More and more people are looking to their own kitchens for natural remedies and ways to heal their bodies without the use of harsh drugs. Below are 5 healing herbs that you most likely have in your kitchen, which you can use to help treat and heal and assortment of ailments.
Do you remember as a child having an upset tummy and your grandma telling you to drink some ginger tea? Come to find out, she knew what she was talking about!
Ginger is native to Southeast Asia and the root of the plant is used in cooking, baking, teas, and tinctures. It is a spice with many uses, found in almost everyone’s kitchen. Not only does it give gingerbread its flavor, but it also aids in digestion, nausea, respiratory health, and menstrual pain. Ginger can also be used to treat bacterial infections as it has direct antimicrobial activity.
Next time you’re feeling nauseous or you’re suffering from indigestion, incorporate ginger into a tea, smoothie, salad dressing, or simply eat it raw.
Turmeric is the herb that’s getting all the attention right now, and for good reason. It holds a wealth of healing properties and benefits to the body. Mostly known for its anti-inflammatory properties, it also carries anti-cancer agents, helps treat symptoms of arthritis, heart disease, and digestive problems as well as depression and anxiety.
Turmeric is bright yellow or golden in color and has a pungent odor. It belongs to the ginger family, is native to India and Southeast Asian countries, and is often used as a culinary spice due to the distinct flavor it adds to food. It comes in a variety of forms including powder, tea, capsules, and tinctures.
Turmeric is a major source of the polyphenol curcumin; while curcumin has many benefits, it is inoperative when ingested by itself due to its poor bioavailability. We learn from this study that when you combine black pepper with curcumin (or turmeric), the black pepper increases the bioavailability of the turmeric by 2000%. Adding both black pepper and turmeric together gives you all the health benefits you’re looking for.
Add it to cooking dishes, teas, smoothies, honey, or tinctures. My favorite way is in water with black pepper, fresh lemon, and fresh ginger.
Rosemary….the smell of it alone causes you to take a deep breath so you can fully appreciate its aroma. This fragrant herb comes from an evergreen shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region. Rosemary has been present in culinary dishes for many centuries. It enhances meats, stews, breads, potatoes, pastas, and even teas.
One of the lesser-known benefits of rosemary is its aid in memory and moods. I think most of us can profit from cognitive improvement at some point in our lives, and having a natural remedy like rosemary is a wonderful alternative to harmful drugs.
Rosemary is also good as a treatment for hair loss, constipation, epilepsy, circulatory system support, and headache relief. It has fantastic antibacterial and antioxidant properties so don’t hesitate to add it to your cooking and baking.
You can always make a cup of rosemary tea, use rosemary essential oil for topical use, or just chew on fresh rosemary leaves.
Aromatic and flavorful, oregano has an abundance of uses, both in the kitchen and as a medicine. It is a rich source of Vitamin K which aids in cardiovascular and bone health as well as blood clotting.
Originally, oregano was native to the Mediterranean area, but today it is present virtually anywhere. Due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties, it helps heal a cough, asthma, stomach aches, diarrhea and it can aid in menstrual pain.
Use it generously in your cooking, in salad dressings, or purchase a potent oregano oil.
Although garlic is not technically an herb, its vast list of medicinal value means I cannot leave it out. Garlic has been present for centuries in alternative medicine due to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and antioxidant properties. The list of benefits is long and broad, from preventing Alzheimer’s disease to fighting infections. It helps fight colds and inflammation, and it can also lower blood sugar as well as cholesterol and blood pressure. The threat of bad breath is worth the rewards!
One of my favorite ways to ingest garlic is to ferment it in raw honey. Not only do you get the benefits of raw garlic and raw honey, you gain a delicious garlic infused honey that can be used in cooking or eaten by the spoonful as an immune booster and virus fighter.
You can find healing herbs not just at the apothecary, but in your own kitchen. Check out your own kitchen cabinet and see what healing herbs you can put to good use!
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