8. Garlic
Let’s not overlook garlic when it comes to medicinal plants. It makes a great addition to many dishes, and this is good news for those that want to bring down their cholesterol levels, one of garlic’s benefits. The antibiotic properties of garlic are what make it handy to have around.
Use fresh Garlic if you want to take advantage of its antibiotic nature to naturally treat athlete’s foot and other fungal infections. Eating fresh garlic is also recommended to get the most potency from it. Garlic supplements can be used if you find the taste to be too much to use daily.
Planting and Care Instructions
Spring is the best time to plant garlic, but it’s also a good idea to wait until fall for a better yield. It’s best to use garlic cloves from a local nursery so you are sure of the type you’re getting, rather than using store bought garlic meant for consumption.
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9. Peppermint
Peppermint provides relief for digestive complaints ranging from Irritable Bowel Syndrome to general upset stomach caused by indigestion. You may have heard to chew a piece of peppermint gum if your stomach is hurting, but it’s better to go to the source than to introduce artificial sweeteners into the body.
Of course peppermint also helps to keep your breath smelling fresh, and even just the smell of fresh peppermint can help improve memory and keep you more alert.
Planting and Care Instructions
Peppermint thrives in full sun, but you can also put it in a spot that gets some shade. It is a relatively easy herb to grow that shouldn’t give you any trouble. It can also grow indoors in an herb garden if you want to keep it handy for use in cooking.
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10. Sage
If you’ve only used Sage as a seasoning in a recipe, it’s time to broaden your experience. It can help curb excess inflammation, and works as an antiseptic as well. It has the ability to help muscles relax and can clear up congestion in the lungs.
It’s also helpful with digestive problems involving intestinal pain by helping to relieve pressure from gas and bloating. It also works well for oral conditions, including throat infections and ulcers of the mouth.
Planting and Care Instructions
Use cuttings from an existing Sage plant to grow new ones, rather than using seeds. They’ll need to be watered on the regular until they’re full size. Be sure to prune them each year so they have a better chance at continual growth, and replace them every five years for best results.
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11. Passion Flower
Grow Passion Flour if you’d like an all-natural remedy for anxiety, as it has shown positive signs when tested on animals. The best part of the results is that it works without undue side effects, with larger doses providing stronger results, also with no ill effects.
In a related benefit, Passion Flower may also help bring down blood pressure numbers, which can have a trickle-down benefit to a host of different diseases and conditions. When made into a tea, Passion Flower has also been shown to help you sleep restfully through the night.
Planting and Care Instructions
Here’s another plant that does well in the sun, as long as you keep it watered. You can use a well-draining soil and it’s alright to put it in a spot that gets some shade. If you’d prefer, you can grow this in a pot rather than directly in the garden.
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12. Thyme
Thyme is a popular herb used in cooking, but it’s also an amazingly healthy plant to add to your garden or herb garden. The benefits it provides range from a possible anti-cancer agent to helping with common skin problems such as acne and rashes.
When made into an essential oil Thyme has shown promise as a remedy for yeast infections, and when used as an extract it has been shown to have a positive effect on blood pressure levels. Further research is required, but early signs suggest it is an herb you’ll want to have.
Planting and Care Instructions
Grow Thyme in a sunny spot, and use seedlings rather than trying to grow it from seeds. You should use a soil that drains easily, and aside from that Thyme should be a pain-free plant that grows well without constant attention.
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13. Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is a great choice for those looking to nature to help them with their anxiety. It’s a plant that helps calm you down and relaxes the mind, allowing you to perform mental tasks with more clarity, and fall asleep more easily.
It is also effective at treating herpes thanks to its antiviral nature, reducing the amount of time an outbreak lasts, and how bad it gets. It is also used to help improve thyroid health, which would help the entire body as well.
Planting and Care Instructions
Put Lemon Balm in a location that gets shade for at least part of the day. It’s a late bloomer, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t see early blossoms. One trick is to cut it back if it’s showing signs of trouble, because it can regrow better than ever.
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14. Pot Marigold
The antiseptic properties of Pot Marigold make it a prime candidate for your garden. It helps wounds heal more quickly by keeping them clean and improving the flow of blood to the affected area. At the same time it acts as an anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and pain.
It also has a wide range of uses, including the ability to soothe a sore throat when gargled in a mouthwash, and can treat hemorrhoids thanks to the anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties discussed above.
Planting and Care Instructions
Pot Marigold needs full sun, so put it in the sunniest part of your garden. Spring is the best time to plant, but make sure there’s no more frosts in the forecast. Keep the soil moist, but avoid watering it too much, a regular misting is enough.