| Since ancient times our ancestor's harvested the | | | | drugs such as Dramamine, for controlling symptoms of |
| many herbs and spices that grew wild around them, | | | | seasickness and motion sickness. Ginger stimulates |
| mixed potions, and treated ailments. Man was after all | | | | saliva flow and digestive activity, settles the stomach, |
| a hunter-gatherer, and an omnivore, (an organism | | | | relieves vomiting, eases pain from gas and diarrhoea, |
| which gets its food energy from both plant and animal | | | | and is effective as an anti-nausea remedy. This |
| material).The humble herb and spice rack in your | | | | aromatic herb also helps lower cholesterol. Herbalists |
| kitchen today need not be just a decorative feature, | | | | have also found it to be useful as a pain reliever.9/. |
| although they look quite pleasing to the eye hanging on | | | | MINT Herbalists the world over use mint, as a premier |
| the wall, in both modern and old fashioned styled | | | | stomach tonic, to counteract nausea and vomiting, |
| homes. They can in fact hold a plethora of natural | | | | promote digestion, calm stomach muscle spasms, |
| healing ingredients that can also add great taste to the | | | | relieve flatulence, and ease hiccups. Menthol, the |
| foods you eat every day.Of all the herbs and spices | | | | aromatic oil in peppermint, also relaxes the airways |
| you can choose from for flavour, there are 15 that are | | | | and fights bacteria and viruses. Menthol interferes with |
| more powerful than the rest. Below is the list and you | | | | the sensation from pain receptors, thus it may be |
| may well be surprised to learn of the many diverse | | | | useful in reducing headache pain. Scientific evidence |
| conditions for which they've proven so very useful.1/. | | | | suggests that peppermint can kill many kinds of |
| BASIL Basil is an herbal carminative, that is, it can | | | | micro-organisms, and may boost mental alertness. In |
| relieve gas and soothe stomach upsets. One possible | | | | one study, people who inhaled menthol said they felt |
| explanation for its calming effect is a compound called | | | | as if it relieved their nasal congestion, although it didn't |
| eugenol, which has been shown to help ease muscle | | | | increase their measurable airflow.10/. OREGANO |
| spasms. Research is still preliminary, but laboratory | | | | Oregano contains at least four compounds that |
| studies also suggest that compounds found in basil | | | | soothe coughs and 19 chemicals with antibacterial |
| may help disrupt the dangerous chain of events that | | | | action that may help reduce body odour. The |
| can lead to the development of cancer2/. CAYENNE | | | | ingredients in oregano that soothe coughs may also |
| Cayenne pepper is a hot red powder made from | | | | help un-knot muscles in the digestive tract, making |
| tropical chilli peppers. It contains alkaloid capsaicin, which | | | | oregano a digestive aid. This familiar spice also |
| relieves pain by blocking the chemicals that send pain | | | | contains compounds that can lower blood pressure |
| messages to the brain. If you eat cayenne at the first | | | | too.11/. PARSLEY Diuretic herbs such as parsley |
| sign of any type of headache, with plenty of water as | | | | prevent problems such as kidney stones and bladder |
| a chaser, this spicy herb may be an effective | | | | infections and keep our body's plumbing running |
| alternative treatment. Added to food, cayenne perks | | | | smoothly by causing it to produce more urine. They |
| up appetite, improves digestion and relieves gas, | | | | also relieve bloating during menstruation. Also there's a |
| nausea, and indigestion. The herb also thins phlegm and | | | | reason for that parsley on the edge of the diner plate, |
| eases its passage from the lungs, thus helping to | | | | its not just there for fancy decoration; it's an effective |
| prevent and treat coughs, colds and bronchitis.3/. | | | | breath freshener because it contains high levels of |
| CINNAMON Cinnamon bark contains an oily chemical | | | | chlorophyll.12/. ROSEMARY Rosemary is one of the |
| called cinnamaldehyde that kills a variety of illness | | | | richer herbal sources of antioxidants, which have been |
| causing bacteria, including the dreaded E.coli, | | | | shown to prevent cataracts, and contains 19 chemicals |
| Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureas. Research | | | | with antibacterial action that help fight infection. |
| shows that cinnamon is also able to stop the growth | | | | Traditionally used to ease asthma, this common |
| of the Asian flu virus. Herbalists report that cinnamon | | | | culinary ingredient has volatile oils that can reduce the |
| bark also helps regulate the menstrual cycle and | | | | airway constriction induced by histamine, that chemical |
