Welcome back to another installment of the Herbal Remedies Series (medical disclosure)! Today we will be discussing the best herbs to add to your homestead garden for the purpose of making remedies. Some of the herbs listed are even delicious eaten with meals!
If you’re new to herbal remedies, it’s best to start with just a few versatile herbs that are easy to grow and use.
Here are some essential herbs to consider for your herbal remedies
1. Chamomile
- Chamomile Benefits: Chamomile is famous for its calming properties. It is great for relieving anxiety and promoting restful sleep. It’s also useful for soothing an upset stomach.
- How to Use: You can make a simple tea by steeping dried chamomile flowers in hot water. You can also infuse chamomile in oil for a soothing salve.
2. Lavender
- Lavender Benefits: Lavender is well-known for its calming scent. It is often used to relieve stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Lavender also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
- How to Use: You can use lavender in teas, bath soaks, or as an essential oil. Lavender-infused oil can also be applied to the skin to soothe minor burns or insect bites.
3. Peppermint for Herbal Remedies
- Peppermint Benefits: Peppermint is excellent for digestive issues like indigestion, nausea, and gas. It also has a cooling effect, making it helpful for headaches and muscle pain.
- How to Use: You can brew a peppermint tea to ease digestive discomfort. You can also apply diluted peppermint oil to your temples to relieve headaches.
4. Echinacea
- Echinacea Benefits: Echinacea is a powerhouse for boosting the immune system! It is also commonly used to prevent and treat colds and flu.
- How to Use: You can make an echinacea tincture by steeping the roots in alcohol. You can also brew a delicious tea using the leaves and flowers.
5. Calendula for Herbal Remedies
- Calendula Benefits: Calendula is a skin-soothing herb with anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antiseptic properties. It’s great for healing cuts, scrapes, and minor burns.
- How to Use: You can infuse calendula in oil to create a healing salve.
6. Lemon Balm
- Lemon Balm Benefits: Lemon balm is a calming herb that’s great for reducing anxiety, promoting sleep, and easing indigestion. If you want a more in-depth article about lemon balm, click here.
- How to Use: Enjoy lemon balm in tea or use it in a tincture to calm nerves and improve sleep.
Be sure to check out the upcoming blog posts in ASW Homestead’s Herbal Remedies Series!
