| Herbs have been used for medicinal purposes as | | | | benefits and contraindications or not? |
| well as food flavor and aromatic enhancers for | | | | The following are a couple of examples of long |
| centuries. Did you know that the basis of modern | | | | used natural treatments for asthma sufferers: |
| pharmaceuticals as well as most cosmetic | | | | Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) |
| products come from plant derivatives? It's true; | | | | Licorice comes from the underground stem of a |
| God's great earth holds the secrets and remedies | | | | perennial shrub referred to as the licorice stick. |
| for curing most of our ills. | | | | The licorice stick is part of the plants root. Licorice |
| Before modern medicine, herbal remedies were | | | | is several times sweeter than sugar, so a little |
| the only means of treating many ailments. It has | | | | goes a long way. Licorice candies are often |
| only been in the last century or so that medicines | | | | flavored by an herb called anise so don't confuse |
| have been chemically manufactured and as | | | | pure licorice with the candied varieties. |
| anyone who has taken prescription drugs knows, | | | | Glycyrrhizin is the name for the real licorice |
| they are not without their side effects. Natural | | | | sweetness and no more than 200 mg of |
| cures are making a comeback in recent years | | | | glycyrrhizin is recommended as a daily dose. |
| and health food stores and naturopathic clinics are | | | | Licorice has been used to treat asthma. Also |
| widely available as an alternative source for the | | | | important to know is that it should not be |
| treatment of many illnesses. In some regions | | | | ingested for longer than a month to six weeks at |
| these alternative approaches are covered by | | | | a time. If you are being treated for a heart |
| health insurance programs while other areas have | | | | condition, high blood pressure or glaucoma or |
| not yet caught on to the many benefits of | | | | taking hormonal therapy, licorice is not |
| natural cures from health food and vitamins. | | | | recommended. |
| The fact that natural cures and alternative | | | | Cayenne Peppers (Capsicum) |
| medicine is being credited gives hope to many | | | | Cayenne peppers are hot and spicy and often |
| who distrust the multibillion dollar pharmaceutical | | | | used in preparing Mexican foods such as chili. |
| industries. It never hurts to be a little skeptical | | | | These peppers have been used as a treatment |
| about profit motives and our health care industry | | | | for asthma for many years. The main reason |
| is definitely one we want to keep a close watch | | | | they are effective for asthma is because they |
| on. Most people have steered clear of the natural | | | | loosen the mucus congestion in the nasal |
| remedies because they are unregulated. Some | | | | passages. Cayenne pepper powder is a great |
| researchers say this is because prescription drug | | | | seasoning used in many recipes so if you have a |
| companies don't want competition. But it doesn't | | | | cold or suffer from congestion, add a little of this |
| have to be an 'either-or' case since natural | | | | hot spice to your meals and see how quickly your |
| remedies and prescription medicine can | | | | breathing becomes easier. However, if you are |
| sometimes work synergistically. | | | | pregnant or nursing it is not recommended. Be |
| Our bodies are a biochemical factory and need to | | | | careful when handling this little but powerful |
| be kept in balance to work effectively. The | | | | pepper. For example, inhaling the powder can |
| human body is a complex organism, and we need | | | | harm your mucus membranes and be careful not |
| help understanding the effects of taking any | | | | to rub your eyes when handling them. |
| substance for our health. This is why we always | | | | These are a couple of examples of what we |
| should consult a professional healthcare provider | | | | commonly eat or use to flavor our foods and |
| before taking any medicine whether prescription | | | | how they can treat common ailments. So, the |
| or natural. | | | | next time you think of popping a pill why not |
| There are common food sources that have been | | | | check with your natural health food specialist to |
| used for natural remedies for a very long time, | | | | see if there is an alternative health food source |
| but do people using them know the health | | | | for your ailment and try a natural remedy first. |