The 15 Most Powerful Healing Herbs in Your Kitchen
by J.A. Elliott

Since ancient times our ancestor's harvested the many herbs and spices
that grew wild around them, mixed potions, and treated ailments. Man
was after all a hunter-gatherer, and an omnivore, (an organism which
gets its food energy from both plant and animal material).

The humble herb and spice rack in your kitchen today need not be just
a decorative feature, although they look quite pleasing to the eye
hanging on the wall, in both modern and old fashioned styled homes.
They can in fact hold a plethora of natural healing ingredients that
can also add great taste to the foods you eat every day.

Of all the herbs and spices you can choose from for flavour, there are
15 that are more powerful than the rest. Below is the list and you may
well be surprised to learn of the many diverse conditions for which
they've proven so very useful.

1/. BASIL Basil is an herbal carminative, that is, it can relieve gas
and soothe stomach upsets. One possible explanation for its calming
effect is a compound called eugenol, which has been shown to help ease
muscle spasms. Research is still preliminary, but laboratory studies
also suggest that compounds found in basil may help disrupt the
dangerous chain of events that can lead to the development of cancer

2/. CAYENNE Cayenne pepper is a hot red powder made from tropical
chilli peppers. It contains alkaloid capsaicin, which relieves pain by
blocking the chemicals that send pain messages to the brain. If you
eat cayenne at the first sign of any type of headache, with plenty of
water as a chaser, this spicy herb may be an effective alternative
treatment. Added to food, cayenne perks up appetite, improves
digestion and relieves gas, nausea, and indigestion. The herb also
thins phlegm and eases its passage from the lungs, thus helping to
prevent and treat coughs, colds and bronchitis.

3/. CINNAMON Cinnamon bark contains an oily chemical called
cinnamaldehyde that kills a variety of illness causing bacteria,
including the dreaded E.coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureas.
Research shows that cinnamon is also able to stop the growth of the
Asian flu virus. Herbalists report that cinnamon bark also helps
regulate the menstrual cycle and checks flooding during menopause.
Also cinnamaldehyde has a tranquilizing effect that helps reduce
anxiety and stress.

4/. CLOVE Oil of clove is 60 to 90 percent eugenol. A potent pain
deadening antimicrobal. Clove has earned the official endorsement of
the FDA as an effective stopgap measure for tooth pain. Clove is also
among the spices that can help the body use insulin more effectively,
thus lowering blood sugar somewhat. In one lab study, clove was also
found to speed healing of the dreaded cold sores.

5/. DILL Dill has been used to soothe the digestive tract and treat
heartburn, colic and gas for thousands of years. In fact, the word
dill comes from the Old Norse word dilla, meaning to lull or soothe.
The herb has an antifoaming action that suggests why it might help
break up gas bubbles. Like parsley, dill is rich in chlorophyll, which
also makes it useful in treating bad breath.

6/. FENNEL Rich in volatile oils, fennel is what's known as a
carminative herb, meaning that it can ease bloating, gas pains, and
digestive spasms in the small and large intestines. Fennel can also
reduce bad breath and body odour that originates in the intestines.
Women who are breastfeeding may find that fennel, which works in a way
similar to the body's hormones, increases milk flow.

7/. GARLIC Intact garlic cloves contain an odourless,
sulphur-containing amino acid called alliin. When the garlic is
crushed, alliin becomes allicin. Research shows that allicin helps
lower cholesterol and blood pressure and also helps prevents blood
clots. Garlic can also reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries). Compounds in this familiar bulb kill many
organisms, including bacteria and viruses that cause earaches, flu and
colds. Research indicates that garlic is also effective against
digestive ailments and diarrhoea. What's more, further studies suggest
that this common and familiar herb may help prevent the onset of cancers.

8/. GINGER When it comes to quelling the queasiness of motion
sickness, ginger has no equal say herbalists. In fact, researchers
have demonstrated that ginger beats dimenhydrate, the main ingredient
in motion sickness drugs such as Dramamine, for controlling symptoms
of seasickness and motion sickness. Ginger stimulates saliva flow and
digestive activity, settles the stomach, relieves vomiting, eases pain
from gas and diarrhoea, and is effective as an anti-nausea remedy.
This aromatic herb also helps lower cholesterol. Herbalists have also
found it to be useful as a pain reliever.

9/. MINT Herbalists the world over use mint, as a premier stomach
tonic, to counteract nausea and vomiting, promote digestion, calm
stomach muscle spasms, relieve flatulence, and ease hiccups. Menthol,
the aromatic oil in peppermint, also relaxes the airways and fights
bacteria and viruses. Menthol interferes with the sensation from pain
receptors, thus it may be useful in reducing headache pain. Scientific
evidence suggests that peppermint can kill many kinds of
micro-organisms, and may boost mental alertness. In one study, people
who inhaled menthol said they felt as if it relieved their nasal
congestion, although it didn't increase their measurable airflow.

10/. OREGANO Oregano contains at least four compounds that soothe
coughs and 19 chemicals with antibacterial action that may help reduce
body odour. The ingredients in oregano that soothe coughs may also
help un-knot muscles in the digestive tract, making oregano a
digestive aid. This familiar spice also contains compounds that can
lower blood pressure too.

11/. PARSLEY Diuretic herbs such as parsley prevent problems such as
kidney stones and bladder infections and keep our body's plumbing
running smoothly by causing it to produce more urine. They also
relieve bloating during menstruation. Also there's a reason for that
parsley on the edge of the diner plate, its not just there for fancy
decoration; it's an effective breath freshener because it contains
high levels of chlorophyll.

12/. ROSEMARY Rosemary is one of the richer herbal sources of
antioxidants, which have been shown to prevent cataracts, and contains
19 chemicals with antibacterial action that help fight infection.
Traditionally used to ease asthma, this common culinary ingredient has
volatile oils that can reduce the airway constriction induced by
histamine, that chemical culprit of asthma and other allergy symptoms.
Herbalists think that rosemary may also help ease breast pain by
acting as a natural drying agent to fluid filled cysts.

13/. SAGE The oils found in sage are both antiseptic and antibiotic,
so it can help fight infections. Sage is effective for symptoms of
menopause, night sweats and hot flashes, because of its estrogenic
action and because its tannins can dry up perspiration. There's also
compelling evidence that sage may b of value to people with diabetes
for whom the hormone insulin does not work as efficiently as it
should. Lab studies indicate that sage may boost insulin's action.

14/. THYME Thyme contains thymol, which increases blood-flow to the
skin. The warmth is comforting, and some herbalists believe that the
increased blood-flow speeds healing. An anti-spasmodic. Thyme relaxes
respiratory muscles and is endorsed for treating bronchitis by
Commission E, the expert panel that judges the safety and
effectiveness of herbal medicines for the German government.
Aromatherapists say that thyme's scent is a mood lifter.

15/. TURMERIC Many clinical studies agree that curcumin in turmeric
has anti-inflammatory effects, including a significant beneficial
effect in relieving rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Curcumin, which gives this spice its familiar yellow pigment, may also
lower cholesterol. Turmeric is also packed with antioxidants,
including vitamins A, C, and E, which have been shown to prevent
cataracts.

Passed down to us by our forefathers and countless generations
throughout the world, these 15 food additives and enhancers are just a
selected few that are currently known to have medicinal and beneficial
properties, yet represent the more commonly used. By including these
herbs and spices into your daily cooking or diet on a regular basis,
you will greatly enhance your quality of life, and reduce the need for
those expensive, and often damaging pharmaceutical drugs.