Spice Up Your Food-Enhance your health

Garlic has a long history in folklore of being able to ward off disease, and some thought it could even ward off evil. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used it for any type of infectious sores, catarrh, leprosy and even digestive problems.

In 12th century Germany a tea made from three cloves of garlic, steeped in boiling water for 20 minutes was highly regarded as a remedy for asthma.

During World War II, with a shortage of antiseptics and disinfectants on the battlefront the readily available garlic was used to dress battle wounds. It's highly antiseptic, antibacterial properties made it the perfect substitute for more modern means of treatment.

Just incorporating more garlic into the food you eat can greatly enhance your immune system. Garlic Recipes.org has recipes for classics such as roasted garlic and garlic bread to some more exotic recipes such as AnchovY and Garlic Dip and Garlic Chicken Adobo. Check out the website for many, many more recipes featuring garlic.

Modern science has discovered that this lowly, smelly herb is instrumental in maintaining healthy cardio-vascular function, reducing head and chest congestion caused by the common cold, relieving the cough of bronchitis, boosting the immune system and much more.

While garlic is at it's highest potency fresh and is often juiced for medicinal purposes, don't underestimate the benefits of cooked garlic.

Garlic is a common herb used in nearly every country in the world. Add a little garlic (or a lot) to your pasta dishes, skillet dinners, salads, salad dressings, and anything else you can think of.

Check out Garlic Recipes. org for recipes such as the classic roasted garlic and garlic bread to more exotic recipes such as Anchovy Gralic Dip or Garlic Chicken Adobo. You'll find many more recipes to add garlic to your every day foods.

Parsley is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals and as such should be a part of our everyday lives. Medicinally, parsley has been used in the treatment of kidney stones, bladder infections and jaundice conditions as well as digestive problems. It is well known as a diuretic, laxative and emmenagogue. Typically the roots have been used, and may be necessary in extreme conditions, but a tea made from the leaves can be very effective.

In culinary applications, parsley added to any dish will help bring out the flavor of a single food, or blend various herbs and seasonings into a deep, rich taste. Dried parsley can be used as effectively as fresh parsley, but a fresh leaf is the most effective to freshen the breath.

Parsley is very high in Vitamin A, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Vitamin C, Protein and Riboflavin, plus trace amounts of many other vitamins and minerals.

Sage is another herb that originated in the Mediterranean region and has been used as a spice, medicine and preservative for centuries. It is an especially good seasoning for pork, fowl, and lamb and many vegetables such as eggplant benefit from its flavor.

Medicinally, sage is a panacea. It has been used for such things as anxiety, congestion, colds, flu, night sweats and countless other maladies much more serious. Its anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic properties make it a great remedy for any kind of infectious diseases and illness.

Try recipes such as Cannellini Beans and Italian Sausage or Roasted Turkey with savory herb rub (featuring sage) from Sages Recipes-Allrecipes.com or browse the site for more ideas for using sage in your daily menu.

It is high in Vitamins A and C, Zinc, Thiamine, Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium, making it a great addition to the treatment of debilitating diseases.

Rosemary is for remembrance. In ancient times, when brides were taken off to another country after they were married they were given a bouquet containing rosemary to remember their families who they would probably never see again.

More recently it has been discovered that rosemary can help increase circulation to the brain and has been used in treatments for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. It has also proven to be a safer, more effective food preservative than BHA and BHT to prevent food poisoning.

Its flavor enhances meats and vegetables, and, added to breads, it presents a delightful change from plain bread.

Its antibacterial, antifungal, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic qualities make it an invaluable addition to foods as well as being a potent medicine.

Thyme, with it's tiny yet extremely powerful leaves brings a lively, warm flavor to meats and vegetables. In the Middle Ages thyme was thought to protect soldiers in battle. Soldiers wives would embroider thyme leaves on their sleeves, and they carried thyme leaves in their pocket or pouch to stop the bleeding of wounds.

Its anti-tussive, antispasmodic, antiseptic, antibacterial, aromatic properties make it a great remedy for congestion and stomach problems. Its warming, relaxing volatile oils sooth irritated mucous membranes and release mucous from the lungs, while fighting the bacteria causing the illness.

Thyme is particularly high in Vitamin A, Zinc, several of the B vitamins, magnesium and calcium, making it not only a tasty addition to meats and vegetables, but also a nutritional enhancement.

And there you have it. The quartet of herbs immortalized in song!

Cayenne is one of the best herbs available for heart health, and many noted herbalists number it at the top of their list for benefits. It' healing properties have been known for centuries and used in every part of the world. It increases circulation and aids in strengthening the heart muscle and the entire cardiovascular system. Cayenne is thermogenic, meaning it can rev up metabolism increasing energy and may help in weight loss. It is also alterative and can help boost your immune system. Using cayenne with other herbs increase the potency of them. As Dr. Richard Schulze put it, "cayenne is the truck the other herbs ride in on"

By increasing blood flow cayenne increases the effeciency of the digestive system allowing the body to more fully utilize the nutrients in food.

Today cayenne is used worldwide to treat a variety of health conditions, including poor circulation, weak digestion, heart disease, chronic pain, sore throats, headaches and toothache.

Cayenne's beneficial properties lie mostly in a chemical called capsaicin. All hot peppers contain this chemical, but the hotter the pepper, the more beneficial it is. Refer to the scoville heat scale to find which peppers are the hottest.

If you're not used to hot, spicy foods start with the milder peppers or use just a small amount to begin with.

Spice up your menu. Warm up your heart, boost your immune system, and get the added benefits from the Vitamin C and beta carotene provided by hot peppers.