Boswellia (Frankincense)
The fragrant resin of the frankincense tree, burned in temples for thousands of years and used in Ayurveda for stiff, aching joints. Today it's one of the most-studied herbs for joint comfort.
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Goldenseal
A small woodland plant of eastern North America with a bright-yellow root, used by Cherokee, Iroquois and other Indigenous nations for sore eyes, wounds and as a yellow dye. It became one of the best-known remedies of 19th-century herbal medicine, and is now so heavily harvested that it's a protected, at-risk species, so where it comes from matters.
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St. John’s Wort
A bright yellow summer flower named after St. John, gathered around Midsummer and steeped in oil until it turns blood-red. Europe has used it for low spirits, nerves and skin for centuries, and today it's one of the most-studied herbs for mood. It also has more drug interactions than almost any other herb, so this page starts its Safety section there.
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Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is one of the most talked-about "natural antibiotics" online. Before you buy it, read why health regulators in Canada and the US warn against taking it, and what silver's real history in medicine looks like.
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Omega-3 Fish Oil
Fish oil carries EPA and DHA, the long-chain omega-3 fats found in oily fish. Here's how folk medicine and naturopaths have used it, from cod liver oil for "aches and pains" to heart and brain support, and what the big trials found.
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Zinc
Zinc is a trace mineral your body uses in hundreds of enzymes, from immune cells to skin repair. Here's how traditional medicine and naturopaths use it, what the research shows, and why more isn't better.
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Apple Cider Vinegar
People have used vinegar as a kitchen remedy for thousands of years, from Hippocrates' wound care to the honey-and-vinegar tonics of Persian medicine. Here's what tradition says, what the small modern studies found, and how to take it without hurting your throat.
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Soursop (Graviola)
A tropical fruit tree whose leaves have been brewed as a folk tea across the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa for generations. Here's what tradition says, what the research has (and hasn't) shown, and the safety points every user should know first.
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Sea Moss (Irish Moss)
A red seaweed from rocky North Atlantic shores that Irish families boiled into a soothing drink for coughs and colds, and that Caribbean kitchens turned into a thick, spiced milk drink for strength. Today it's a popular gel and gummy sold as a mineral-rich "superfood".
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Gotu Kola
A small creeping plant from the carrot family, prized in Ayurveda as a "medhya rasayana", a tonic for the mind, and across Asia for skin, wounds and longevity. Sri Lankan tradition held that eating the leaves helped people live longer.
