Herbal Medicines Portland OR

As the nation’s economy struggles, a growing number of people are treating themselves with herbal remedies, options that can be far less expensive than typical doctor-ordered prescriptions.

Americans spent nearly $639 million on vitamins and supplements during the three months that ended in December of last year, according to Chicago-based market research firm Information Resources Inc.

That amount is up nearly 10 percent from the same period in 2007, and includes an increase of about 6 percent in the sale of herbal supplements.

This isn’t a coincidence. More people are coping with layoffs and have lost the health insurance that their employers provide. A report from UC Berkeley says that since November of 2007 and February of this year, about 3.7 million U.S. adults have lost their insurance. These Americans are searching for alternatives.

Here are five of the most common herbal remedies and what they treat. Be advised, though, many in the medical community do not vouch for the effectiveness of these herbal remedies. It is also recommended that you discuss herbal treatments with your physician.

Treat a cold with garlic

Many fans of herbal remedies swear by garlic as an effective way to ease cold symptoms. One method? Chop a clove of garlic into fine bits. Add the garlic bits to boiling water and allow it to steep for two to three minutes. Let the resulting “garlic tea” cool slightly before drinking. Drink a cup of this tea each day when suffering from a cold.

Stop a fever with echinacea

Echinacea is one of the most popular herbal remedies and is used for several ailments, including fevers. This plant is available in tablets, capsules, ointments and extracts.

Proponents of echinacea say that it stimulates the body’s natural immune response to fight off illness.

Ease a migraine without aspirin

Many turn to the vitamin niacin as an alternative to aspirin to help relieve migraine pain. Niacin can be found in such products as green leafy vegetables, nuts, sunflower seeds, liver, whole wheat and fish.

The vitamin also is available in tablets, which usually contain 100 milligrams or 500 milligrams.

A little hot pepper to relieve the flu

Cayenne might not seem like an obvious choice to relieve the flu. Try adding the herb to orange juice or soup. The anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant can ease congestion and increase mucus flow, a key to recovering from the flu.

Can’t sleep? Eat a cookie

Having trouble sleeping at night? You might consider munching on a brownie or a cookie. This may seem counterintuitive, but sugary foods eaten about a half-hour before you go to bed can act as a sedative.

Be careful with this remedy. If you eat too much sugar you’ll keep yourself awake.


Breakout

For the adventurous

Use a compress of cabbage leaves to relieve a migraine.

Some swear by this method, which requires migraine sufferers to place crushed cabbage leaves in a cloth and hold them against their forehead until the headache pain eases.

SOURCES: UC Berkeley, Information Resources Inc., AltMed.com, Drugs.com, Herbal Remedies Info.