You add hot, spicy foods to your diet because you enjoy the flavor, but you might be unaware of the possible health benefits of capsaicin, one of the natural compounds in these foods.

Maca plants are native to the Andes Mountains in Peru. Maca is available in four varieties -- cream, black, red or purple -- with none being medicinally superior to the others, according to the University of Michigan Health System.

Excess weight is a major health concern in North America, because weight problems are linked with complications like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, fatty liver, osteoarthritis, reproductive dysfunctions and psychological problems.

Milk thistle and dandelion are marketed together as herbal supplements beneficial to the liver. Milk thistle has a 2,000-year tradition as an herbal treatment for many conditions, especially diseases of the liver.

Intestinal mucus is a thick, slimy substance produced in the mucous membranes of your colon, or large intestine. It helps protect your intestinal walls against pathogens and damage from food and wastes that pass through your digestive tract.

Herbal medicine has been around for centuries, and despite the success of modern medicine, plants are still frequently used in the home treatment of a variety of ailments. Flowers from the linden tree, commonly known as the lime or basswood tree, is one such traditional folk medicine.

While neck and shoulder pain can occur due to traumatic injuries or bone degeneration, muscle strain represents the main cause. The Cleveland Clinic notes that these soft-tissue injuries can happen all at once or can come on gradually, such as when they are caused by habitually poor posture.

Seborrheic dermatitis, a common condition that often affects the scalp, causes your skin to appear scaly, flaky and oily. When seborrheic dermatitis occurs in teenagers and adults, the condition is most commonly known as dandruff.

Bladder retention or urinary retention occurs when the bladder does not empty itself completely. It can happen suddenly or be a chronic condition.

The desire to increase breast size is common. However, with countless products, equipment and herbs on the market touting to provide breast enlargement, it’s hard to know what will work for you. Rather than look to these products, consider alternative methods.

If you want a daily energy drink full of antioxidants and vitamins, make a lemon-ginger-cayenne drink. You can juice a lemon or squeeze it into a glass of water, then add juiced ginger or cooled ginger tea, and sprinkle some cayenne pepper into the drink. Sweeten it with honey or another natural sweetener if you want.

For centuries, garlic has been used as a home remedy and medicinal tool. Garlic contains at least several compounds that appear to contribute to its beneficial effects. The availability and amount of these components may be impacted by the garlic form -- whether raw, cooked, powdered or in supplement form.