How are you all using slippery elm (bark or powder)? It's noted for being extremely mucilaginous (the thick tea looks like loose gelatin), making it very soothing and healing to the intestinal tract. It's considered quite safe.
I keep slippery elm on hand for sore throats, and we enjoy Slippery Elm lozenges from our co-op. I like the taste; children like it better w/ a little maple syrup.
I'm currently cooling a thick batch of it to mix goldenseal powder in for thrush on baby's bottom). I spooned it into my children's mouth's yesterday (slippery elm alone, slightly sweetened) for their sore throats and coughs. I like chewing the bark in the gruel.
I've been learning more about it, though, after seeing Dr. Schulze recommend it as one of the top digestive herbs in his Top 10 Herbs videos. Then, Rosemary Gladstar (
Family Herbal--very useful book) mentions some interesting uses for it:
--as a gruel (thick tea) for children..."very nourishing, soothing and healing..."
--in a diarrhea remedy tea
--for burns on the mouth of your mouth
--for heartburn
--for throat coat (candy) balls
--for cough/sore throat teas
--colic
--constipation
--as an ingredient in homemade baby powder
--for use in a poultice
--as a powder in a recipe for an inflamed or infected p*nis
--as an ingredient in a paste to lubricate an inflamed, dry va*ina, or an an effective lubricant.
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_slippery_elm.htm(Lots of great stuff on this page--a picture of the bark, too)
Indigenous to North America, slippery elm trees normally breed in damp, but not drenched forests in the United States as well as in eastern parts of neighboring Canada. Migrating planters from England have been familiar with various other varieties of elm tree barks and used them to cure coughs and sore throats back home in Europe. The barks of these slippery elm trees were also used a balm to heal fractured bone or cuts. Later, they used slippery elm as a remedy for urinary tract infections. Even the indigenous inhabitants of America effectively used the barks of slippery elm for treating cold sores as well as boils. Obviously, barks of slippery elm trees were common for healing battered eyes and also to cure gun-shot injuries during the American Revolution. Basically, the inner bark of slippery elm trees, the part next to the timber, has medicinal properties and is collected during spring.
Talking about the combination of this tree, the bark of slippery elm has mucilage, while the other constituents of the timber comprise beta-sitosterol as well as campestrol. It also contains some proportion of calcium oxalate, while the interior of the bark has tannin in small quantities. As it has been mentioned earlier, the bark of slippery elm tree has been traditionally used as a balm to heal external cuts and bruises as well as joint pains resulting from gout or other problems. Currently, the bark of slippery elm is primarily used to cure soar throats as is widely used as an element tablets available to cure throat inflammation. As aching throats and cough often accompany each other, the bark of slippery elm tree is also commonly used as a medicine to heal coughs. It may be noted here that the slippery elm bark can be blended with the bark of wild cherry, leaves of sweet gum, mullein, and also sweetening to prepare cough syrups at home. Those who can avail the bark of slippery elm directly may chew it. It is reported to have a tasty flavor and provide the same relief in the above mentioned ailments.
USES
When the bark of slippery elm is consumed on a regular basis, it is not only nourishing, but has a comforting effect too. Basically, the bark of slippery elm is a tremendous food when a patient is recuperating or is in an incapacitated condition. It helps enormously if a person’s digestive system is feeble or extra responsive. Most importantly, slippery elm bark is a great and useful diet for infants. As mentioned earlier, slippery elm has a comforting effect and when applied the herb easily brings instantaneous respite to patients suffering from tartness, diarrhea and gastroenteritis. Slippery elm bark also has the properties to assist in assuaging people suffering from colic (stomach pain), burning sensation in the gut, constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis as well as tetchy or irritable bowel diseases.
While slippery elm helps to ease pain and irritation in the stomach, intestines, kidneys and the urinary tract, it is also useful in treating problems related to the reproductive as well as the respiratory system. If one uses the powder of slippery elm’s inner bark, it can produce a superb comforting effect on the mucous membranes covering all over the body. In addition, the inner bark of slippery elm is of high medicinal value to treat gastritis, sourness, peptic ulcers, colitis as well as enteritis. The herb also has properties of alleviating cystitis, inflammatory bladder, nasal and bronchial catarrh as well as providing relief from an irksome cough.
When the slippery elm inner bark is combined with tepid water or milk to make a nutritious mixture, it provides great comfort in indigestion and heartburn. The mixture also provides for an effective diet for recuperating children and adults or people who are incapacitated. If the mixture of slippery elm and warm water or milk is difficult to consume, one may add powdered cinnamon or ginger, honey or any sweetener to add flavor to the potion. For healing external wounds, cuts or injuries, slippery elm bark may be blended with glycerin and applied as a cream over the affected area for quick healing. The paste is also useful for healing burns, scalds, ulcers as well as inflammatory skin problems. It may be noted that slippery elm is also useful in healing boils and swellings.
In addition, the herb has also been used as a remedy for all conditions of the chest and has a comforting effect on any problem related to the upper body – bronchitis to pleurisy as well as tuberculosis. If the powder or paste of slippery elm bark is applied externally on the epidermis, it proves to be an effective remedy to safeguard the skin and keep it soft and natural. In addition, slippery elm also has a beneficial action on boils and cracks on the skin.
