Plant medicine that won’t make you sick
The plant medicine I want to talk about today won’t give you diarrhea, make you vomit, or give you a high so you can be more creative, see your life path, or take a look at your psychic trauma. The plants I’m talking about support your body’s natural inclination toward perfect health.
What are these miracle medicines?
Herbs.
Herbs are pretty, tasty, easy to find this time of year, and easy to grow. Many are loaded with antioxidants, high in vitamins, and relieve a ton of the things that ail us.
Here’s a few of my favorites that I grow every year and some of their benefits.
1. Basil:
Rich source of mineral salts
Lots of manganese, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus
Loaded with the B group vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate)
Vitamins C, K, and E
Basil sounds like nature’s natural multivitamin, doesn’t it? Some of the healing properties of basil include:
Contains antispasmodic components that help relieve muscle weakness, indigestion, and pain in the body.
Helps with fatigue, inflammation from physical fatigue, curbs depression and anxiety.
As a tea, it can aid the immune system
As an ointment it promotes wound healing, relieves menstrual cramps, is a great mosquito repellent and can treat infectious bites.
Basil, not just for pizza sauce. 😊
2. Lemon Thyme (super high in the most essential minerals for optimum health):
Iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, selenium, potassium
Vitamins C, A, K, B-6, beta-carotene
Contains thymol, an essential oil that has antiseptic and anti-fungal properties
Loaded with antioxidants
What does this mean for your body?
Has the ability to prevent certain diseases and enhance the immune system
Helps control blood pressure and heart rate
Protects against lung cancer
Resists infections and free radicals
Relieves stress and fatigue
Benefits brain neurotransmitters for concentration and memory
Helps indigestion, bloating, gas, stomach upset
As a tea, lemon thyme is good for the nervous system, and respiratory issues like bronchitis, coughs, laryngitis, asthma, colds, sore throats
To make Lemon Thyme tea, pour a cup of boiling water over the thyme (fresh or dried), let steep 5 minutes, strain, drink.
3. Dill (the name means to calm or soothe):
Rich in vitamins A, C, B-6, B-9 (folate)
Calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus
Two types of antioxidants:
Monoterpenes—anethofuran, carvone, mand, limonene
Flavonoids—quercetin, kaempferol, Isorhamnetin
How does it work with the body?
As a sedative, it calms stomach upset and aids digestion
Improves stomach lining
Cures diarrhea
Lowers cholesterol
Helps with diabetes, insomnia, menstrual cramps
Don’t wash dill if you’re not going to use it immediately as it wilts. Instead, store in the refrigerator up to 10 days sealed in a plastic bag or glass jar with a tight lid.
4. Italian Flat-leaf Parsley (one of the most powerful disease-fighting plants):
In ½ cup of chopped parsley you get 547% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K
Vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, fiber, protein
Antioxidants: flavonoids, carotenoids
Why should you eat parsley?
Keep your bones healthy
Help with blood clotting
Prevent high blood pressure
Support your immune system to prevent disease
Treat allergies
Helps with colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease
Support eye health
The vitamin K in parsley helps build stronger bones by supporting osteoblasts (bone-building cells), and activates proteins that increase bone mineral density. I often use parsley in soups, salads, pasta dishes, potatoes.
5. Mint:
Vitamin A
Iron
Manganese
Folate
Antioxidants
Mint helps with:
Irritable bowel syndrome (oil capsules)
Eye health, night vision
Smelling mint essential oil helps relieve fatigue
Mint tea and chewing on leaves can kill mouth bacteria responsible for bad breath
Now I’ll admit, I plant mint every year because I like fresh mojitos and sun tea, but it’s good to know it’s helping my body, too.
There are so many other great benefits to these herbs, I simply highlighted a few. And there are so many other wonderful herbs I love; these were just the ones in my pot behind my kitchen. Why not grow a few pretty things that are tasty and promote optimum health? Your body will love it.
NOTE: If pregnant, do ask your doctor before eating herbs.
And as always, I’m available for private sessions if you need deeper understanding, support, or guidance in the form of energy work or intuitive life coaching.