Ever had a sore throat? Most of us have at some point. What did you do for it? There are several options in the herbal field to choose from, one of which is Slippery Elm.
Slippery Elm is a traditional Native American remedy for several things. Not only does it soothe the throat, but it soothes the digestive tract from the top to the bottom! This means not only can it be an aid to your heartburn symptoms, but can also soothe inflammatory bowel conditions.
Slippery Elm is a mucilaginous inner bark that is powdered up fine so as to be easily in tea or capsule or lozenge form. That mucilage is able to coat the tissues and provide protection from things that cause problems. By taking it as a tea or lozenge, it can coat and soothe the throat. As a capsule, it can coat and soothe the intestinal areas affected by Chrohn's Disease, ulcers, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, constipation, colitis and more.
Due to its mucilaginous texture, it is also good for external uses, such as chapped lips, burns and wounds, boils, abscesses and diaper rash.
Sounds like a good addition to a first-aid kit!
While slippery elm seems to cause no considerable adverse effects, it may interfere with the absorption of some medications.
It should also be noted that despite common health claims, slippery elm is not advised for the treatment for serious chronic conditions like cancer and bronchitis.
