Diet & Fitness 

Advertisement

The natural way to boost your health

Feeling fluey or down in the dumps? Whatever your ailment, this guide to natural supplement remedies is sure to give you an instant lift

Ailment	Booster	Effect
Acne	Artichoke, Dandelion	Artichoke improves liver function and fat digestion. Dandelion is both cleansing and diuretic.
Anxiety	Passion flower, Valerian	Both are calming and mild tranquillisers.
Arthritis	Devil's claw, Glucosamine, Pycnogenols	Devil's claw and pycnogenols are both anti-inflammatories, while glucosamine sulphate helps repair damaged cartilage.
Back pain	Chilli, Devil's claw	Chilli stimulates the circulation and promotes healing of damaged tissues. Devil's claw is a natural anti-inflammatory.
Boils	Garlic, Tea tree	Both are powerful anti bacterials (eat one clove of garlic a day or take as tablets; apply tea tree oil directly to the boil).
Bruising	Horse chestnut, Pycnogenols	Horse chestnut improves capillary blood flow. Pycnogenols are natural anti-inflammatories.
Chilblains	Chilli, Ginger, Vitamin E	All stimulate and improve circulation to the extremities.
Cholesterol	Evening primrose oil, Folic acid, Garlic	Evening primrose oil is anti-inflammatory and protects the arteries. Folic acid controls levels of heart-damaging homocysteine. Garlic helps reduce blood cholesterol.
Chronic fatigue	BIO-STRATH elixir, Coenzyme Q10, Ginseng, St John's wort	BIO-STRATH is an immune booster, protects against infection and improves nutrient uptake. Coenzyme Q10 improves energy release from food. Ginseng boosts energy. St John's wort helps with depression that accompanies chronic fatigue.
Circulation problems	Ginger, Ginkgo biloba, Vitamin E	Ginger stimulates circulation and improves blood flow. Ginkgo biloba helps dilate the tiny capillaries at the end of the circulatory system. Vitamin E strengthens blood vessel walls.
Colds	Devil's claw, Echinacea, Lapacho	Devil's claw lessens aches and pains. Echinacea and lapacho are both immune boosters.
Cough	Garlic, Liquorice, Valerian	Garlic is anti-bacterial. Liquorice is an effective expectorant. Valerian improves sleep that is interrupted by coughing.
Cramp	Chilli, Ginger, Vitamin E	All stimulate and improve circulation.
Cystitis	Cranberry, Dandelion	Cranberry protects against urinary bacteria. Dandelion is diuretic.
Depression	Lemon balm, St John's wort	Lemon balm relieves physical tension. St John's wort helps moderate depression.
Fever	Chamomile, Feverfew, Tea tree	Chamomile helps ease fevers, especially for children. Tea tree is anti-bacterial. Feverfew helps lower body temperature.
Flatulence	Fennel, Peppermint	Both relieve symptoms.
Fluid retention	Dandelion	Dandelion leaves are a powerful diuretic.
Gallstones	Artichoke, Fenugreek	Artichoke stimulates the gall bladder and improves liver function. Fenugreek protects and stimulates the liver.
Gastritis	Chamomile, Fennel, Peppermint	Chamomile relieves stomach pain. Fennel seeds relieve gastric discomfort. Peppermint reduces stomach acidity.
Gout	Dandelion, Devil's claw, Lemon balm, Pycnogenols	Dandelion's diuretic action helps remove uric acid which causes the pain of gout. Devil's claw and pycnogenols are anti-inflammatories. Lemon balm relieves muscle spasms.
Hair problems	Chamomile, BIO-STRATH elixir, Red clover	BIO-STRATH improves nutrient absorption to aid hair health. Chamomile helps strengthen weak hair (drink as tea or use tea as a rinse after washing). Red clover provides plant hormones which may help reduce hair loss.
Headache	Artichoke, Dong quai, Feverfew	Artichoke cleanses the liver (good for hangover headaches). Dong quai relieves vascular spasm, so may help headaches associated with blood flow. Feverfew eases headaches.
Heart disease	Folic acid, Garlic, Lycopene, Selenium, Vitamin E	Folic acid controls homocysteine levels, a predictor of heart disease. Garlic lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduces the stickiness of blood. Lycopene is a protective antioxidant. Selenium is an essential mineral. Vitamin E protects both heart and arteries against oxidative damage.
