Calendula is native to northern Africa and the south-central portion of Europe, but can be grown elsewhere, including indoors. The phytochemicals in calendula oppose fungi, bacteria, viruses, and inflammation. They also excite white blood cells in the immune system to fight microbial invaders with a little more vigor. Calendula has been a good treatment for skin problems of all kinds, particularly cuts, scrapes, bruises, and minor wounds.

It can also help with Cancer, tumors, coughing, dry eyes, fever, frostbite, gastritis, hemorrhoids, jaundice, and other liver problems, sun burn, thrombophlebitis, toothache, and worms.

Caraway is native to Africa and Eurasia but now grows wild over much of North America. If you have ever eaten a piece of rye bread, you've no doubt eaten caraway.

Caraway contains mild antihistamines, antimicrobial compounds, and muscle relaxants that help check spasms, it also cuts down on intestinal gas.

Caraway can also help with Bronchitis, fever, gallbladder problems, anemia, bacterial infections, colic, liver problems, heart disease, incontinence, nausea, and nervousness.

Cardamom grows in southern India, cultivated elsewhere as a money crop, especially in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Inside the fruit are two rows of seeds from which we obtain this aromatic spice. For centuries, people in Arab countries have used cardamom as an aphrodisiac, probably because it tends to stimulate the central nervous system.

Cadamom can also help with Bronchitis, fever, gallbladder problems, infections, liver problems, colic, fatigue, gas, stomachache, asthma, and urinary problems. Cardamom is perhaps the best source of a phytochemical called cineole, a strong antiseptic that kills bacteria responsible for bad breath, it can also help break up chest congestion.

Carob grows primarily in the Mediterranean areas of southern Europe, africa, and Asia, it is a stimulant-free chocolate substitute. The chocolate alternative comes from the pulp inside pods that grow 6 to 12 inchs long from the trees small red flowers.

Carob is high in fiber, which encourages bowel movement, the fiber makes stomach contents more viscous, thus the backflow of acid into the throat.

Carob can also help with Bacterial infections, diarrhea, indegestion, and heartburn.

There are many different species of this berry-bearing tree, all the variants belong to the buckthorn family. Alder buckthorn and common buckthorn grow in Europe: cascara sagrada grows mostly in the Pacific Northwest, from the northern part of California north to British Columbia, but its been planted as far east as Maryland. All have essentially one therapeutic use: as a very strong laxative.

Cascara sagrada bark is the preferred plant medicine, some say that its milder than its buckthorn relatives and safer to use.

Cascara can also help with cancer, chickenpox, flu, gas, hemorrhoids, herpes, leukemia, ringworm, shingles, liver problems, and gallstones.

Catnip's green leaves, covered with grayish down, and lavender flowers have no inebriating effect on people. If anything, the plant which is native to Europe and now grows wild all over North America, acts the opposite way.

Like many members of the mint family, catnip leaves contain considerable quantities of vitamins C and E, both are excellent antioxidants.

Catnip can also help with, cataracts, cramps, glaucoma, insomnia, bronchitis, colds, colic, diarrhea, respiratory problems, stomachache, and tissue swelling.

The stem and root of this woodyvine, a member of the madder family, are harvested in Brazil, Peru, and other parts of the Amazon region. Cat's claw contains a cornucopia of phytomedicinal substances. Its quinovic acid glycosides cool inflammation throughout the body.

Cat's claw can also help with, Allergies, arthritis, cancer, gout, hemorrhoids, HIV, immune system problems, inflammation, melanoma, prostatitis, swelling, asthma, gastritis, indigestion, intestinal problems, ulcers, and yeast infections.

Cayenne indigenous to the equatorial area of America, but now grows in the tropical and temperate gardens around the world, is probably the best-known source ot the phytochemical capsaicin. Studies have shown capsaicin value in alleviating pain and discomfort from rheumatodi arthritis and osteoarthritis, psoriasis, cluster headaches, diabetic neuropathy, mastectomy, shingles, and breast reconstruction surgery.

Cayenne can also help with, Alcoholism, chicken pox, colic, diabetes, heart disease, lung problems, impotence, and layrngitis.

The original plant, wild celery, which grows throughout Southern Europe, imparted an acrid unpleasent taste until seventeenth century Italian farmers developed what we now call celery.

The apigenin in celery seeds relax blood vessels, allowing them to open wider and permit a freer flow of blood.

Celery seed can also help with, high blood pressure, anxiety, arthritis, cystitis, heart disease, high cholestral, insomnia, stress, depression, epilepsy, and liver problems.

Native to Europe, including the British Isles, western Asia, North Africa and naturalized in North America.

Aromatic, bitter, stomachic, tonic. Centaury is widely used in disorders of the upper digestive tract, in dysepepsia for liver and gall bladder complaints and to stimulate the appetite in a similar manner to Gentian.

The xanthones are antimutagenic in vitro and exhibit diuretic activity.

Indigenous to most of Europe, widely cultivated.

Taken internally and applied externally as a lotion. It is used as a soothing and analgesic application in toothache, earache and neuralgia, and as a cream or ointment for wounds, sore nipples and nappy rash.

The sesquiterpene lactones have anti-tumor activity in vitro and the flavonoid apigenin is sedative.

This deciduous shrub native to the Mediterranean region, has a long reputation for treating menstrual disorders. It's particularly noted for putting the brakes on libido. Chasteberry works primarrily on the pituitary gland to stabilize and balance the hormonal fluctuations that women experience every month. By increasing the body's secretion of luteinizing hormone, it reduces prolactin andincreases both progesterone and follicle-stimulating hormone.

Chasteberry can also help with Depression, endometriosis, fibrocystic, breast disease, herpes, infertility, menopause, neuroses, prostate enlargement, stomach problems, vaginal problems, and yeast infections.

One of the most common weeds in the world, chickweed grows throughout temperate North America, although originated in Europe.

Chickweed's inflammation-cooling properties have never been validated scientifically, but that hasn't stopped herbal advocates from using it as an anti-inflammatory, whether for internal or external flare-ups. Compounds in the plant also help digest food and cough up mucus. The saponins in chickweed improve the absorption of topically applied substances and may even speed the internal absorption of medications. Chickweed can also help with, Abscesses, arthritis, asthma, constipation, lung disorders, gout, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, dermatitis, and itching.

Introduced to the United States and southern Canada from Europe, it will grow almost anywhere, although it prefers a humid climate. Herbalists like to dig up the roots, but you should first stop and appreciate its pretty pale blue flowers. Chicory is an industrial source of fructose and a sugar enhancer called maltol. Consider chicory if you have a liver or heart problem. Other compounds in the plant fight inflammation and bacterial infections to a limited extent.

Chicory can also help with, Gallbladder problems, lack of appitite, constipation, high blood sugar, irregular heart rhythem, rapid heart rate, arthritis, cancer, gout, and jaundice.

Cinnamon is native to southern China, Vietnam, and Burma. This plant has small flowers arranged in trios and a pea-sized fruit. it's flowers, bark, and bark oil contain the medicinal wallop. "Real" cinnamon is indigenous to southwestern India and Sri Lanka. The natural medicine is contained primarily in the bark of younger trees and the oil squeezed from the bark and leaves.

Cinnamon can also help with, Bronchitis, fever, intestinal spasms, colic, diarrhea, hemorrhage, ulcers, yeast infections, arthritis, chills, conjunctivitis, nerve pain, orgasmic inability, toothache, uterine relaxation, vaginitis, worms, and wounds.

Cleaver grows in moist soil throughout North and South America and the vaguely defined area between Europe and Asia.

In one study cleavers extract lowered blood pressure without slowing heart rate or having any health-threatening side effects. The asperuloside in cleavers is a mild laxative.

Cleavers can also help with, Cancer, fever, jaundice, kidney stones, nerve problems, psoriasis, sores, ulcers, urinary problems, and wounds.

At first available only in the East, clove became one of the hottest commodities among early European traders. Today the evergreen is grown in, among other countries, Brazil, Jamaica, Tanzania, and Indonesia. Clove's healthful help comes courtesy of eugenol, a powerful, multifaceted phytochemical that anesthetizes, kills bacteria and fungi, fights free radical oxidation, and thins the blood. Clove oil is virtually pure eugenol. It deadens pain, destroys bacteria, and helps protect the retina from macular degeneration. Applied topically, it may even alleviate bunion pain.

Clove can also help with, Colic, yeast infections, vaginitis, pharyngitis, fever, pain,and diarrhea.

Native to West Africa and extensively cultivated in the tropics, particularly Nigeria, Brazil and Indonesia.

Cola extracts are an ingredient of many tonics for depression, tiredness and to stimulate the appetite; the main stimulant and diuretic ingredient is caffeine.

A preperation of cola nut with Ephedra decrease body weight and fat and increased HDL-cholesterol levels in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled study of 167 people. One of the major uses is as flavouring in the manufacture of soft drinks. Ingestion of cola nuts cause an increase in arterial blood pressure.

Garcinia cola has anti-microbial properties as well as anti-ulcer and gastric acid lowering effects.

Originating in Europe, the plant now pops up in damp areas from Newfloundland south to New Jersey and Maryland and west to Minnesota. Its active ingredients help break up mucus and expel it from your respiratory system. It also hinders the body's production of an inflammatory protein called platelet-activating factor, which narrows the air passages and promps asthma attacks.

Coltsfoot can also help with Bronchitis, hoarseness, pharyngitis, respiratory problems, lung problems, lymph gland enlargement or disease, tonsillitis and whooping cough.

Originally found only in Eurasia, comfrey, with its bell-shaped purple flowers, now grows wild in the eastern United States and Canada. One of the main therapeutic substances in comfrey is allantoin, an anti-inflammatory that perks up the immune system, speeds wound healing, and encourages new skin and cell growth.

The tannins in comfrey are astringent, and the rosmarinic acid might contribute some anti-inflammatory assistance. Some extracts have shown the potential to decrease tumor growth. Comfrey can help with pleuritis, itching, dysentery, contusions, pharyngitis, muscle strain, fracturse, colitis, chafing, and joint sprains.

When you husk an ear of corn, you're throwing away a little medicine. those long, silky threads have traditionally been used in a variety of folk remedies.

Extracts of corn silk are potent diuretics, giving rise to their use for all sorts of kidney-related and urinary complaints. The diuretic effect comes in handy for water retention and tissue swelling, cystitis, urinary infections, or any other inflammation of the urinary tract.

Corn Silk can also help with gonorrhea, gout, hardening of the arteries, prostatits, bed-wetting, bladder stones, liver problems, and kidney inflammation.

Cranberry grows mostly in peat bogs in eastern North America, from Newfoundland south to North and South Carolina and west to the Midwest. Cranberry is top-notch "food farmacy"; all you need to do is drink the fruit juice.

It is a great antiseptic that prevents bacteria, including E. coli, from clinging to the interior of the bladder. No clinging means no infection. The arbutin in cranberry not only fights infection but also encourages urinary excretion to ease water retention and tissue swelling.

Cranberry can also help with Cystitis, kidney inflammation, water retention, and gout.