If you're feeling a little off-colour, tired or down, give these natural remedies a try.

Trying to save cash? Look out the window! Popular backyard plants
can help some of our most common complaints. Here's how to use herbs:

To fight fatigue

Dr Mark Moss from the UK's Northumbria University says the scent of rosemary helps to increase alertness. Simply rub the leaves between your fingers to release the oil, then inhale the scent.

To soothe swollen breasts

A study at Australia's Charles Darwin University found wrapping cabbage leaves around breasts when breastfeeding helped minimise swelling. Take a large cabbage leaf, remove the white vein, then twist the two ends together to make a cup. Cut a hole for the nipple and wear in your bra.

To beat burns

Aloe vera contains the inflammation-fighting bradykinase, and helps burns heal faster. ‘Use aloe gel straight from the plant,' Leslie Kenton, author of Healing Herbs says. ‘Split open the leaf and smooth the gel onto the area.'

To tame the tum

If you have an upset stomach, Liz Bestic, author of A Guide to Natural Herbal Remedies, says, ‘Eat a grated apple that's gone brown. The pectin oxidises and acts like many diarrhoea remedies.'

To help morning sickness or a hangover

Tanya Wells of the Australian College of Natural Medicine suggests this drink, ‘Grate a little fresh ginger, throw it in a pot with a whole sliced lemon, a little honey and some water, and boil.'

To prevent painful periods

Ease period pain by eating parsley a few days beforehand. ‘Painful periods can occur when blood stagnates, and parsley thins the blood,' herbalist Dipaunka Macrides says.

To calm a cough

Herbalist Stephen Green says thyme is antispasmodic, so it can help to reduce coughing. Put a handful of chopped thyme and a ¼ cup sugar in a saucepan of water. Boil until the liquid thickens. Store in the fridge and take a spoonful twice a day.

To conquer a cold

Dipaunka Macrides says thyme also helps clear the mucus caused by a cold. Take it as a tea, or add it to a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam.

To mend a migraine

Try chewing feverfew two to three times a day to prevent migraines - it's thought to make the brain's blood vessels less sensitive, stopping the dilation that starts headaches. In City of London Migraine Clinic trials, 70 per cent of people on pills made from the leaves had fewer headaches or less severe pain.

To sleep soundly

Increase your chances of a good night's sleep by rubbing lavender leaves between your fingers and inhaling the fragrance. For long-term insomnia, try putting a handful of choppedleaves in a jar, covering them in olive oil and leaving for two weeks. Then rubthe oil on your hands before bed.

To beat your blues

Improve your mood by boiling the skin of a banana and drinking the water. Researchers at Taiwan's Chung Shan Medical University say banana skin is a rich source of serotonin, which makes you happy.

To banish bad breath

Peppermint tea hides bad-breath odours well, but Tanya Wells recommends an easy says detox to prevent the stench long term. ‘Bad breath comes as your body tries to expel toxins,' she says. Try a daily glass of warm water containing  the juice of half a lemon.

To impede indigestion

According to a study at Italy's University of Bologna, eating chillies regularly cuts symptoms of indigestion by 60 per cent. Capsaicin in chillies blocks pain in the body, but be warned - symptoms often get worse before they get better.

Be safe, not sorry

Many plants look alike, so make sure you know what's what before using them. ‘Only use plants you know haven't been treated with chemicals such as pesticides,' herbalist Stephen Green says. Stick to recommended doses, and if you're taking any other pills or have an ongoing medical condition, ask your doctor before trying herbs.

By Helen Foster

 

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