Natural foods and herbal remedies may help keep you healthy and restore your health after you've been ill. Some natural foods and herbs are actually one and the same. Consuming these foods can boost your immune system, keep your urinary and digestive tracts working optimally and prevent joint pain and inflammation. Before using foods or herbs to treat your health conditions, contact a health practitioner to make sure the treatments are right for you.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice has been used for years to keep the urinary tract healthy and prevent the formation of kidney stones, according to the "British Journal of Urology." The best way to drink cranberry juice is by using unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate diluted with water. "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies" recommends mixing 1 cup juice with 3 cups water and drinking it throughout the day for urinary tract health.
Garlic
Another culinary herb and flavorful vegetable, garlic offers protection from disease and boosts the immune system when consumed regularly, notes "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook." Garlic provides protection from bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens while fighting infections both internally and on the skin. The best way to consume garlic is raw or by using fresh garlic cloves to make herbal tea. Raw garlic provides the greatest benefits because its potency is not compromised by the manufacturing process. If you prefer, garlic supplements are available in health food stores. Garlic taken in medicinal quantities can thin the blood. Speak to your health practitioner if you would like to use garlic to improve your health.
Burdock Root
Burdock root is a Chinese herb as well as a fresh vegetable that can be eaten either raw or cooked. It has many health benefits, the most common being its power to act as a natural diuretic and remove excess fluid from the body, according to Urban Herbs. It is especially helpful in the treatment of gout, where the patient has swollen ankles from edema. Add fresh burdock root to a salad, make pickles or cook it as a vegetable. Dried burdock root can be used to make an herbal tea. You can drink the tea for relief from fluid retention and you can make a foot soak for your swollen ankles. Some people develop a rash from using burdock root leaves. If this happens, wear a pair of rubber gloves when handling the plant. If it persists, stop using the herb and contact your health practitioner.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an Ayurvedic herb and a seasoning that has been used for centuries by both the Indians and Chinese to reduce inflammation and pain. It is especially helpful in the treatment of arthritis, gout and other joint and muscle pain, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The active ingredient curcumin is found in supplements available at health food stores. Turmeric may reduce arthritis symptoms such as stiffness, swelling, redness, aching and soreness in both the joint and the soft tissue surrounding joints. Add turmeric to your cooking for seasoning and try making some Indian curries, seasoned with turmeric. Using turmeric medicinally may thin your blood. Speak to your health practitioner before doing so if you take blood-thinning medicines.
References
- "British Journal of Urology"; Influence of Cranberry Juice on the Urinary Risk Factors for Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stone Formation; T. McHarg; October 2003
- "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies"; Joe Graedon M.S. and Sifu Teresa Graedon; 2002
- "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook: Your Everyday Reference to the Best Herbs for Healing"; James Duke; 2002
- Urban Herbs: Medicinal Plants at Georgetown University: Burdock
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Turmeric
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