| We hear a lot of talk about herbs and | | | | rose hips are probably the most natural |
| how they can treat various ailments. In | | | | concentrated source of vitamin C, |
| a society where we are brought up to | | | | containing between 1700 and 2000 mg per |
| believe that the only way to cure our | | | | 100 grams of rose hips. That would be |
| ills is to go to the doctor and get a | | | | the equivalent of about 3 or 4 vitamin C |
| pill, shot or even an operation, we | | | | tablets at 500 mg each. Again, from my |
| can't help but wonder if all this talk | | | | own experience, I have fought off many |
| about herbs is just that, talk. Or is | | | | colds without drugs by simply drinking |
| there something to it? Can herbs really | | | | rose hips tea. |
| cure us of what ails us? We're going to | | | | Devils claw is said to have great |
| take a look at some herbs and the claims | | | | anti-inflammatory properties. Devils |
| that nutritionists make. In many cases, | | | | claw is a plant that comes from the |
| there is documented evidence of these | | | | sesame family. The pant itself is native |
| claims. Makes you wonder. Fact or | | | | to South Africa. The are two active |
| fiction, or a little of both? | | | | ingredients in devils claw, Harpagoside |
| Ginger is said to be very good for | | | | and Beta sitosterol. Supposedly, it is |
| treating cases of nausea. Ginger, for | | | | these ingredients that give devils claw |
| those interested, originated in China | | | | its anti-inflammatory properties. Again, |
| and quickly spread to Southeast Asia, | | | | from my own experience, having suffered |
| Africa and the Caribbean. Even though it | | | | from sinus headaches for many years, I |
| is commonly referred to as a root, it is | | | | can honestly say that taking devils claw |
| actually an herb from the Zingiber | | | | actually relieved my pain. |
| officinale plant. As to the claims that | | | | Granted, this is a very short list. I |
| Ginger is great for nausea, I can | | | | chose it to make a point though. These |
| honestly say that I have personally used | | | | are just three herbs that all claim to |
| ginger to treat nausea when I had severe | | | | have some healing power. The skeptic |
| post nasal drip and it worked like a | | | | would dismiss this as drug bashing. I |
| charm. Okay, maybe treating nausea isn't | | | | looked at the claims and simply said to |
| the same as curing cancer, but the point | | | | myself, well, if that's what they claim, |
| is, taking ginger powder in tea | | | | why not give it a shot? So I did. The |
| definitely did the trick when nothing | | | | results were amazing. Granted, we're not |
| else worked. | | | | talking about serious illnesses here. |
| Rose hips are said to be great for | | | | However, if these herbs were able to |
| fighting off infection. Rose hips are | | | | relieve my relatively moderate symptoms, |
| the fruit from the rose plant. Many | | | | who's to say that there aren't herbs out |
| people use rose hips in herbal tea. They | | | | there that can actually cure things as |
| actually taste very good. But fight | | | | serious as cancer? |
| infection? Well, there is a reason for | | | | Personally, I will keep an open mind to |
| that. Rose hips just happen to be very | | | | the possibility until somebody proves |
| high in vitamin C. As a matter of fact, | | | | otherwise. |