Herbs & Alternative Medicine

Inflammation is our body's natural reaction to an injury or infection. It alerts us that something wrong in our bodies, and lets us know that we need to slow down before we risk further injury....

Andrographis, the king of bitters, is an annual/biennial herb that is native to Southeast Asia, China and India. It benefits human health by stimulating the immune system so the body can fight off...

Prostate specific antigen or PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. A PSA reading is the result of a blood test intended to detect levels of PSA in the blood. Although a higher level of...

Toenail fungus is an infection that can cause the toenail to be thick, crumbly and discolored. Invading the toenail through small cuts between the toenail and the toe, toenail fungus can be...

Inflammation is the body's response to foreign substances (such as bacteria and viruses); the body uses inflammation to prevent infections. However, some diseases can trigger inflammation...

Respiratory complaints can be particularly distressing for the afflicted. If you can't breathe properly, what else matters? Fewer things are more frightening than realizing you're not taking in...

During the cold and flu season, you may find yourself with an uncomfortable cough. While you have access to a variety of cough medication choices, you might prefer to use natural ingredients found...

Licorice is a hardy perennial with tiny blue flowers and small, oval leaves. The root of this plant is woody and contains the oils and flavor that we associate with black licorice candy. Alhough...

Black licorice is a type of chewy candy flavored with licorice root extract. Licorice can be used as alternative or complementary treatments for a variety of conditions, although little evidence...

Tendinitis is the inflammation or swelling of a tendon, usually caused by overuse or injury, and can cause restricted movement and pain. While there are many over-the-counter and prescription...

Caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, shingles results in a painful, itchy rash that becomes more intense if left untreated. Typically, Shingles affects individuals with weakened...

Hyperkalemia is a life-threatening condition in which your blood contains too much potassium. Kidney disease is one cause of hyperkalemia. If you suspect hyperkalemia, call 9-1-1 and get to a...

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), between 5 and 20 percent of the U.S population catches the flu every year. With newer and stronger flu types, like swine flu and avian bird flu,...

The adrenals are small glands located on top of the kidneys and are responsible for producing a variety of steroidal hormones, including cortisol, which is believed to play a major role in...

A sweet and spicy ingredient in many candies and pastries, licorice extract is also a powerful compound often used in natural healing. Licorice extract is taken from the licorice rhizome, and has...

Helicobacter pylori is known by its more common nickname, H. pylori, caused by a bacteria that infects the initial part of the intestine and the stomach. H. pylori often causes nausea, burning or...

Psoriasis is characterized by itchy, scaly, patchy skin, usually on the knees and elbows. It is caused by the rapid turnover of skin cells, three to four times a day on average, rather than the...

Gas and indigestion are common problems, often brought on by eating the wrong types of foods, illness or simply a change in diet. Such a problem often can be treated with modern over-the-counter...

There are a large variety of herbal remedies for just about every female ailment, not to mention the vast array of herbs that care for everyday female health issues. Women should be very careful...

Reaching for a cup of coffee may be the first place you go for extra energy, but too much caffeine could leave you feeling stressed and jittery. Often, you can find a natural, prolonged source of...

Hepatitis C is a viral disease that leads to inflammation of the liver. Many with the disease do not have symptoms and are unaware of the infection until it is diagnosed during blood tests for a...

The herpes simplex virus is responsible for causing the sores of herpes on the mouth and genital area. Once infected, the virus permanently incorporates itself into the human host DNA after...

An upset stomach can be caused by certain foods, motion sickness or a virus. Over-the-counter medications can soothe an upset stomach, but their active ingredients are mainly synthetic and can...

Hepatitis C was discovered as a new strain of the harmful hepatitis virus in 1988. It is different from its counterparts A and B because it can remain dormant in the bloodstream for years at a...

Ulcers can occur in many forms, including skin and stomach ulcers. Natural healing offers some gentle and tasty ways to protect and heal your body of inflammation and ulcers. Some healing herbs...

