Growing Herbs for a First-Aid Kit
March 2nd, 2010 by Geoff Marks
Did you know that many of the shampoos that you purchase in the drug store have herbs in them? Wouldn’t it be a lot easier and cheaper if you grew your own medicinal herb plants? I know I have saved a lot of money by cultivating my own little first aid kit in the garden.
Herbs are wonderful to use for the following problems:
- For aching joints, use chervil, coriander and thyme. Lavender, marjoram, lovage, peppermint and oregano can be used as an antibacterial.
- No one likes bad breath. Anise, mint, parsley and sweet cicely will do you a world of wonder.
- Constipation is no fun. Get the kinks out with fennel or dandelion.
- It’s amazing how many herb plants will help with flatulence, including peppermint, summer savory, lemon balm, ginger, caraway, coriander, beebalm and lovage.
- There is nothing more soothing to your frazzled nerves than a warm cup of chamomile tea at the end of the day. Some other herbs that I think are soothing are goldenrod, lavender, dill and lemon balm.
- Not much can is better than thyme for curing your Saturday morning hangover. It works better than the raw egg/tomato juice drink some folks might tell you to drink.
- Cannot get rid of your hiccups? Give dill a try Dill not only has a fantastic flavor; it also works like a charm.
- Goldenrod, aloe, summer savory and hens-and-chicks are awesome for taking the sting out of those insect bites, including mosquito bites.
- Lying awake at night? Your best bet for some shut eye is chamomile or dill, but any of the herbs that calm your nerves will help.
- For your seasonal allergies and other nasal congestions, use horseradish, sage and violet. The horseradish will clean out your nasal passages in no time at all.
- Peppermint is the best thing for indigestion and stomachache, but dill, lovage and fennel are also beneficial.
Among all these remedies you might think that herbs are the next snake oil. You don’t believe me? Experiment with it for yourself!
- Aloe Vera: I have 2 different aloe vera herbs that are always suffering from me breaking off pieces to treat burns (including sunburn) and mosquito bites. Be careful not to over-water it. It is a succulent and does not need much water or any other creature comforts. Just be sure that it gets a lot of light and that its well-drained sod keeps it firmly rooted in the pot or garden bed.
- Chamomile: You may already be familiar with chamomile because it is well-known as a healing herb that will help with both mental and physical maladies. Chamomile [has|comes in] [2|two] [varieties|types|kinds] (German and true or Roman chamomile), and if you let them, both of these plants can cultivate themselves next season in a process called self-sowing.
- Horseradish: If you need to clean out your sinuses, just take a sniff of horseradish. Believe it or not, even though it has a peppery taste, the horseradish herb is a member of the mustard family. Although the leaves can grow to two feet long, it is the root that is important for the herb gardener.
Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.
Here is more information on Herb Garden Kits. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.
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