Did you know you can grow your very own first aid kit? Herbal remedies have been around for centuries and still work today. They are easy to use, and convenient when you have everything on hand already.  

There are many plants and herbs you can start growing in your home now, to get you through the cold and flu season. 

Peppermint
Mint is great for digestion and a mood and energy booster. It is also very easy to use. Leaves can be eaten off the plant, steeped in tea, or added to drinks. It also smells great!

Mint is best grown in its own pot, either inside or outside. In the garden, it spreads fast and can easily take over if not monitored.

Aloe Vera
Aloe is the super hero of the plant world. It can be used both internally and externally to treat a number of aliments including help with weight and hair loss, soothe skin, prevent and repair scars, treat indigestion, alleviate asthma symptoms, lower blood sugar and more. For all uses you want to get to the gel, or sap of the plant. Start by breaking off a leave as close to the base as possible. Then cut the leaf length wise, you should see the gel in between the skin. Use a knife to slide the gel out and into a spoon, or other container. It is ready to use in smoothies or topically.

Aloe is easy to grow. It likes warm temperatures and indirect sunlight.

Rosemary
Rosemary is a great anti-inflammatory and can be used to alleviate chest congestion and sore throats. Steep rosemary leaves for a tea, cook with them, or slow cook them to produce an oil. We found a recipe for Rosemary Oil from popsugar.com.

Growing rosemary indoors requires proper light and water to be successful. Water your plant when the top of the soil is dry to the touch, and be sure to give your plant plenty of natural light.

Chamomile
Chamomile is most commonly known for its calming properties, but it can also be used to treat scraps and cuts as well as an anti-inflammatory. The flowers can be used in a teas, for oils, or even ground into a powder.

Chamomile is easy to grow indoors, as it doesn’t require much light. Keeping it near a south-facing window and water once a week to help with blooming. ealthy blooms.

Marigold
Marigold is used for its anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antispasmodic properties. Most commonly used to treat cuts, scraps, burns and rashes, but can be effective at reducing involuntary muscle tremors as well. Once more, these flowers can be used in teas, oils, or can be dried to make a powder. We found a recipe for making Calendula oil from Mommypotamus.com.

Calendula is a variety of marigold that can be grown indoors and is used for medicinal purposes–this probably isn’t the flower growing in your garden. It does very well indoors, but it has specific needs. It likes light, although it can grow in low light, in does require about 10 hours of light per day. Water roughly every 3 days or as needed.

Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is great for digestion, pain, restlessness, and insomnia. Leaves can be chewed directly, crushed, or steeped in tea.

Lemon Balm, like peppermint, is best grown in containers. These plants do best in direct light, and water when thoroughly dry.

Lavender
Lavender, not only smells great, it is good at relieving stress, anxiety, insomnia and treating minor cuts and burns. Lavender flowers can be used in teas or drinks, they can also be dried or made into an oil. Lavender oil should not be used internally.

Lavender needs a lot of light to produce flowers, for best results place your plant near a south-facing window and water only when the soil is dry to the touch.

Garlic
Garlic is one of those herbs that helps a slew of issues. Although it can’t be grown indoors, we recommend planting extra to use in your kitchen all year round. 

It is a great natural antibiotic, can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and can relieve symptoms of colds, step throats, and ring worm just to name a few. Garlic bulbs need to be planted in the ground in either the fall or spring, and harvested in the summer.

One of the best things about garlic is It’s easy to use. Cooking with garlic daily will help you enjoy its benefits with minimal effort. Or you can make poultices, lemonades, or even garlic baths to help treat a specific problem.

The herb garden you have in your kitchen, just became much more versatile. For help growing your herbs indoors, visit one of our Metro Detroit locations.

For more information on herbs, visit our herb page.