping calm a sore throat.


It’s my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms–like gut/digestive issues, excess weight, low energy, and skin & sleep problems–are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.

Today I’d like to help support you in your health journey by sharing about the digestive benefits of slippery elm.
First off, slippery elm is a type of tree and its inner bark is used for a variety of medicinal purposes.
Slippery elm has a smooth, slippery, mucilaginous texture. It is used in teas, tinctures, powders, capsules, tablets and lozenges.

Digestive Benefits

• Slippery elm is known to help improve symptoms of constipation, IBS, and IBD. Slippery elm is not a known laxative, but studies show that it does support more regular bowel movements, reduces straining, and supports better quality/texture of bowel movements. Slippery elm also seems to support reduced abdominal pain, bloating, and overall symptom reduction of IBS and IBD.
• Improve diarrhea–the smooth, slippery quality of slippery elm coats the stomach and intestines so it can help with both diarrhea and constipation symptoms.
• May help protect against acid reflux, ulcers, GERD, and gastritis. The gel-like mucilage in slippery elm is soothing to the mucosal membranes that line the entire digestive tract (mouth to anus) and help support a healthy mucous layer. The tannins in slippery elm help reduce inflammation. Slippery elm is also a prebiotic and helps balance friendly flora in the gut.

Other Health Benefits of Slippery Elm

• Slippery elm helps protect against oxidative stress–slippery elm contains a plant compound called phenolics which counteract cell damage against free radicals and oxidative stress as well as provide some natural anti-fungal protection.
• It’s used as an external remedy for soothing wounds and external skin conditions triggered by inflammation such as psoriasis.
   

How to Use Slippery Elm

You can enjoy slippery elm in Throat Coat tea if you have irritation or soreness of your throat or to soothe minor stomach discomfort. You can also make your own tea with slippery elm powder (2-3 tsps in a mug of hot water 1-2 times/day).
Slippery elm is an ingredient in my top go-to gut healing supplements like GI Revive and can also be used as a stand alone supplement. As a general recommendation when using slippery elm in capsules or tablets, one could take up to 1,600mg divided into 2-3 doses throughout the day (always check the label for dosing recommendations). I recommend that you work with a practitioner to develop the best protocol for your needs. 

Precautions

There are very few reported side effects of slippery elm. As with anything, allergies are a possibility. When using topically, try on a small part of skin as a precaution.
Avoid using if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Because slippery elm coats your stomach and digestive lining, it may slow the absorption of medications so is recommended to take an hour away from medications.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!

Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!

~Rebecca