For thousands of years, herbs and spices have earned their right place in the field of alternative medicine.

Modern research has also proved and helped pinpoint their unique medicinal properties.

If you are prone to colds and stomach aches, or if you are also experiencing other health issues that herbs and spices can help you with, you can directly go to your kitchen and find the remedies to your illness.

You can either eat the spices with your meals, juice or create a smoothie with it. The simplest way to extract the medicinal properties of herbs are steeping it with hot water for a couple of minutes before drinking the liquid. Below are some of the typical kitchen herb that every kitchen witch loves to use.

1. Basil

Basil is an Italian spice usually added to breads and pastries. This spice can also ease anxiety by relaxing tense muscles. Because of its biochemical action to the body, it can be used to address intestinal and uterine cramps of women.

2. Rosemary

The herb rosemary has antibacterial properties. It also has antioxidant compounds that can help neutralize free-radicals in the body. A research group at Kansas State University reported that using this herb in ground beef can help reduce the formation of cancer-causing compounds that are usually present in fried and grilled meats.

3. Turmeric

This herb is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which means it can used to help ease pain from injuries, arthritis or other chronic aches. Its potent properties came from the compound called curcumin – which is also a popular health supplement today. In India, it is used both topically and internally to help with skin wounds. It is also often steeped into tea to help ease upper respiratory tract infections and treat colds.

4. Ginseng

Ginseng is originally an herb root, cleaned and soaked in hot water to serve as tea. The benefits of this root is it improves lung function, lower blood sugar levels, improves mood, reduce stress and boost brain function. You can grab this as a canned beverage, tea or in capsule form. This can be a replacement to coffee or tea as well.

5. Cinnamon

Cinnamon sticks are great when added to hot water with a little lemon to express cold symptoms. You can also mixed this with freshly grated ginger and natural honey as an elixir for sore throat. In ancient times, this spice was regarded as the spice used by royalty. Studies show that cinnamon can assist an insulin resistant patient in treating their condition. Cinnamon has also been found to aid in blood sugar reduction and repair damaged cells caused by aging.

6. Ginger

Ginger is not just a staple in every kitchen, it is a must to stock your pantry with this spice. It is great for curbing nausea, combating colds and treating indigestion. According to research, ginger contains the compounds gingerols. This is believed to help fight cancer and address pain from arthritis.

7. Saffron

Saffron has been originally used in Persia as a medicine to boost one’s mood. It is usually consumed as a tea or added to rice porridge. Medical findings states that saffron can address anxiety, depression and mood swings by changing the neurotransmitter levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. This spice also contains antioxidants that can help clean up the free radicals in the body – particularly in the brain.

Using herbs and spices in their natural form are completely safe. However, in the event that you plan on using these in supplement form to treat specific conditions, it is always best to seek your doctor’s advice about it. A healthcare professional can determine if taking these in supplement form are safe and in line with your illness.

Natural supplements may come from harmless sources but they can be very potent. They can also interact or interfere with any prescription medication that you are taking, so remember to talk to your doctor and ask if these natural products are safe to take.