Herbs & plants
Botanical topics and related food sources.
A botanical atlas · EN / NL
A field guide to plants and health
Start with a plant, a symptom or a question. See what is traditionally used, what has been studied and where the limits are.
Symptoms & conditions
Explore possible explanations while distinguishing symptoms from diagnoses.
All topics A–Z
Browse every published topic.
My reading list
Save topics locally to continue reading later.
Plants to explore
All plants
FoodsCinnamon
A flavouring spice; specific Ceylon bark products have traditional uses for mild cramps, bloating and diarrhoea.
HerbsDandelion
An edible plant whose root has traditional uses for mild digestive and urinary complaints.
FoodsGinger
A pungent rhizome used in cooking; particular ginger preparations have been studied for nausea and period pain.
HerbsHibiscus (roselle)
Red roselle calyces make a tart drink; studies suggest a possible reduction in systolic blood pressure.
HerbsNettle
Nettle is eaten as a cooked vegetable and used for joint and urinary complaints; leaf, root, herb and fresh stinging are distinct uses.
Strawberry leaf
Leaf used as tea for minor urinary complaints and mild diarrhoea in traditional medicine; it is not the strawberry fruit.
Symptoms and conditions
Browse the groupBrain fog
Brain fog is the feeling that thinking, focusing or remembering takes extra effort. What helps depends on the cause; small changes can make the day manageable.
Fatigue
Low energy or exhaustion that can have many different causes.
Headache
Headache is pain in or around the head. Water, regular meals and suitable pain relief may help ordinary symptoms; some warning signs require emergency care.
Inflammation
A protective response to injury or disease; what helps depends on its cause.
Iron deficiency
Iron deficiency means depleted stores; anaemia may follow. The cause matters as much as replacement.
Magnesium deficiency
Magnesium deficiency means too little magnesium is available to the body; cramps alone do not prove it.