Did you know the food items with the strongest tastes or most pungent smells are the healthiest for us? Garlic, Ginger, Fish Oil, Cayenne Pepper, Oregano all make us wince at a taste or a quick whiff, but they are PACKED with benefits. Some of these can even be utilized in daily life to remedy soreness, tummy aches and the common cold. I could write pages on all how we can cure ourselves from the inside out, but for now, I’m going to focus on 5 amazing natural remedies to keep in your pantry.

1. Oregano is a natural antibiotic.

For years I have sworn by oregano oil to kick a cold. With the slightest onset of feeling “not quite right,” I start a short regimen that includes oregano oil, and it works every time. Tuesday morning, I woke up for an early morning of my third day of jury duty… with a scratchy throat. Ugh. Being mixed with 200 random people for the prior two days, I might as well have been stuck with them on an airplane, germs swirling in the air. Every cough made me cringe in the days prior as I had a feeling this scratchy throat would come. I just couldn’t afford to get sick. So I popped two pills of oregano oil once in the morning and once in the evening that Tuesday and Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon, I was good as new!

Why did this work? Oregano has natural antibiotic properties. It’s most abundant                active ingredient is carvacrol. Carvacrol is what gives oregano its spicy taste.                      It inhibits the growth, and can even kill, a number of known pathogens that produce            harmful toxins in the gut by destroying the cell membranes of infectious bacteria and halts cell replication. Oregano oil has been proven to support your immune system, act as a digestive aid, protect against harmful organisms, act as a menstrual aid, support allergy symptoms, help with muscle soreness and more.

Oregano oil can be taken in liquid or pill form. If you choose to take the liquid (which is generally cheaper in price), be warned that it’s pungent! It will sting your throat until you get used to it. Only one or two drops per 8oz of water. Pill form is just as potent and easier to swallow (pun intended!). Beware that oregano oil is a digestive aid, so if you take too much it will send you running to the bathroom. Just take one pill at a time, two max once you get used to it. And you don’t want to take it consistently for more than two weeks at a time due to its potency.

2. Garlic also has natural antibiotic properties.

Garlic has been used for centuries to support the immune system and kick the common cold. It also doesn’t hurt that it makes dinner taste better! Allicin is the sulfur compound found in garlic that is responsible for the distinct garlic smell, and it’s also what generates this plant’s health benefits. It kills the microorganisms responsible for some of the most common infections and even rare ones. Garlic has also been found to reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels, and it’s also believed to help prevent many illnesses.

For the greatest health benefits from garlic, incorporate it into your cooking as much as possible, and try not to cook it to death. Even eat it raw if you can! I know many people who have gotten in the habit of eating a raw clove of garlic a day. I wouldn’t recommend this if you are regularly conversing with anyone in close proximity, but it will certainly ward off the mosquitoes!

Checkout this Healthline Article on even more amazing benefits of garlic.

3. Turmeric is one of the top immune support and anti-inflammatory supplements.

With its beautiful, bright orange color, turmeric is packed with antioxidants. Curcumin, abundantly found in turmeric, has been well-studied for its health benefits and has been suggested by many studies to halt enzymes that may be responsible for turning environmental toxins into carcinogens in the body. It’s most powerful aspect is to prevent inflammation. Curcumin has been found to be more effective in improving inflammation than aspirin and ibuprofen, and if it’s true that inflammation is at the root of most diseases, then we are really onto something here! Turmeric is even used in natural workout recovery drinks to prevent inflammation and soreness.

Turmeric supplement is just dried and crushed turmeric root, which is in the ginger family. It’s also commonly used in spices like curry, and you can also use the fresh root in cooking, raw in smoothies or in tea. I recently discovered turmeric and moringa tea, and I’m hooked. I physically felt amazing after drinking it, and it felt even better to know how good it was to boost my immune system.  Turmeric lattes are evening gaining traction!

4. Ginger relieves nausea and reduces inflammation.

People either love or hate ginger. I’m 100% team ginger. I love the citrisy zing it adds to smoothies, tea, everyday cooking and atop sushi. It can be eaten raw, but it’s pretty spicy if you aren’t used to it! It helps relieve nausea, reduces inflammation, supports the immune system and supports memory.

When you had a tummy ache or felt motion sick as a kid, did your mom give you Ginger Ale to sip on? Ginger has long been used and studied as a nausea aid for motion sickness, morning sickness, chemo nausea and to simply soothe your stomach. It’s not perfectly clear how ginger works, but we know it does! And raw ginger has been also found most effective in curing joint soreness. Just like turmeric, ginger is full of antioxidants and contains curcumin, so that may be a clue.

Getting a scratchy throat or looking for a soothing, healthy nightcap? Grab your tea mug: warm water, lemon, raw ginger and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper will warm your belly, fill you with energy and help kick that oncoming cold. (Tip: Leave out the cayenne if you’re drinking this before bed. Cayenne boosts your metabolism and may keep you awake. We’ll talk more about Cayenne Pepper another time!)

5. Echinacea reduces cold and flu symptoms.

At the first signs of a cold, when I feel the need to take oregano, I usually make a cocktail of supplements and include echinacea! Echinacea can be found in many teas and in dried supplement form. Echinacea is an herb that is derived from all parts of the plant: flower, leaves and root, to reduce cold and flu symptoms and prevent future illnesses. It smells and takes mild but floral, and its active ingredients are olysaccharides and alkylamides, both thought to be immune-stimulating.

Gaia herbs found that different parts of the echinacea plant can and should be used for different purposes… Their research discovered that “alkylamides do not stimulate immunity; rather, they support a healthy inflammatory response. This may explain why preparations made from Echinacea root, where alkylamides are concentrated, are effective at helping people feel better at the onset of an immune challenge, when support of a healthy inflammatory response is greatly needed. On the other hand, preparations made from Echinacea aerial parts, where polysaccharides gather, promote a healthy immune system, so they are more appropriate for fortifying the natural defenses throughout the season.”

Traditional Medicinals makes several varieties of delicious, caffeine-free echinacea tea to boost your immune system. Drink this by itself or with a teaspoon of local, raw honey.

 

These five natural remedies will give you a great start into eating better and feeling better. These natural herbs, plants and concoctions can work for the whole family! Stay tuned for five more remedies to add to your pantry, including cayenne pepper, manuka honey and fish oil.

“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates

 

This information is based on personal experience and research. Always consult a medical professional for medical advice on curing or preventing an illness.