Gum disease can be inconvenient, embarrassing and downright painful. However, if you are in the early stages of gum disease, you may be able to use a simple natural treatment to avoid an expensive...

Gum disease is an uncomfortable condition caused when bacteria invade your gums. The bacterial infection causes pain and inflammation, and if left untreated, gum disease can eventually cause tooth...

It seems like more often than not, people are more prone to go for a bottle of ibuprofen than a bag of ice or some herbal remedies for any kind of inflammation. Ibuprofen and other medicines have...

Licorice is a sweet-tasting plant with a long history of use as a medicinal herb in both the east and west. Recently, licorice extract has been studied by medical researchers and has been found...

Heartburn is never an enjoyable experience. If you follow the tips in this article, you can reduce how often you get heartburn, and deal with it when you already have it.

Familial Mediterranean Fever is a health condition that is rare, chronic, inherited, and most prominently occurs in Turks, Arabs, Armenians, and Sephardic Jews. The condition is associated with...

Body odor is a problem that affects everyone. If you are looking for a deodorant, an antiperspirant, or a combination of the two, your local drugstore offers shelf after shelf of products that...

Many people are affected by sinus problems that include infections and inflammation. Herbal and conventional remedies go directly to the source to help loosen congestion as well as trying to...

Chronic coughing can be an annoying problem, especially if you are around other people. Although coughing is not considered something that actually needs to be suppressed, you may want to take an...

Coughing is nature's way of moving mucus up and out of the lungs. There are three herbal strategies for dealing with a cough. First, choose herbs that help boost the body's natural healing...

Psoriasis is an immune system problem that has turned into a chronic inflammation. Normal skin cells takes 28 days to go through their life cycle. Psoriasis compresses the skin cell's life cycle...

A low libido affects many people, both men and women, and can happen at any age. There are many causes of a low sex drive, including stress, medications, poor nutrition and drug use. Many new...

Colon cleansing is an alternative, natural remedy that eliminates toxins, waste and parasites from the body. Because cleansing eliminates waste from the colon and intestines, it can improve...

With the dangers of prescription weight loss drugs permeating the media, many health-conscious consumers are turning to healthy herbal alternatives for weight loss. Whether you wish to lose water...

Just about everyone experiences anxiety at some time or another. But when it appears for no reason or interferes with your daily routine, you should seek treatment. There are many different forms...

The best-known Chinese herbal cough remedy is called Pei Pa Koa. It was developed in the Ching dynasty by Ip Tin See. Although there are variations in the the formula, this alcohol-free, natural...

While there is an array of medical treatments available for HIV-positive persons, there are also alternative, herbal remedies that can be sought to slow the progress of the virus, or at least...

Cushings disease is a condition caused by the creation of cortisol inside the body at extremely high levels. When the body is exposed to cortisol, a hormone, for long periods, the condition is...

Allergies are caused by an atypical reaction by the immune system to typically harmless substances, which are referred to as allergens. Many people suffer from allergies all year long and find no...

Western medicine traditionally treats sinus infections with decongestants and, sometimes, antibiotics. Eastern medicine traditionally uses herbs and other forms of alternative treatments. Due to...

While new drugs are constantly being produced and studied for the treatment of HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, the use of plants is not out of the question. Plants are still being used in...

Toxic black mold, also known by its Latin name, Stachybotrys Chartarum, is a dangerous fungal growth that proliferates most frequently in water-damaged homes Water is all black mold needs to...

Cold sores are not only painful but also embarrassing, due to the appearance of the enlarged blistering sore. Caused by the herpes simplex virus (not to be confused with the type 2 virus, which is...

Black licorice brings to mind old-fashion candy to most, but black licorice root is an herb that has many nutritional and beneficial health properties. As a detoxification agent black licorice...

Native to southern Europe and central Asia, the licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) plant has been part of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Licorice root contains coumarins, flavonoids,...