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