Mucosal Healing TeaI recently wrote a blog post, Chaga Medicinal Mushrooms for Crohn’s & Colitis, in which I delve into the health benefits of chaga mushrooms. Well, I decided to get creative in my consumption of chaga – which is how I created this “Mucosal Healing” tea. It’s a combination of Jini’s favorite mucosal healing agents and chaga mushroom to hit all angles of healing while you are sleeping!

If you haven’t read my post yet, I highly recommend doing so! One of the benefits I highlight is that chaga has been shown to lower the inflammation in the GI tract – and that’s just ONE of its many benefits.

I take chaga daily now and am absolutely in LOVE with it. Its benefits are immense, so whether you have Crohn’s, Colitis, or another form of IBD it’s definitely worth looking into. It tastes good too!

Why Tea at Bedtime?

Here’s what happens with our GI system while we sleep:

Even when you’re asleep, your digestive system continues to work. However, it does get to slow down quite a bit because when you’re unconscious, you’re not eating or drinking. During this time, the tissues in this area also grow, repair, and rebuild themselves. The digestive system uses the glucose consumed during the day to fuel these processes.” Some even claim that the body is better able to absorb nutrients during sleep.

And according to the sleep foundation:

Sleep offers the body and brain time to restore and recover, affecting nearly every tissue in the body.

Since the body is repairing tissues while you sleep, it made total sense to drink this “Mucosal Healing” tea I invented just before bed as additional support. This is a pretty incredible and powerful nightly regimen, as it aids in promoting GI health, immunity, and decreasing inflammation – all while you’re sleeping, which is the prime time to give your body a boost!

Taking tea at night for many people has a calming effect, as it’s warm and soothing. Just make sure you are choosing a tea that is not sleep-disrupting (like one with caffeine)! The tea I created has zero caffeine, so no worries on that front. 🙂

Some additional benefits of tea at bedtime include:

  • Promotes dental health – since the tea concoction I created is very high in anti-inflammatories and antioxidants it can basically be considered a mild antimicrobial. These can help with the health and cleanliness of your teeth.
  • Stimulates the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals can help you feel relaxed, happy, and in a good mood – which can help you fall asleep more easily.
  • Some research indicates that antioxidants found in tea may help lower cholesterol.

My Nightly “Mucosal Healing” Tea Recipe:

Note: If you have issues with any of the ingredients in MucosaCalm, it helped me to take the ingredients I could tolerate separately in my tea to build up tolerance. Here’s what I mean:

Chaga (c) Mountain Horse School

After taking MucosaCalm for while, I noticed I was getting diarrhea. After some experimenting, I realized the slippery elm in MucosaCalm was bothering me, but when I took the marshmallow root and licorice root together I had ZERO issues. So, in the beginning, when I couldn’t tolerate the MucosaCalm, I just purchased all the other ingredients in MucosaCalm separately and took them that way.

I’ve also found this tea to be very comforting after I’ve eaten something bad, or during a “flare-up,”  as it can relax your GI, as well as give it all the nutrients and antioxidants it needs. It can also help the body to metabolize rich foods and banish bloating.

If you aren’t sold on this tea yet, here are 4 reasons why you should give this “Mucosal Healing” tea a try:

#1) Chaga Mushroom  

Chaga is chock FULL of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that aid in promoting GI health, increasing immunity, and decreasing inflammation.

My interest in chaga really peaked when my physician mentioned its benefits for Ulcerative Colitis at one of my office visits. He stated that new research has shown that chaga can help induce remission in Ulcerative Colitis patients and helps in healing other IBD conditions!

#2) Licorice root

Licorice imparts a pleasantly sweet taste to any tea it’s added to, making it the perfect after-dinner tea when you’re looking for something to soothe your stomach and satisfy your sweet tooth. Licorice has been shown to help ease the symptoms of digestive problems and promote good digestive health. Use caution, however, as even tough licorice has a variety of health benefits, it’s recommended to consume it in moderation to avoid any adverse effects.

#3) Marshmallow Root

Marshmallow has been known to help digestive issues such as heartburn/GERD, constipation, and many others. According to Healthline:

Research from 2011 found that marshmallow flower extract demonstrated potential benefits in treating gastric ulcers in rats. The anti-ulcer activity was noted after taking the extract for one month. More research is needed to expand upon these findings.

An in vitro study from 2010 found that aqueous extracts and polysaccharides from marshmallow root can be used to treat irritated mucous membranes. Research suggests that the mucilage content creates a protective layer of tissue on the lining of the digestive tract. Marshmallow root may also stimulate the cells that support tissue regeneration.

#4) Slippery Elm

Slippery elm has been used for centuries as a healing salve. Since it contains mucilage, it can coat and soothe the entire GI system – including your mouth. This coating becomes a slick gel when mixed with water, so it can protect against ulcers and excess acid, providing relief for many “tummy issues” because of the antioxidants it contains.

I hope this “Mucosal Healing” tea helps you along your healing journey as much as it helped me. So go ahead and make yourself that cup, but when you return make sure to let me know…what’s your favorite kind of tea? 🙂

If you need some inspo, here are Jini’s favorite herbal teas.