5 Medicinal Herbs You Can Grow in Your Garden
Create more health security in your yard by cultivating some of these healing plants
Lavender
Nervous system tonic/ Anxiety/ Depression/ Sleep aid/ Headaches/ Stress/ Pain and inflammation
Lavender’s beautiful flowers and enticing aroma are a wonderful addition to any garden. Lavender also adds a host of healing properties that are useful for everyday health problems such as headaches - especially those associated with stress. Lavender is also an excellent remedy for nervousness, anxiety and depression. Lavender is ideal for promoting natural sleep because of its calming effect on the nervous system. You can put lavender flowers in your bedroom or place a few drops of lavender essential oil in your bath or on your bed sheets for a restful sleep.
For anxiety, depression, or general stress and tension, you can add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a carrier oil, such as extra virgin olive oil or jojoba oil and apply to temples, wrists and breastbone. Adding Lavender essential oil in a deffuser can help with anxiety, depression and sleep.
Externally lavender oil can used as a stimulating liniment to help aches and pains from inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, and other tissues.
Part used: The flowers
Collection: Lavender flowers should be gathered just before opening, usually between early summer and early fall. Flowers should be gently dried at temperatures no higher than 35 degrees C / 95 degrees F
Preparations and dosage: For tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of dried lavender flowers and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Drink this tea 3x a day
Marigold
Skin inflammation/ Gallbladder issues/ indigestion/ Fungal infections/ Gastric and duodenal ulcers
Marigold’s sunny yellow-orange flowers add a lovely splash of color to your garden, and their medicinal properties help a variety of common ailments.
Marigold is particularly good for skin inflammation resulting from infection or physical damage, and for any bleeding, wounds, bruising, strains, minor burns, and scalds. In these cases, marigold can be used as a lotion, balm, poultice, or compress.
Marigold is a cholagogue - causing contraction of the gallbladder and stimulating the secretion of bile. It is used to relieve gallbladder issues and indigestion. It also treats duodenal and gastric ulcers.
Marigold has antifungal properties and can be used internally and externally for fungal infections. It’s also an effective remedy for delayed menstruation and painful periods.
If you raise chickens, marigolds are an excellent supplement to chicken feed to improve chicken’s health and quality of their eggs. A study published in the International Journal of Poultry Science found that chickens fed marigold or marigold extract laid healthier eggs with considerably less cholesterol.
Parts used: Yellow petals
Collection: You can collect the entire flowers top or just the petals, between early summer and early fall. The flowers must be dried very carefully to make sure there’s no discoloration.
Preparation and dosage: For tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 to 2 teaspoons of the florets and leave to infuse 10 to 15 minutes. Drink this 3x a day.
Simple marigold balm recipe: Excellent for cuts, sores or minor burns.
Take 2 ounces (about a handful) of freshly picked marigold flowers, add them to the 7 ounces of melted petroleum jelly. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring well. Then sift through fine gauze, squeezing all the liquid from the flowers. pour the liquid into a container and seal after it’s cooled.
Roman Chamomile
Gentle sedative/ Calms nerves/ Helps digestion/ Anti-inflammatory/ Analgesic/ Antiseptic
Chamomile is an incredibly versatile herb and an excellent choice for a healing garden. It is a highly effective but gentle sedative that’s safe to use with children. It’s often used in combination with other herbs to add a relaxing effect. Chamomile helps with insomnia, anxiety, and stress because of its calming effects on the nervous system. Camomile tea is ideal.
Chamomile effects the digestive system by relaxing the stomach muscles, helping move the food through the system, and reducing the production of gas. This helps with pain and bloating.
Roman chamomile has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, and diaphoretic properties. Chamomile is used for inflammatory conditions, for pain, combats the growth of microorganisms, and induces sweating which flushes out toxins.
If you pour boiling water over a handful of chamomile flowers and inhale the steam, it will help with nasal and chest congestion. When the water has cooled it can be splashed on the eyes or made into a compress for pain and swelling.
Made into a balm, chamomile speeds the healing of cuts and other wounds.
Parts used: Flowers and leaves
Collection: flowers should be collected between late spring and late summer when they are NOT wet with dew or rain. flowers should be dried gently.
Preparation and dosage: For tea pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 teaspoons dried flowers steep for 10-15 minutes. for digestive issue drink after meals. Make tea stronger for gingivitis or periodontitis. Boil 2 cups of flowers in 8 cups of water to make a steam bath for congestion and respiratory issues. Cover head with a towel and inhale.
Echinacea
Infections/ Colds/ Flu/ Immunity/ Mouthwash/ Sores/ Cuts
Echinacea is a powerful infection fighter and vital addition to any healing garden. The echinacea plant produces pretty daisy-like flowers that range in color from white to pink to light purple.
Echinacea has recently become popular in treating colds and flu. It’s now widely available as teas, supplements, lozenges, and tinctures to boost the immune system and rid the body of influenza. It’s also a great defense, keeping colds from taking hold.
Echinacea is well known for its ant-viral, and anti-bacterial properties, especially in the respiratory tract.
Echinacea is also effective for sores and cuts when applied topically as a lotion.
Echinacea cn be made into a mouthwash to treat oral conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis. A tincture or tea works well for this.
Parts used: Flowers and roots
Collection: Roots should be harvested in the fall
Preparation and dosage: for tea, putv1-2 teaspoons of the root in 1 cup of water and slowly bring it to a boil. Let it simmer 10-15 minutes. Drink 3x a day.
Yarrow
Eliminates toxins/ Fevers/ Urinary infections/ Wound healing
Yarrow is a powerful herb witha vast range of medicinal actions, making it an excellent addition to your healing garden. It’s one of the best diaphoretic herbs, which induces sweating, helping the body to eliminate toxins through the skin and urine.
Yarrow is also well known for its ability to treat fevers. It regulates blood flow to all parts of the body and, combined with its sweat inducing abilities, helps to regulate body temperature and its fluids reducing fever. You can drink it or bathe in it to lower body temperatures.
Yarrow root also helps to lower blood pressure by dilating the peripheral blood vessels. It also tones and strengthens blood vessels. Its excellent for treating bruises, bleeding, and clotting problems. It can also be used externally for wound healing.
Yarrow’s anti-bacterial properties makes it an excellent choice for urinary tract infections. It strengthens and tones the bladder, improving incontinence and helping to decrease the chance of reinfection. It also reduces pain in these conditions.
Parts used: Aerial parts ( parts of the plant that grow above the ground)
Collection: The entire (above ground ) plant while its flowering. early summer- early fall
Preparing and dosage: For tea, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb. Infuse 10-15 minutes. Drink 3x a day. For a fever; drink hourly
This article taken from The Epoch Times , written by Emma Suttie
