Slippery Elm Benefits

Slippery elm whose botanical name is Ulmus rubra, is a species of the elm tree that grows mostly in the eastern part of North America. This deciduous tree is also commonly known as Indian Elm, Red Elm, Moose Elm etc. There are many traditional uses of the slippery elm, where the various parts of the tree can be used for medicinal purposes. The inner bark of the tree is ground and is used as herbal medicine to treat many ailments. The bark also contains mucilage, which is a sticky substance that turns into gel when it is mixed with water, which has many benefits. Native Americans used slippery elm in the preparation of many ointments, balms and other salves. The inner bark of the tree is finely or coarsely ground and used for various medicinal purposes. Let's see more about the slippery elm benefits.

Benefits and Uses of Slippery Elm

The inner bark of the slippery elm tree has been used as a medicinal remedy to treat many health related disorders. The benefits of slippery elm are not restricted to just one as it has numerous uses. Given below are some of the positive effects of slippery elm, on the body;

• The mucilage that is present in the bark of the slippery elm contains an easy to digest, non toxic, complex carbohydrate, which helps in the digestion of food.
• The inner bark of the slippery elm is rich in nutrients like beta carotene, magnesium, iron, vitamin B complex, zinc, potassium and vitamin C etc.
• One of the essential slippery elm benefits is that it has a soothing impact on anything that it comes in contact with like the mouth, the throat and the intestinal tract.
• The mucilage is also rich in antioxidants that help in soothing the inflammation of the bowel system. The mucilage triggers the production of the mucous in the gastrointestinal tract that protects the inner lining from stomach ulcers and excess acidity.
• Slippery elm is effective in soothing heartburn, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids and gastritis.
• The bark of the slippery elm can be ground and eaten for breakfast in the form of porridge. Consuming this porridge can treat the inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This porridge can also be given to infants and invalids.
• Slippery elm is a component in Essiac, a formula, which is used for treating patients suffering from cancer.
• Slippery elms have been prescribed with Bugleweed compounds in order to treat patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
• The powder of the slippery elm bark is used to prevent tooth decay and other dental problems.
• Slippery elm is an excellent remedy that is used to treat problems like diarrhea, constipation and acid reflux disease, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Some other ailments that can be treated with the help of slippery elm are psoriasis, burns, boils and other skin problems.

Precautionary Measures

Though there are no proven serious side effects of taking slippery elm, it must be taken under the supervision of a health care provider. It can sometimes interact with certain medication and other herbs and slow down their effect. Hence it is advisable to take slippery elm before or after two hours of taking other medication and drugs. Slippery elm should not consumed by pregnant women as it may lead to a miscarriage, since the outer bark of the tree may contains certain substances that can increase the risk of abortions.

These were some beneficial uses of slippery elm. Slippery elm can be taken in the form of lozenges, cough syrups, capsules and tablets, coarsely powdered bark used as a hot compress for aches and finely powdered bark that can be used in the form of tea. Hope you found this article on slippery elm benefits informative. Stay healthy!