As the new year begins, a major complaint I hear in clinic is how rotten many people feel from the overindulgence of food and drink during the silly season. The rules are thrown out the window and we often find ourselves eating food we wouldn't usually as we're well aware it doesn't digest so well or make us feel good. Not to mention being out of our usual food routines and this can really mess with our gut.

Slippery Elm powder is a wonderful little ingredient in Good Green Stuff that can help to not only soothe an upset gut but also help return some bowel regularity and mop up some of those toxins that may have accumulated over the silly season. Slippery Elm is a type of tree and its inner bark when mixed with water becomes mucilage. Strong scientific research has not been done on Slippery Elm however the constituents of this bark are known to help with gut function and I have certainly observed it's benefits in clinic over the years.

Slippery Elm has a number of mechanisms to support gut function:

1. Protective barrier the insoluble polysaccharides in the mucilage of Slippery Elm creates what is like a viscous protective barrier over the intestinal wall when consumed. This makes it a brilliant natural tool for soothing stomach upsets, indigestion and heartburn.
2. Prevent constipation These insoluble polysaccharides are in fact indigestible fibre, which makes Slippery Elm act like a laxative by bulking up a stool and speeding up its transit time, helping to regulate bowel motions.
3. Mop up toxins Slippery Elm also has the nifty ability to mop up or adsorb toxins on its journey through our intestines.