The use of ginseng in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.

A number of ginseng species used in herbal products grow around the world. Some of these plants include American ginseng, Korean ginseng, Sanchi ginseng, Chikusetsu ginseng, Himalayan ginseng, zhuzishen, and dwarf ginseng. Ginseng is also known as Siberian ginseng, devil’s shrub, eleuthero, touch-me-not, and wild pepper.

Ginseng has been used to improve the body’s resistance to stress and to increase vitality.

Ginseng has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of ginseng wort may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

Suma Root, known as Brazilian or Panax ginseng has been used in the Amazonian rain forest for many years to increase vitality and to boost sexual potency. It has been used as an aphrodisiac for centuries. It also strengthens the immune system by rejuvenating cells. It is extremely effective as an agent of health and wellness; especially for men.

Always consult your doctor before using ginseng. If you have a history of blood clotting or high blood pressure, you should not use it, or get permission from your doctor first.

I turned 50 a couple of years ago. Yes, the big “50″ greeted me and I realized that it meant I was half-of-a-century old. It was a shocker, that’s for sure. Some of my good friends, who had already turned 50 had told me that I would soon form a pouch or a “pooch” around my stomach. I describe it as a sort of beer belly on women. So, I just thought that a larger, rounder stomach was expected and that it was a normal part of aging for women. Well, I did start forming a pooch around my mid-section. It both startled and horrified me.

I started doing core exercises with routines that targeted my abs and it started helping me trim down. But I still had that pooch. So I started sprinkling cinnamon on my cereal and brewing it in my coffee and my tea. I was delighted to find out that the phytochemicals in cinnamon did serve to burn away the fat cells and to prevent me from gaining weight in my mid-section. It also helps to keep my blood sugars low.

I tell all of my friends who are struggling with high blood sugars or borderline diabetes to try just one teaspoon of cinnamon per day. I work to get one hour of exercise in daily. I usually alternate between one day of aerobics and one day of toning and/or weight bearing exercise. I eat fresh fruits and vegetables and keep my junk food intake under wraps. I have a flat stomach to show for it, and, a huge smile on my face. In the summer, I have the freedom of wearing the swim suit of my choice. Cinnamon is a wonderful herb!

I love rooibos tea. It is from South Africa and there is nothing like it to boost your immune system and help your body stay strong and free from diseases. I drink it with lunch or sometimes I drink it right after lunch and it gives me boundless energy. It really jump starts my metabolism.Rooibos helps to give you strong bones and teeth because of its calcium, manganese and fluoride content.Rooibos contains alpha hydroxy acid and zinc for healthy, smooth skin. This wonder tea is especially useful when applied to skin irritations like itchy skin, eczema, sunburns, diaper rash and acne.Rooibos contains magnesium which is necessary for a healthy nervous system. Rooibos increases the absorption of iron in the body. Rooibos contains potassium and copper minerals that are necessary for several metabolic functions.Rooibos makes a great thirst-quencher and sport drink. Because of its mineral content of iron, potassium, zinc, manganese and sodium, it restores the body’s equilibrium after strenuous exercise.Rooibos is often prescribed for nervous tension and mild depression as it makes a relaxing sedative.Rooibos contains no oxalic acid and can therefore be enjoyed by persons suffering from kidney stones. Rooibos does not contain caffeine, and hence is even better than green tea – to reduce stress! How to use:

Rooibos is very versatile! Steep 1 tsp/ cup of boiling water for 3-5 minutes.

Drink it hot or cold, with or without milk, sugar or honey. Add lemon or mix it with fruit juices for a lovely blend. In South Africa Rooibos tea is also used in cooking and baking. It replaces the liquid content in recipes for soups, marinades, sauces, stews and cakes for added flavor and nutrition!

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Star anise pods have a great anise flavor which is very distinctive. Drinking anise tea several times each day for one week actually helped me to get rid of my nagging bronchitis that I had for nearly the whole summer. It was so soothing to my throat. Well, this herb is used to add rich flavor to culinary dishes too.

Star anise is used in Chinese cooking, where it grows and has been used for many years. Use it in stir fry recipes for a mystical, licorice-type flavor. Always cook with whole pieces of the star; be careful not to break up the star unless the recipe specifies or, when using anise in tea, it can be broken up into pieces.

It has been used in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years because it is a natural expectorant and breaks down mucous and flem very effectively. It is also used as a treatment for indigestion and flatulence.Star anise pods are sold in Asian supermarkets. Always store these pods in airtight containers, in a cool, dark area and they will stay fresh for several months at a time. Store the pods in whole pieces. Use in small quantities as too much is unsafe.

Bel (Aegle marmelos) is a medium-sized deciduous tree.  Its local names are bael, bil, bela, bilvam, mahaka, etc. It belongs to the rutacae family. Its branches are thorny and bark is gray in color. The leaves are trifoliate, aromatic and full of aromatic oil.

Bel tree is generally found in the outer Himalayas, Shivaliks and South Indian plateau with altitudes ranging from 250 to 1200 m. It prefers comparatively drier and sunny or warmer aspect of the hill slopes with well-drained loamy soil. It is found growing naturally in mixed stands of Sal, Chir, Baheda, etc. in dry temperate region. Its natural habitat begins from Burma and extends to Afghanistan, and also the Deccan plateau.

Bel bears greenish white flowers during early summer. The fruit, green when raw, appears in June-July and become pale brown on ripening during early winter. It is spherical, with a diameter approximately 5 to 8 cm. It contains, medicinal element called marmalosin. Its bark exudes a kind of gum which is sweet like honey and is used for making squash. Children eat it when raw and also when ripe. Half-ripe Bel fruit is regarded as astringent, digestive, appetizer and gives relief from dysentery. The pulp of ripe fruit, being sweet, is used in marmalade. The gum is also used as adhesive.

Bel wood is aromatic, tough and strong. It weighs about 22 kg per cubic foot and is light yellow in color. It is difficult to season and if kept in the sun it develops cracks. Nevertheless it finds use for cheap rural house construction and also for agricultural implements. During drought Bel leaves are used as fodder for cattle.

Bel tree matures in about 60 years reaching a height of about 10 m and girth 1 to 1.5 m. It regenerates itself with ease in its natural habitat. It can also be raised in nurseries from its seed and from root cuttings.

The improper and frequent overuse of antibiotics in humans as well as animals has led to a global problem in which the most dangerous forms of infections and bacteria are resistant to these antibiotics.  Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is worse today than ever before and it is not slowing down. For example, there are strains of  TB and MRSA (deadly bacteria), which are not effected at all by antibiotics. This is very alarming, indeed!

It is so bad that doctors in Norway are preserving antibiotics for worst case scenarios and are using old-fashioned penicillin and natural (from nature) treatments to heal these infections. The good thing is that this “back to the future”  approach is working. Thankfully, for anyone who wishes to avoid taking antibiotics unles they’re absolutely necessary, there’s a window of time before being diagnosed with a bacterial illness when infections can be treated using more natural rememdies for which resistance won’t emerge in any real way. If you have a fever of 104 or above or if you have symptoms which will not go away after 24 hours, make sure to see a doctor as soon as possible.

If  you have what is commonly known as strep throat, with soreness and inflammation, you can gargle with bitter orange essential oil and salt water. Both bitter orange essential oil and salt water are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents. In fact,  the professional journal, Phytomedicine, recently reported that bitter (otherwise known as Seville or sour) orange was one of only five that inhibited bacterial growth in a study of 172 patients.

To treat a sore throat dissolve one drop of bitter orange essential oil and one-quarter teaspoon salt in one-half caup of warm water. Gargle twice daily with this concoction, but NEVER swallow.