Although many people dismiss herbal and natural medicine as nonsense, there are many well-documented cases of herbal medicine actually doing some measurable good. Furthermore, fears of addiction and high prescription drug prices are influencing many people to look into natural medicine. It is almost always cheaper than pharmaceutical medicine, and can be used in combination with other drugs to help live with illness. Having said that, a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals should be your first line of defense. Nutritional supplements can be invaluable in this regard.

Some Herbs We're Using

Many Americans are using herbs to fight depression, turning down "happy pills" in search of more natural cures. St. John's wort is rising in popularity, as many people are finding that it alleviates depression without the "spacey" side effects that some medications can have. Some doctors even prescribe St. John's wort to patients whose symptoms they feel are not severe enough to merit full-strength drugs.

Another example is in arthritis medication. The herb called "devil's claw" is used by almost five percent of Americans to fight arthritis pain. The herb is native to South Africa, but has spread to Europe and beyond thanks to it's usefulness in soothing joint pain. Devil's claw has none of the side effects of the painkillers used to treat arthritis, and no danger of addiction either.

Yet another example is the herb feverfew. Under most circumstances, people who suffer from migraines have their choice of several strong (but expensive and addictive) painkillers to keep their headaches under control. Recent clinical trials have shown that feverfew reduces the frequency of migraines--just one of the many natural cures that modern science is only starting to validate.