Do-It-Yourself Natural Medicine

There are many times when I 'm asked if a natural or over-the-counter product can be used for various things.  The answer is almost always yes! There are situations where things get a bit technical or can be a problem, but overall I felt that I could compile a general list for whatever might ail you.

If you suffer from any of these conditions, you might try one of these more natural treatment approaches. 

Anxiety: Valerian, lemon balm, glutamine, kava, and teas (passion flower, hops, and chamomile).
Cancer: Beta carotene, fish oil, black or green teas, garlic, soy, and vitamin A and D.
Canker Sores: Lysine
Cholesterol: Fish oil, red yeast rice, plant sterols, and garlic
Colds and Flus: Echinacea, elderberry, garlic, zinc, and vitamin D and C
Dementia/Memory: Ginko, huperzine A, and vitamin E
Depression: St. Johns wort, fish oils, 5 HTP, tryptophan, glutamine, and inositol
Diabetes: Bitter melon, gymnema, chromium, alpha lipoic acid, cinnamon, and green tea
Energy/Weight Loss: Guarana and bitter orange (and others...check out my weight loss postings)
Gastrointestinal distress: Peppermint oil and chamomile tea
Heart Health/Heart Failure: Co-Q10, arginine, fish oils, grape see extract, and garlic.
Inflammation: Fish oil and willow bark
Liver Cleansing: Milk thistle
Menopausal Symptoms: Black cohash, dongquai, red clover, and evening primrose
Migraine/Headache: Feverfew, willow bark, butterbur, fish oil, magnesium, coQ10, and riboflavin
Motion Sickness/Nausea: Ginger and peppermint
Osteoarthritis: Glucosamine and chondroitin
Prostate Enlargement: Saw Palmetto and lycopene
Sleep: Melatonin, magnesium, valerian, kava, and progesterone.

Make sure to check other medications against these options for any potential interactions. Your healthcare provider can help answer those questions for you.

To your good health,
Dr. Sonja