You deserve a spa day…
I don’t know about you, but we could use a day at the spa. Flu season has battered all of us and that means it’s high time for some health and rejuvenation. Did you know your garden can provide everything you need to feel better inside and out? We all know the fragrance of lavender can be soothing and mint can be invigorating, but the benefits of other common plants extend far beyond that!
Internal Benefits
Lets focus on plants that grow in our region, no benefits if we can’t grow them! When used properly (DO YOUR RESEARCH) there are numerous perks to having a backyard herb garden.
- Sweet Marjoram has antifungal, antibacterial, and disinfectant properties. It is also a useful digestive aid.
- Winter Savory is handy in treating bites and stings. The entire plant is edible and can be used as an antiseptic.
- Hyssop (KoreanMint) like most mint, is used to fight fatigue, soothe headaches and nausea. It also has wonderful anti viral properties and can be used to help fight colds and flus! (Where was this a week ago?!)
- Catnip is not just for cats! It can be used as a compress to slow bleeding and stop swelling. It’s excellent in helping stop gas, stomach pains and migraines.
- Blackberries can be used entirely from stem to fruit for anything from treating cuts to fighting dysentery.
- and everyone’s favorite, Sage! From a salve to treat cuts and burns, to being anti inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fungal - this plant does it all! Sage helps fights colds, dries phlegm, aids digestion, reduces cramps and kills bacteria. And let’s not forget the spiritual/mental benefits attributed to burning sage. It can be used as a meditation and spiritual aid to cleanse your body and mind - not a bad thing to try on spa day!
EXTERNAL BENEFITS
Who doesn’t love a great facial or a soothing bath to wash the worries of the day away? After a day of pampering it’s hard not to feel refreshed and even more beautiful. With a few plants from your garden you can feel like you’ve spent a day at the spa without ever leaving home:
- Basil - because pesto doesn’t get to have all the fun - makes an effective cleanser for skin and hair. It can help soothe scalp irritation and reduce dandruff and oil. Mashing basil leaves and infusing them in water makes a simple skin toner.
- Lemon Balm can be used to help naturally treat cold sores or, steeped in hot water, makes a great herbal hair rinse and facial toner.
- Mint offers a cooling sensation. It’s leaves can be mashed, minced, used whole and infused in water or oil. The resulting oils can be mixed into homemade sugar scrubs for an invigorating spa treatment. As an added bonus, it’s very easy to grow!
- Thyme can be made into a strong cleanser. It’s great for acne prone skin or oily hair.
- Sage (yes, again!) can not only be used as an astringent and cleanser for lily skin and scalp, but it’s also known to help darken hair! For brunettes this can help intensify your look -bye, bye salon! Hello herb garden!
This list is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you know ways you want or need to improve your health, do a little research and get to your local nursery. Everything mentioned is easy to grow and typically available as seeds or starter plants.
**this is a blog I wrote a few years back but it holds true today. If going natural is your desire - nature provides us everything we need if we put in a little effort! Get out there and grow something 😊