Many plants have properties to them that can help us in our everyday lives! Humans have been using plants as medicine or therapy since the beginning, and if we can grow some in our gardens, and reconnect with those roots, why not!?
Here, I'll make a list of some plants and their healing properties and how we could use them in our lives! Note that these are not substitutes for medicine or doctors, it is simply cool to learn that the plants we are surrounded with have multiple purposes and capabilities that we could utilize!
Chamomile
Chamomile can aid sleep and digestion issues. Make a tea with the flowers and add honey or cinnamon for taste if you want!
Chamomile baths are also popular, where you add the flowers to a warm bath and soak in it. Chamomile has been known for its treatment of skin conditions, so this may help sooth your skin, as well as provide a great aromatherapy.
Mint
Mint tea is also good for digestion! Make a tea with mint leaves you have growing in your garden and enjoy! You can feel free to add honey or other flavors, but a mint tea on its own is delicious!
Lavender
Lavender is good for relaxation and sleep, as well as relieving anxiety. It can also be used for relaxing muscles or soothing joint pain. Using lavender in aromatherapy is a great way to utilize this plant. You could also make your own bath products or dry the flowers to use as decoration in your home!
Aloe Vera
Aloe is great to soothe skin because it is anti-inflammatory! Oftentimes, the gel that is found inside aloe leaves is used to treat sunburn or other skin wounds.
Basil
Basil is antiseptic and anti bacterial. You can crush the leaves and put on mosquito bites to relieve itching! It is also used to detoxify in some cases. Most commonly, basil is used to add flavor when cooking, but how cool that is can also be used for other uses!
Thyme
Thyme is antimicrobial, and can relieve cough and cold symptoms. It is also rich in vitamins, so adding it to food dishes is quite healthy for you.
Sage
Sage has antimicrobial properties and can be used to fight dental plaque! (don't substitute toothpaste or anything, but how cool that we can use plants for that!) There are many conditions that sage is used in, including boosting memory, relieving menopausal symptoms, and fighting inflammation. Sage can be dried or used fresh!
Echinacea
Echinacea tea boosts immunity and helps with cold symptoms. Echinacea tea is great for shortening cold and flu symptoms, or boosting the immune system. You can buy echinacea tea in the store, or make it yourself out of the plant (you can use the whole plant, even the roots in many recipes, but you can also use just the flower if you want).
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm can be used for insomnia, and helps cold sores too! It is considered a relaxing herb, and can relieve stress or anxiety in many cases. Consider making a lemon balm tea or crushing it up for aromatherapy!
Plantain
Crush the leaves of plantain up and apply to bug bites or stings to relieve itching! This is a common "weed" found along trails or roads, but you know what they say... the difference between a weed and a flower is a judgement.
Yarrow
Yarrow is thought to be able to stop bleeding and treat wounds on the skin. It can also be used in a bath for relieving lower-pelvic pain, especially in women!
Dandelion
Dandelion is great for detoxing! Its great for your liver and to aid digestion. You can use the leaves in a salad or soup recipe to add it into your diet!
Rosemary
Rosemary is thought to fight bacteria and fungi in your body. Add it to a dish (for great flavor as well) or make an oil or dry it to preserve it.
All these plants have beneficial properties to them but gardening in general is good for our health too! Breathing fresh air, getting in touch with nature, and improving our mental health are just a few ways that growing plants is good for your health!
Keep going and keep growing!
Chantel
Comments