Disclaimer:
Please ensure that you are not allergic to any of these plants before trying out these methods. Ask a doctor if you are unsure about any of these treatments. What works for others may not work for you.
There are lots of common herbs and plants with many medicinal properties- some of which you might already have in your garden! Nowadays, a majority of North America uses modern western medicine, such as cough syrup or Advil. I love learning about common things with medicinal properties because they often inspire me to find more ways to incorporate them into my diet; I’ve included common ways I include them into mine. Consider scoping out your backyard for some of these 5 natural medicines:
1. Basil
Use: Boost immune system and relieve stress
Basil contains flavanoids (compounds that make veggies and fruits brightly coloured). These flavanoids can boost your white blood cells, speeding up the healing process of your scrapes and scratches. Basil has some antibacterial properties, which will boost your immune system and can prevent you from getting colds. Basil can also act as an adaptogen (a substance that “reverses” stress by working against it.) Next time you’re feeling stressed, maybe a pesto pasta will help!
(Information taken from https://www.purplecarrot.com/blog/5-health-benefits-basil-never-knew/)
2. Garlic
Use: Boost immune system, help your heart, and (possibly) kill cancer cells
Garlic contains allicin, a compound produced when the garlic is crushed or chopped. Allicin has bacteria-fighting properties which can boost your immune system. It can also keep your blood vessels from clotting and lower your blood pressure, as well as fight some heart diseases. Additionally, garlic also has some properties that may be toxic to some cancer cells! To reap the medicinal benefits of garlic, try it raw or in a smoothie.
(Information taken from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/01/medicinal-plants.aspx and https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anie.200804560)
3. Lavender
Use: Fight fungal skin diseases, ease tight muscles, and calm your stomach.
Lavender oil contains properties that can kill off some fungal bacteria (more specifically, dermaphytes). Apply the oil sparingly to the affected area. This oil can also help with relieving muscle pain- massage the affected area to ease tight muscles. In the same way that it can ease tight muscles, drinking lavender tea can calm your stomach. Lavender has been proven to help your stomach make gastric juices, which can ease your stomach and/or indigestion pains.
(Information taken from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/01/medicinal-plants.aspx and https://www.naturalnews.com/042048_lavender_oil_healing_essential_oils.html)
4. Thyme
Use: Treat acne and relieve cough
Thyme contains some substances that can help kill off the bacteria that causes acne- it is also a lot less harsh on the skin as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, common chemicals used for acne treatments. Apply thyme oil sparingly to the affected areas. Thyme can also fight off the bacteria in your respiratory system, such as bronchitis or the common cold, and ease the muscles in that area. If you are coughing and would like some relief, drinking thyme tea may help.
(Information from https://www.lybrate.com/topic/benefits-of-thyme-and-its-side-effects_)
5. Ginger
Use: Treat nausea, reduce muscle pain, indigestion, and lowered blood sugar levels
Ginger contains an active ingredient called “gingerol”. This substance has anti-inflammatory (prevents swelling from injuries/infections) traits, meaning that it can help your muscles from feeling extremely sore after exercise. Because gingerol has anti-inflammatory properties, it can also help relief joint pain from certain types of arthritis. Additionally, ginger has been proven to treat nausea from chemotherapy and other sources of nausea. It has also been shown that eating ginger daily can lower your blood sugar levels. Lastly, ginger contains an enzyme that can treat indigestion by helping with emptying your stomach. To consume ginger, try it in a tea!
(Information taken from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/01/medicinal-plants.aspx and https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger#section3)
Leave a Reply