Lotus Slippery Elm Bark Elm is the inner bark of a tree in the elm family. It has excellent soothing properties, which makes it a first line of relief for inflamed mucous membrane in the mouth, throat and digestive tract. Slippery Elm tea can be gargled for sore throats, swallowed for gastrointestinal distress and taken in capsule form or used as the main ingredient in an enema for diarrhoea. Slippery Elm in powder can be made into a gruel and fed with baby cereal to relieve diarrhoea in infants. This herb is a contact healer and can be used both internally and externally. It coats, relaxes and heals inflamed tissues, including irritated and inflamed mucous membranes of the stomach, bowels and kidney. It is great for hiatus hernias, but if using it for this, it must be taken in the tea form or powder stirred in water, otherwise the capsule would dissolve in the stomach and the hernia would not be coated since it is above the stomach. The main properties of Slippery Elm are that it strengthens and soothes. It has been used in gastrointestinal problems such as hiatus hernias, gastritis, ulcers, enteritis, colitis, diverticulitis & other intestinal inflammatory condition. Also used in both constipation and diarrhoea, as it can soothe and astringe at the same time. Can be used as a gargle for both sore throats and tonsillitis. May be used topically in diaper rash and haemorrhoids. It may also be used as a food during convalescence as it is gentle and easily assimilated. Used historically as a wholesome & nutritious food for infants & invalids.