When I was in college, I did a tutorial on traditional Chinese medicine to fulfill one of my science requirements. (It was sort of a hippie school -- the kind that allows you to create your own classes and majors.)

One aspect appealed to me right off the bat: Nutrition, and the natural healing powers of specific foods and spices. I was fascinated to learn that some foods will warm your system in the winter, cool it down in the summer, and strengthen its immunity against germs. It made me feel like I had some control over my life, apart from popping some ibuprofen every time I felt a headache coming on.

Since then, I've maintained a healthy diet and lifestyle -- for the most part -- but I've strayed from the ancient Chinese wisdom I studied 13 years ago.

Then I stumbled upon this annotated list of spices, said to treat everything from depression to Alzheimer's disease.

Here's a sampling of spices and the ailments they just might cure:

Cinnamon -- fatigue, lethargy

Tumeric (which contains curcurmin) -- inflammatory pain and Alzheimer's; it's also a powerful antioxidant

Saffron -- colds and upset stomach

Chili Peppers -- speed metabolism, burn calories, provide energy. Some scientists even believe the capaiscin contained in peppers (the chemical that makes them hot) can destroy cancer-causing cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Ginger -- What can't it do? Here's a short list of what it can treat: digestive ailments, arthritis, infectious diseases, fever, high blood pressure, pain, and muscle aches.