There are many natural ways to tweak your nutrition. Herbs and vegtables can have more benefits than just being healthy for you. The following are a handful of natural supplements that can help with cardiovascular health, digestion, and fat oxidation.

Ginger

Medical research has shown that ginger root is an effective treatment for nausea caused by motion sickness or other illness, and also contains many antioxidants. Ginger has also been shown in research to have a regulatory role in the natural inflammatory response of the body. There are several studies that demonstrate very positive results on minimizing joint pain from arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. It may also have blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties, making it effective in treating heart disease.

In India ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache. In Myanmar, ginger and local sweet (Htan nyat) which is made from palm tree juce are boiled together and taken to prevent the Flu.

The characteristic odor and flavour of ginger root is caused by a mixture of zingerone, shoagoles and gingerols, volatile oils that compose about 1%-3% by weight of fresh ginger. The gingerols have analgesic, sedative, antipyretic, antibacterial, and GI tract motility effects.

However, like other herbs, ginger may be harmful because it may interact with other medications, such as warfarin; hence, a physician or pharmacist should be consulted before taking the herb as a medicinal agent or on a long-term basis. Ginger is also contraindicated in people suffering from gallstones, because the herb promotes the release of bile from the gallbladder.

Garlic

Some scientific research indicates that garlic can have health benefits, such as preventing and fighting common cold, and a meta analysis showing significant results (8% compared to placebo) of lessening low density lipoprotein carrying cholesterol (LDL-C). They are claimed to be an effective long-term remedy for cardiovascular problems reducing excessive blood cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, the risk of thrombosis, and hypertension.

Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood sugar levels. Regular and prolonged use of therapeutic amounts of aged garlic extracts lower blood homocysteine levels, and has shown to prevent some complications of diabetes mellitus, though people taking insulin should not consume medicinal amounts of garlic without consulting a physician. In such applications, garlic must be fresh and uncooked, or the allicin will be lost.

Garlic cloves continue to be used by aficionados as a remedy for infections (especially chest problems), digestive disorders, and fungal infections such as thrush. It may also have some cancer-fighting properties because it is high in diallyl sulphide (DADs), believed to be an anticarcinogen.

Garlic supplementation in rats along with a high protein diet has been shown to boost testosterone levels.

Peppermint

Peppermint, like many spices and herbs, is believed to have medicinal properties when consumed. It is said that it helps against upset stomachs, inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, and can help smooth and relax muscles when inhaled or applied to the skin.

Other health benefits are attributed to the high manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A content; as well as trace amounts of various other nutrients such as fibre, iron, calcium, folate, potassium, tryptophan, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, riboflavin, and copper.

Peppermint oil has been demonstrated to reduce colicky abdominal pain due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the oil is an irritant to the stomach in the quantity required and therefore needs wrapping for delayed release in the intestine. Peppermint relaxes the gastro-oesophageal sphincter, thus promoting belching.

Green Tea

Proponents of green tea note that its medicinal benefits have been described for over 1000 years. In more recent times, many studies have investigated a link between the consumption of green tea and a lower incidence of a range of cancers in populations, with mixed results.

Green tea enthusiasts believe it to be useful for, increasing fat oxidation (helping the body use fat as an energy source) and raising metabolism. People who took green tea extract three times a day saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent, according to a study published in the December 1999 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Joy Bauer, a New York City nutritionist, says green tea contains catechins, which increase levels of the metabolism speeding brain chemical norepinephrine.

Japanese researchers claim if you drink five cups of green tea a day, you'll burn 70 to 80 extra calories. Dr. Nicholas Perricone , the anit-aging specialist, appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show and told Oprah's viewers they can lose 6 lbs. In 10 Weeks Drinking Green Tea instead of coffee.

It has also been sugested that green tea lowers LDL cholesterol (in high doses in lab tests).

Chilli

Red chilis are very rich in vitamin C and provitamin A. Yellow and especially green chiles (which are essentially unripe fruit) contain a considerably lower amount of both substances.

In addition, peppers are a good source of most B vitamins, and vitamin B6 in particular. They are very high in potassium and high in magnesium and iron. Their high vitamin C content can also substantially increase the uptake of non-heme iron from other ingredients in a meal, such as beans and grains.

Some studies show that Capsicum and capsaicin may have anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial effects. Chilli has also been shown to regulate the level of cholestorol in the blood stream, thus acting as a good natural fat attacker.

Oleoresin from the chilli pepper is included in some over-the-counter medicines for application to the skin to act as counter-irritants. These medicines, for example Algipan Rub(r), may be used for some joint or muscle pains. Some prescription medicines that contain capsaicin are prescribed for applying to the skin to alleviate some types of pain in joints, for example Zacin(r) cream.

So before we use the synthetic supplements, nature could provide us with a healthier and cheaper alternative to gain the nutritional edge.