Hepatitis	Artichoke, Milk thistle	Artichoke stimulates the liver and gall bladder and improves fat digestion. Milk thistle is useful for all liver problems.
Herpes	Garlic, Lemon balm	Both are specifically anti viral. Dab the cut end of a garlic clove onto affected areas, eat garlic in food or take as tablets. Take lemon balm as tea; use cold tea as a lotion on any areas affected with the herpes virus.
Hypertension	Coenzyme Q10, Flax seeds, Garlic	Coenzyme Q10 may lead to significant reduction in blood pressure. Garlic lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
Impotence	Catuaba, Muira Puama, pfaffia	Catuaba stimulates the central nervous system. Muira Puama helps improve sexual function. Pfaffia helps combat stress.
Indigestion	Chamomile, Fennel seeds, Peppermint	Chamomile relieves stomach pain. Fennel seeds relieve flatulence. Peppermint reduces stomach acidity.
Influenza	Cat's claw, Echinacea, Turmeric	Cat's claw is a great immune booster. Echinacea protects against viruses. Turmeric is anti bacterial and anti viral.
Insomnia	Passion flower, St John's wort, Valerian	Passion-flower is calmative. St John's wort is an anti-depressant; insomnia can be a symptom of depression. Valerian encourages deeper sleep and prevents waking in the small hours.
Memory loss	Ginkgo biloba, phosphatidylserine	Ginkgo biloba stimulates blood flow to the smallest blood vessels of the brain, specifically improving short-term memory loss. Phosphatidylserine is a vital regulator of brain function and helps improve general memory.
Menstrual problems	Black cohosh, Chamomile, Dandelion	Black cohosh helps regulate general physical and emotional disruptions of the menstrual cycle. Chamomile eases painful breasts before and during periods. Dandelion helps correct fluid retention, which causes menstrual discomfort.
Mouth ulcers	Garlic, Lemon balm, Probiotics	Garlic oil is excellent for healing mouth ulcers (rub the ulcers with the cut, squeezed end of a clove). Lemon balm is anti viral and prevents secondary infections (use lemon balm tea as an anti viral mouthwash). Probiotics replace the friendly bacteria in the mouth and digestive tract which protect against infections.
Prostate problems	Zinc and oyster extract	Zinc is essential for proper functioning of the prostate.
Raynaud's Syndrome	Chilli, Ginger, Ginkgo biloba, Vitamin E	All stimulate and improve circulation to the extremities.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)	Ginseng, Lemon balm, St John's wort	While none of these is a true treatment for the condition (light therapy is most effective), together they can produce a remarkable improvement. Ginseng provides an energy boost, which at least enables sufferers to be more active. Lemon balm relaxes physical tension and aids well-being. St John's wort helps to overcome the inevitable depression of SAD.
Tired All The Time Syndrome	BIO-STRATH elixir, Guarana, Kelp, Schisandra	BIO-STRATH promotes well-being. Guarana provides a gentle, slow-release energy boost. Kelp stimulates the thyroid, which is commonly, though sub-clinically, underactive. Schisandra restores a zest for life and improves the mental state.
Varicose veins	Chilli, Garlic, Ginger, Horse chestnut, Vitamin E	All stimulate and improve circulation to the extremities. Vitamin E in particular helps to strengthen vein walls.

Check with your doctor before taking any supplements and follow dosage guidelines on packets.

Extract taken from Super boosters by Michael Van Straten (£10.99; Mitchell Beazley). For more information and to order the book, log onto www.mitchell-beazley.co.uk

RATE IT

Delicious     Digg     reddit     Facebook     StumbleUpon

  Get the latest iVillage news on your desktop    Sign up for more iVillage RSS feeds

© iVillage Limited 2000-2008. All rights reserved. | © iVillage inc. 1995-2008. All rights reserved.
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB