Spice Shelf to Medicine Shelf The cooking herbs on your spice shelf serve many purposes. If you need a remedy for a headache or stomach ache in the middle of the night, you don't have to travel any farther than your kitchen. To make tea with most herbs, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, turn off heat, add a heaping teaspoon of herb, cover and steep 10 minutes before straining it into a cup to drink. Of course, this is not a substistute for qualified medical advice Allspice            For chills, diarrhea and rheumatism. Also use as a digestive aid and natural antioxidant. Anise seed            For coughs, cramps, colic, nausea, indigestion. Freshens breath and increases mother's milk. Basil                        For headaches, rheumatism, colds, aids digestion and has calming properties. Bay leaves            For gas, indigestion, headaches. Antifungal and diaphoretic. Caraway seed            For colic and indigestion. Increases breast milk, freashens breath. Cardamom seed            Use as an aphrodisiac, for indigestion and gas. Freshens breath, helps headaches. Cayenne            For poor circulation, arthritis and respirtory congestion. Cinnamon            For nausea, indigestion, diarrhea and poor circulation. Cloves            For indigestion and gas. Freshens breath. Apply powder to an aching tooth. Corlander            Cooling, diuretic, benefits stomachache. Use as an aphrodisiac. Cumin            For colic, headache, gas, arthritis. Antispasmodic and antiviral. Dill            For gas, colic bad breath, headache and hiccoughs. Increases mother's milk. Fennel            For colic, constipation, obesity and indigestion. Increases mother's milk. Garlic           For high blood pressure, sinus congestion, coughs, asthma and theumatism. Antiparasitic. Ginger           For nausea, chills, poor circulation, gas, stomach distress, lung disorders and arthritis. Horseradish           For mucus conditions, sinus congestion, chills. Improves lung activity. Marjoram           Benefits coughs, colic, headaches, head colds, gout. Aids digestion. Mustard           Bronchial dilator. Use in liniments for backache. Avoid direct skin application. Nutmeg           Aphrodisiac, digestive aid. For poor circulation, chills, nervousness. Oregano           Diuretic. For headaches, nausea, asthma, colic, rheumatism. Parsley            Freshens breath. Benefits eyes, kidneys and liver. Decreases breast milk. Pepper            Warming. Use for vertigo and as a digestive aid. Rosemary             Use to improve memory, to freshen breath and as a digestive aid. Natural antioxidant. Saffron             Use as a tea for measles. Benefits digestion, colds and stomach distress. Sage             Use for stomach problems and stress. Decreases mother's milk. May help increase perspiration. Spearmint             Benefits colic, gas, indigestion, nausea, colds and freshens breath. Star anise             Diuretic, breath frshener. Aids cramps and nausea. Benefits rheumatism. Tarragon             Diuretic. Aids digestion, fevers. Freshens breath. Promotes menses. Thyme             Antifungal and antibacterial. For respiratory and digestive problems. Turmeric             Natural antioxidant. Improves liver function. Use for inflammations and parasites. Vanilla             Aphrodisiac. Energizing.