What can soothe your stomach, cool your skin and and awaken your senses? Hint: It grows in your garden and tastes great.

I'm skeptical of supplements, alternative remedies, herbal fixes, and the like. I'm holding back, in fact, on purchasing something called Bromelain, a mixture of enzymes found in the juice and stems of pineapples. Bromelain is believed to help with the digestion of protein and believed to help combat inflammation. But does it really? Will it perhaps help reduce the swelling of my post-tummy-tuck belly? I'm not sure. Science isn't sure either.

Science is sure about these 10 natural cures, according to this St. Petersburg Times newspaper article.

• Tea tree oil for dandruff

• Acupuncture for migraines

• Yoga for insomnia

• St. John's Wort for depression

• Echinacea for the common cold

• Aloe vera for sunburn

• Chiropractic treatment for back pain

• Peppermint for indigestion

• Glucosamine and chondroitin for joint pain

• Chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome

Take a tour of the following gallery for the lowdown on these tried-and-true treatments. And don't forget to consult your physician before embarking on any medical journey.

Source

Tea is a great substitute for soft drinks, and if you choose the 'green' variety, you're getting an extra does of antioxidants as well as other disease-fighting agents right there in your beverage.

In addition to those proactive health benefits, a new study shows that consumption of tea may increase bone density. The study involved women who were shown to have heightened bone density after drinking tea compared to those that did not drink tea.

Is tea about to be marketed as an osteoporosis treatment? I doubt that. However, the bone density measurements at issue in this study -- all taken from 275 women between the ages of 70 and 85 -- did see marked improvements over the five-year study time frame. Note that black and green teas are the specific ones referenced in this study -- not herbal teas.

Source

The ancient Ayurvedic herb Holy basil is finding new friends here in the States. Its cortisol-reducing properties and stress-relieving effects are quite the hit with our ever-growing tense and obese population, and some even say it has other healing properties like helping manage diabetes and blood sugar levels.

So it seems Holy basil, or Ocimum sanctum, may be worth looking into. One suggestion, however, is that despite the name "basil" it's not something you probably want to sprinkle on your spaghetti or into any other cooking (it has a sharp clove-like flavor).

Source

Anyone who has ever had trouble sleeping knows how upsetting, irritating and frustrating it can be to lie awake watching your alarm clock tick closer and closer to the time you'll have to get up for school or work feeling exhausted, grumpy and unhappy. For some, sleeplessness is a chronic problem while for others it can be brought on by a number of issues including stress and other lifestyle factors.

On the occasions I've had trouble sleeping, I've resorted to over-the-counter, low-dose sleeping pills that were recommended by my doctor. As my own sleepless nights are fairly rare, and the pills were recommended by my family physician, I don't worry too much about taking them. If I needed the tablets on a regular basis though, I may be more inclined to try a herbal sleeping pill made with non-addictive, all-natural ingredients.

But then I read this article about how a number of over-the-counter herbal sleeping pills being sold in Canada (my homeland) contained potentially-addictive drugs, which weren't listed on the label. According to the piece, some people who took the pills experienced weeks of sleeplessness followed by depression after discontinuing use. A pretty scary thought for those believing that herbal pills are better for them than those with sleep-inducing drugs.

I think the most important thing to learn from this is that if you're having a chronic sleep problem, it is worthwhile to consult your physician about the best options available to you. That, and to make sure that you're aware of what kinds of ingredients are in any pill that you consume on a regular basis.

Source

Here's some good news in the wake of the frustrating stuff we just heard about Vitamin C: Echinacea does help prevent and limit colds. Over the years it seems the data has gone both ways, with people saying first it was great for colds and then later saying it was worthless. But now, as the result of researchers reviewing over 700 separate studies from years past they've determined that yes, echinacea does indeed have a substantial effect on preventing colds and limiting their duration (once they've already been caught).

Of course there are still those out there who argue against this current research's methods and flaws, but since echinacea is a fairly safe supplement to take anyway I'm going to be positive and assume the best!

Source

Recently, Maggie wrote a post about how natural ingredients like ginseng and flaxseed may help treat cancer patients. While I've heard stories about natural therapies and ingredients being utilized more and more to treat serious, life-threatening illnesses -- paired with more traditional drugs, for example radiation and chemotherapy to battle cancer-- I haven't thought much about how stuff from the earth can help heal some of the minor bites and cuts that irritate us on a regular basis.

If you're interested in finding out how to use herbal remedies to treat everything from sunburns to toothaches to bee stings, check out this article that lists dozens of natural cures. Various interesting ideas include ginger for motion sickness (I've tried this before on a boat trip and while I didn't feel great, I definitely felt better than some of the green-faced women losing their lunches into paper bags), cinnamon as a decongestant and olive oil for chapped lips.

While a lot of the ingredients will be familiar -- aloe for a burn and vitamin E for rashes are both fairly well-known -- there are bound to be a few new tricks for everyone as well. So take a look and be prepared when your next ear infection, sore throat or nosebleed strikes. For those of you into natural healing, do you have any of your own tips to share?

Source

With all the new medications being developed practically on a daily basis, and new health benefits being found for "old" supplements and herbs, it's no wonder that people are ending up with more and more substances floating around in their bodies all together at the same time. Doctors and scientists are noticing more and more life-threatening side-effects being created by people mixing medications. Not necessarily just prescriptions meds, either, but also seemingly harmless supplements and OTC drugs.

A good rule of thumb is to remind yourself that if you expect it to do something good for you then it has the potential to do something bad also, if not taken properly. Just because something is "all natural" or doesn't require a prescription doesn't mean you can take it willy-nilly in whatever doses and mixed with whatever else you're taking. Read labels and ask your doctor if you have any questions. It's great to be involved in your own health, just take care not to hurt yourself and get sicker in the process.

Source

Frustratingly enough, the jury is still out on this one. But in reading this article it does sound more promising than not. St. John's Wort, otherwise known as Hypericum Perforatum, has been used for more than 2400 years -- maybe even by Hippocrates himself. And in the majority of studies performed in both past and recent years there has been at least some relationship shown between taking the herb and experiencing a decrease in signs and symptoms of depression. There have been contradicting studies also, but they seem limited to how St. John's Wort affects people with minor symptoms compared to more serious ones.

Although it is generally mild and safe as far as herbal supplements go, don't take it too lightly. St. John's Wort can have some significant side-effects like dizziness, photosenstivity, and even decreased fertility. And never, ever, take St. John's Wort if you're already taking other meds for depression.

Bottom line? St. John's Wort may be right for you, but be sure to check with your doctor first.

Source

With cigarette sales slumping and entire cities declaring smoking bans, tobacco farmers have seen a drop in demand for their product. Add an influx of imported, cheaper grades of tobacco coming from China, Brazil and Zimbabwe, and the farmers started hitting hard times.

The federal government in Canada decided to provide help to this troubled industry. They offered an incentive to the farmers to switch to other types of crops.

Over the past few years, tobacco farmers have been taking them up on the offer. The $67-million aid package helped them move away from tobacco and to a range of healthier crops - ginseng, lavender, hemp, asparagus, sweet corn, strawberries and cucumbers.

Source