Twenty-four year old Kristal Roberts is quite the health guru when it comes to ailments and natural remedies.

Born in New York and raised in Florida, Roberts was brought up by Jamaican parents who used natural remedies to cure simple illnesses.

Her mother, Gretel Roberts, was raised in "the bush" countryside of Jamaica. "She came from a place where access to doctors was very limited," Roberts said, "so my family improvised and made their own remedies."

Stories have been passed down from generation to generation within Roberts' family about miraculous cures from natural remedies. On one occasion Roberts’ uncle knocked over a kettle of wood, burning his face. Roberts' great grandmother quickly commanded someone to go to the beach and fetch a seashell, which was supposed to cure burns. Once she had the seashell, she ground it into a fine dust and brushed the powder on his wound. After a few days, the wound was gone, without the slightest hint of a scar.

These types of stories inspire Roberts to discover more natural remedies and to pass on her knowledge to close friends and loved ones.

This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 2, 2010.