Top 10 herbs and supplements to help you heal

Here are the top 10 natural remedies that live up to their promise. All are widely available at health food stores.

Also known as echinacea, andrographis has been used for centuries to treat colds and fevers. It seems to work by reducing inflammation and stimulating the immune system.

• Ointments and creams made from this herb can be used to ease swelling and help heal injuries that cause inflammation.
• Use it to treat bruises and burns, strains, sprains and sore muscles, bursitis, tendinitis and even carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Take care not to use it on broken or bleeding skin.

• Derived from pineapple stems, bromelain is an enzyme that encourages good digestion.
• Bromelain supplements help break down food and complete digestion. This makes them helpful for conditions like flatulence or inflammatory bowel disease.
• Bromelain also eases swelling and bruising by blocking body chemicals that cause inflammation.
• It's also helpful for treating bruises, muscle soreness and bee stings.

• Capsaicin is the chemical that gives hot peppers their heat. It helps relieve pain by short-circuiting pain signals from skin nerves to the brain.
• It's available as a cream. Apply it to the skin for osteoarthritis, shingles, neck ache or carpal tunnel syndrome, or as a patch for back pain. An initial burning feeling fades quickly.
• Start with the mildest form you can find and wash your hands after applying.
• Never use capsaicin on broken skin or blisters. Leaving a patch on too long may cause skin irritation.

• This bitter-tasting African herb contains compounds called harpagosides that reduce inflammation.
• It's helpful chronic back pain, neck aches, osteoarthritis and similar conditions.
• Devil's claw is commonly available in a liquid and as a powder.

• During flu season, keep a concentrated extract of elderberries on hand.
• When you feel flu symptoms coming on, take 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) four times a day for three to five days.
• It boosts your immune system and shorten the duration of the attack.
• Also keep a jar of elderflowers. A tea made from them will help you sweat and help break a fever.

• This remedy is rich in an essential fatty acid that eases inflammation.
• Evening primrose oil can be used to treat asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, PMS bloating, menstrual cramps and impotence.
• It also helps moisturize skin, hair and nails. Take it orally to help brittle nails and dry hair from the inside out.
• Evening primrose comes as an oil or in gel-filled capsules.

• Lemon balm is an old-time remedy and, as a tea, is used for treating insomnia, shingles, and as part of a remedy for inflammatory bowel disease.
• It has been found to contain compounds that are potent virus fighters.
• It's also available as a concentrated ointment, used to speed recovery from a cold sore outbreak.

• Lysine is an amino acid that can help fight viruses, especially herpes, by blocking the activity of arginine, another amino acid that viruses need to replicate.
• Taking the supplement can help control outbreaks of oral and genital herpes. Especially when combined with restrictions on arginine-rich foods.
• It also helps to eat lysine-rich foods, such as cheese, eggs, chicken, milk and lima beans.

• Quercetin is an antioxidant derived from plants that acts much like an antihistamine.
• Take it to relieve or help prevent allergy symptoms, such as watery eyes, stuffy nose and sneezing.
• It can also help ease airway inflammation in asthma.

Researchers are continually discovering how different vitamins and supplements can keep us happy and healthy. These ones can help for all sorts of symptoms, from nasal congestion to pain relief.