| checks flooding during menopause. Also | | | | culprit of asthma and other allergy symptoms. |
| cinnamaldehyde has a tranquilizing effect that helps | | | | Herbalists think that rosemary may also help ease |
| reduce anxiety and stress.4/. CLOVE Oil of clove is | | | | breast pain by acting as a natural drying agent to fluid |
| 60 to 90 percent eugenol. A potent pain deadening | | | | filled cysts.13/. SAGE The oils found in sage are both |
| antimicrobal. Clove has earned the official | | | | antiseptic and antibiotic, so it can help fight infections. |
| endorsement of the FDA as an effective stopgap | | | | Sage is effective for symptoms of menopause, night |
| measure for tooth pain. Clove is also among the | | | | sweats and hot flashes, because of its estrogenic |
| spices that can help the body use insulin more | | | | action and because its tannins can dry up perspiration. |
| effectively, thus lowering blood sugar somewhat. In | | | | There's also compelling evidence that sage may b of |
| one lab study, clove was also found to speed healing | | | | value to people with diabetes for whom the hormone |
| of the dreaded cold sores.5/. DILL Dill has been used | | | | insulin does not work as efficiently as it should. Lab |
| to soothe the digestive tract and treat heartburn, colic | | | | studies indicate that sage may boost insulin's action.14/. |
| and gas for thousands of years. In fact, the word dill | | | | THYME Thyme contains thymol, which increases |
| comes from the Old Norse word dilla, meaning to lull or | | | | blood-flow to the skin. The warmth is comforting, and |
| soothe. The herb has an antifoaming action that | | | | some herbalists believe that the increased blood-flow |
| suggests why it might help break up gas bubbles. Like | | | | speeds healing. An anti-spasmodic. Thyme relaxes |
| parsley, dill is rich in chlorophyll, which also makes it | | | | respiratory muscles and is endorsed for treating |
| useful in treating bad breath.6/. FENNEL Rich in volatile | | | | bronchitis by Commission E, the expert panel that |
| oils, fennel is what's known as a carminative herb, | | | | judges the safety and effectiveness of herbal |
| meaning that it can ease bloating, gas pains, and | | | | medicines for the German government. |
| digestive spasms in the small and large intestines. | | | | Aromatherapists say that thyme's scent is a mood |
| Fennel can also reduce bad breath and body odour | | | | lifter.15/. TURMERIC Many clinical studies agree that |
| that originates in the intestines. Women who are | | | | curcumin in turmeric has anti-inflammatory effects, |
| breastfeeding may find that fennel, which works in a | | | | including a significant beneficial effect in relieving |
| way similar to the body's hormones, increases milk | | | | rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. |
| flow.7/. GARLIC Intact garlic cloves contain an | | | | Curcumin, which gives this spice its familiar yellow |
| odourless, sulphur-containing amino acid called alliin. | | | | pigment, may also lower cholesterol. Turmeric is also |
| When the garlic is crushed, alliin becomes allicin. | | | | packed with antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, |
| Research shows that allicin helps lower cholesterol and | | | | which have been shown to prevent cataracts.Passed |
| blood pressure and also helps prevents blood clots. | | | | down to us by our forefathers and countless |
| Garlic can also reduce the risk of developing | | | | generations throughout the world, these 15 food |
| atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Compounds | | | | additives and enhancers are just a selected few that |
| in this familiar bulb kill many organisms, including bacteria | | | | are currently known to have medicinal and beneficial |
| and viruses that cause earaches, flu and colds. | | | | properties, yet represent the more commonly used. By |
| Research indicates that garlic is also effective against | | | | including these herbs and spices into your daily cooking |
| digestive ailments and diarrhoea. What's more, further | | | | or diet on a regular basis, you will greatly enhance your |
| studies suggest that this common and familiar herb | | | | quality of life, and reduce the need for those |
| may help prevent the onset of cancers.8/. GINGER | | | | expensive, and often damaging pharmaceutical |
| When it comes to quelling the queasiness of motion | | | | drugs.To your continued good healthJohn Elliott aka |
| sickness, ginger has no equal say herbalists. In fact, | | | | Oaky Wood is the co-founder of The Corner 4 |
| researchers have demonstrated that ginger beats | | | | Women is a poet, writer, artist, webmaster and |
| dimenhydrate, the main ingredient in motion sickness | | | | designer. |