Anise Seed – Used as a food and spice in India, it is recognized for its healing powers, primarily for alleviating digestive complaints.

 

Bergamot – Used by the Winnebago, this herb is highly fragrant and has a slightly bitter, citrus taste.

 

Birch Leaf – A diuretic, it is used for the treatment of bacterial and inflammatory conditions of the lower urinary tract.

 

Black Pepper – Considered a panacea in ancient Sanskrit literature, pepper has been the most important spice since Roman times.

 

Burdock Root – Traditionally used to treat respiratory disorders and urinary problems by stimulating cellular regeneration, detoxification and cleansing.

 

Cardamom – Used first by the early Egyptians, it can ease breathing and dispel nausea.

 

Cascara Sagrada – Native to the Pacific Coast, the bark was traditionally used as a laxative by indigenous peoples.

 

Chamomile – The Egyptians dedicated chamomile to their gods for its power to cure. Used to induce sleep.

 

Chicory – The medicinal properties of chicory can be found in its leaves and large taproot and act as a tonic, diuretic, and laxative.

 

Cinnamon – Highly prized in biblical times in the East and the West, cinnamon is a stimulant to other herbs enabling them to work faster.

 

Coriander Seed – Coriander seed has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, especially in India, as a digestive herb.

 

Cranberry – Used by Eastern First Nations people to improve the health of the urinary tract.

 

Dandelion – First mentioned by Arabian physicians of the tenth century, the root promotes circulation and may reduce cholesterol.

 

Echinacea – Used by First Nations Healers for centuries as a natural antibiotic and immune system stimulator that helps to build resistance to colds, flus, and infections.

 

Elderberry – Elder is rich in legend and mystery. It is said to be the wood of Pan’s Pipes. Used to treat colds.

 

Eucalyptus – Australian aborigines relied on this healing evergreen. It fights inflammation of the mucous membranes in the head and throat.

 

Fennel – Charlemagne, a great believer in the digestive properties of fennel, in 812 A.D. declared it was essential in every imperial garden.

 

Flax Seed – The use of flaxseed dates back about 9000 years and has traditionally been used as a medicine for treating chronic or occasional constipation.

 

Garcinia – According to Indian folk tradition, it is used for rheumatism and bowel complaints. It is a well established fat burning agent.

 

Ginger – Mentioned in the Analects of Confucius and eaten by the Egyptians, it is an excellent herb to use for any kind of digestive upset or difficulty.

 

Juniper Berries – Rich in an essential oil, they are recognized for their digestive properties.

 

Grapefruit – Native to Jamaica, grapefruit stimulates the appetite and is used for its digestive, antiseptic, tonic, and diuretic qualities.

 

Hawthorn berries – The Greek herbalist, Dioscorides, reported the curative properties of hawthorn for the heart in the first century.

 

Hibiscus – Its flower tea is used for stimulating appetite, soothing sore throats, dryness of the lungs and digestive upsets.

 

Hoodia – For thousands of years, African tribesmen have eaten the stem of this cactus to suppress hunger and thirst on hunting trips.

 

Lemon – Has an invigorating flavor and helps reduce mucus build-up.

 

Lemongrass – Commonly used in the cuisines of Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, it is taken for digestive problems.

 

Licorice – A panacea in China and Egypt for centuries, it supplies needed energy to the system when cleansing or recovering from illness.

 

Magnolia Bark – First described in the Shennong Bencao Jing around 100 A.D, it may be prepared with ginger juice to enhance its digestive promoting effects.

 

Nettle Leaf – Used as a food and medicine by Canadian Indigenous peoples, stinging nettle is known traditionally as a spring tonic.

 

Oatstraw – The use of oats for medicinal purposes dates to antiquity. It balances blood sugar and nourishes the pancreas and liver.

 

Orange Peel – It is often used as a flavor enhancer.

 

Oregon Grape – Native Americans used the root tea to treat recurrent fevers, dysentery and to tonify.

 

Peony root – A popular medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is noted for its calming and antispasmodic properties.

 

Panax Ginseng – Mentioned by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung 5,000 years ago, ginseng is used to tone the body during stress and aid in rejuvenating the entire body.

 

Passionflower – Native American tribes have used it as a poultice for bruises and injuries, as well as for an overall tonic.

 

Peppermint – Peppermint, a hybrid first cultivated near London in 1750, cools the skin, relieves headaches and calms throat muscles.

 

Red Raspberry – Used by colonial Americans as an astringent, the fresh fruit was used to dissolve tartar on the teeth.

 

Rooibos – A traditional beverage of the Clanwilliam region of the Cape in South Africa, it is a powerful anti-oxidant, but contains no harmful stimulants or caffeine.

 

Skullcap – Found around the world, it is used for inflammation, dermatitis, allergic diseases and heart health maintenance.

 

Senna Leaf – Used as a laxative for centuries.

 

Speedwell – Named after an 18th century botanist, Speedwell tea was used as a relaxing tea.

 

Spearmint – Soothes and settles the nerves.

 

Thyme – In the Middle Ages, a knight going to war would carry a scarf embroidered with a sprig of thyme to instill bravery. Helps ease respiratory difficulties.

 

Wild Plum Bark – The Native Americans used it to make cough medicine, a tea to treat kidney and bladder ailments, and a disinfectant wash.

 

Yarrow – It was said that during the battle of Troy, Achilles healed many of his warriors with yarrow leaves. Used in teas it will induce sweats that expel toxins and reduce fever.