Cure Colic, and Other Stomach Ailments, from Your Spice Rack

My first child began sleeping through the night by the time he was two months old. My husband and I couldn't be more elated. Then came colic, and it seemed as though he would not sleep (and we would not sleep) until he started college.

I tried everything possible. Rocking him, rubbing his back, putting him in the swing, driving him around town at all hours of the night. Nothing worked no matter what my husband and I tried. Even the simethicone drops eventually stopped working, and I could only give him a small amount each day. I would reach the 24 hour limit by noon. The night would be left open to the pains of colic.

I had to be up for work by 5am as the bookkeeper of a local hardware store, and my supervisor began to notice my fatigue immediately.

"Fennel tea," he said to me over a cup of strong coffee one morning before sunrise. We had to be in the store even before the contractors arrived. "Take a tablespoon of fennel seeds, put them in tight cheesecloth, and boil it. Let it cool and give the baby a bottle of it. He'll knock out like a light."

I wasn't sure I believed him. Was it safe? I was a first time parent and didn't want to harm my baby, but I wanted to sleep one day again soon. I sought wisdom from every wise person I knew; demanding to know if they thought such a concoction would harm or help a baby.

"It can't hurt," my mother said. "It will be little more than water." My baby's pediatrician stated the same, urging me to give it a harmless whirl. I tried it late one night when the colic began to strike. Sure enough, it worked. I tried it again every night until there were no more colicky upsets. He has been a great sleeper ever since. It works wonders for cranky adults as well.

Anise -

A decade and three more children later, my husband and I were once again having trouble getting our children to bed on time and keeping them happily sleeping for the entire night. This time, I had a cookbook of Sephardic Jewish cooking and I found a story inside about the wonders of anise seed. Somewhere in the fabric of the tale was woven a quote about an old woman from Morocco drinking anise tea. It was supposed to calm indigestion. What could it hurt? My children had very few allergies to foods.

I did the same with the anise seed as I had been instructed to do with the fennel seed. A tablespoon of anise seed placed inside tightly closed cheesecloth. I tied the cheesecloth with a string. I dropped it into a teapot, and when it boiled, I poured our entire family a nice warm cup of anise tea. I added a touch of milk, honey and cinnamon as well. We have come to call this treat a "hot milkshake", and it calms wound up children and upset tummies in a flash. Soy milk can also be used. The anise has a soothing licorice-like scent and can be a wonderful, healing treat on a difficult night.

Parsely -

For the flu and severe colds that require liquids as well as digestive aids for nausea and vomiting, I have made clear chicken broth with a hefty (at least three tablespoons) of parsley flakes or half a bunch of fresh cleaned parsley. The chicken broth fills a stomach, empty from illness, and the parsley - a long time English remedy for sour stomach - calms the nerves and relieves stomach ailments almost instantly. It works every time.

Basil -

Most of us are familiar with the light but powerful scent of basil on pizza, in Indian dishes and even tossed with salads. But basil is also an excellent stomach healer. It can be mixed with just about any light flavored tea for an added calming benefit. Basil works much like parsley, in that it has been known to, both, gently relax muscles and neutralize stomach acid. It barely changes the taste of a tea (often simply enhancing the flavor), and it can be used in exactly the same as the above-mentioned parsley. In parts of Europe, it is even boiled with milk and honey.

Many more spices can be used as digestive aids: Cardamom, Caraway Seeds, Cinnamon, and even Turmeric. The more pungent the familiar spicy odor, ironically, the more likely the spice is to treat stomach ailment and act as an anti-inflammatory.

*Star Anise should be avoided, however, as it can cause severe illness and even death for young children and infants. It is regular, store-bought, anise seed that is suggested in the above paragraphs.

The next time you are desperate for indigestion relief, look no further than your spice rack. It just might save your night and give you a full regiment of much-needed sleep.