Self Care: Natural Treatments that can Save you Money and a Trip to the Doctor

Taking prescription medications routinely depletes your immune system and doesn’t allow your body to heal itself in a natural way. Prevention of illness keeps your body strong. Some simple, natural supplements keep your body strong, and in many cases help you avoid becoming ill in the first place. Here are a few recommended herbs, spices and oils that keep your body up and running in a healthy way. Thieves OilrnYou may not be aware of Thieves oil. The oil has been used for generations to fight colds, viruses and build the immune system. Ravintsara’s clean smell and immune building power is strong and smells great, too. Take the essential oil internally; use it as an addition to your cleaning water. According to Gary Young of Young Living Essential Oils, you can use it in the laundry to keep your laundry looking and smelling fresh. Echinacea and GoldensealrnThe root of the purple coneflower, or Echinacea, has been used since the time of the pioneers to build the immune system and make healing faster if you have a cold, flu or sinus problems. Native Americans taught the pioneers that consuming Echinacea and goldenseal prevents many common illnesses and allows the body to heal itself. Using either herb individually brings benefits to a person’s health. Combining the two herbs gives the immune system a powerful boost. SpearmintrnSpearmint has been used for hundreds of years as a flavoring for foods and as a soothing tea. Strong spearmint tea reduces fevers, relieves headaches and soothes dyspepsia. Just add a teaspoon or more of spearmint tea leaves to a cup of hot water and steep. If you don’t like to drink the leaves, use an infuser for loose tea. Spearmint tea is stimulating and relaxing at the same time. It aids digestion and relieves gas and heartburn. The tea is excellent alone or when sweetened with your favorite sweetener, such as honey. CinnamonrnCinnamon reduces blood sugar levels as well as cholesterol levels, according to some studies. Diabetics or those with pre-diabetes who consume cinnamon discovered their blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels became lower by 10-20 percent. Be sure to take a water soluble extract or capsule, and don’t take more than 1 gram of cinnamon per day. TurmericrnTurmeric’s anti-inflammatory qualities help people with arthritis symptoms. Curcumin is the active ingredient found in the spice, which is one of the key ingredients in curry powder. Scientists believe that turmeric acts in a similar manner as does Cox-2 inhibitors, which reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis. Turmeric may also prevent colon cancer and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Using turmeric with quercetin reduced the amount and size of colon polyps by at least 50 percent. Quercetin is found in onions, cabbage, and apples. GingerrnGinger is a common household spice. Ginger comes from the root of the ginger plant. Use ginger if you suffer from nausea due to: • Pregnancy. • Chemotherapy. • Motion sickness. • Illnesses. Cruise liners have used ginger to treat their patients who suffer from motion sickness and have found it to be as effective as Dramamine. Ginger makes a pleasant tea alone or when combined with other natural ingredients. Ginger works by blocking serotonin. It also stops the negative effects of free radicals, which cause aging and cancer. Ginger may also reduce blood pressure and relieve arthritis pain. It has been used for years as an anti-inflammatory. For the best results, take ginger before symptoms start. If you know you will be sailing, traveling by car or having chemotherapy treatment, take 500 to 1000 mg of ginger 30 minutes before the trip or treatment.