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Marigold. Image source: Pixabay.com
There is absolutely nothing like having fresh medicinal plants that you can pick and use right on the spot, when you need them.
Plus, you can dry them, and then use a mortise and pestle to grind them and encapsulate your own medicinal plants. You know they were never sprayed with pesticides. And you know all about the nutrients that were fed to them.
You can grow them in decorative planters in the kitchen if you have the lighting for it.
Many people set up a multi-tiered rack that allows planter pots to be set at a forward-facing angle. This allows you to put the back of it against a wall, and the plants grow at a forward-facing angle.
Other people like to use wire hangers and hang the pots from a wall in rows or a pattern. If you’re going to do this, then test the strength of your wall.
If you have a sunroom or a sunroom-like area, these make great growing spaces, too.
Learn How To Make Powerful Herbal Medicines, Right in Your Kitchen!
Here are seven of the best medicinal plants you can grow indoors:
1. St John’s Wort. This plant will grow year-round with a grow light in the morning or evening to extend the growing hours of the day. If you find that it’s not flowering, then it may need longer hours of light.
St. John’s Wort. Image source: Pixabay.com
It’s a great-looking plant with attractive yellow flowers and can really brighten up a home.
Benefits:
- May be as effective as some prescription medication for treating depression1.
- Helps alleviate the symptoms of PMS and menopause2.
- May help with the symptoms of ADD (attention deficit disorder)2.
2. Thyme. This is a hearty plant that can be used in cooking, as it’s one of the most popular herbs around. It’s hearty, grows pretty easily and doesn’t require much care at all.
Benefits:
- Thyme has been shown to aid in the relief of chest and respiratory problems, including coughs, bronchitis and chest congestion3.
- Thyme has been shown to have a strong antimicrobial activity, neutralizing such bacteria and fungi as Staphalococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Shigella sonnei4.
3. Sage. Its genus name, Salvia, means “to heal.” As long as you give it light, adequate water and good soil, you almost can’t kill it. Sage is one of the herbs that makes everyone look like they’ve got a green thumb.
Sage. Image source: Pixabay.com
Benefits:
- May lessen the symptoms of Alzheimer’s 5.
- Has been shown to lower both blood glucose and cholesterol5.
4. Parsley. Too many people think of parsley as a garnish on their plate. But parsley is one of the best green foods around.
It grows rather easily, and you shouldn’t have a problem so long as you keep its soil damp.
Benefits:
- Can help with bad breath6.
- Can help detoxify the brain of ammonia, thereby reducing the feelings of a hangover.
- May be a potent anticancer agent and has been shown to be chemo-protective7.
5. Marigold. A truly unique and beautiful flowing medicinal, marigold will grow with only just a little bit of TLC needed.
Benefits:
- The flowers have long been touted to posses near legendary anti-inflammatory properties that have shown to fight eczema and allergic reactions.
- Relieves pain of arthritis.
- Can be made into tinctures and ointments that have shown to sooth rashes, bed sores, diaper rash, sun burns and other types of burns.
6. Lavender. This is one of the most fragrant medicinal plants you can grow in your home. Lavender is a little more work to grow inside and it needs a little more space.
Benefits:
- Put lavender in your pillow to have a restful sleep and avoid insomnia8.
- Helps with nervousness, headache, stomach nerves, restlessness and stress8.
Image source: Pixabay.com
7. Echinacea. Here you have the granddaddy of all medicinal plants. It grows easily, as long as you give it a grow light.
Benefits:
- Several studies show that Echinacea helps boost the immune10.
- Echinacea has shown to be very promising in treating most any kind of infection, from sinusitis to vaginal yeast infections to ear infections10.
- Shows promise in treating colon cancer and athlete’s foot10.
What plants would you add to the list? Share your tips in the section below:
Sources:
- https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm
- https://draxe.com/st-johns-wort-uses/
- Kelm MA, Nair MG, Strasburg GM, DeWitt DL. Antioxidant and cyclooxygenase inhibitory phenolic compounds from Ocimum sanctum Linn. Phytomedicine 2000 Mar;7(1):7-13. 2000. PMID:12240.
- Bagamboula CF, Uyttendaeleand M, Debevere J. Inhibitory effect of thyme and basil essential oils, carvacrol, thymol, estragol, linalool and p-cymene towards Shigella sonnei and S. flexneri. Food Microbio 2004 Feb;21 (1):33-42. 2004.
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266480.php
- https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-parsley.html
- http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf00013a020
- http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/lavender
- http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/echinacea
