Herbs are used for many different purposes today including: medicinal, culinary and even spiritual like frankincense and myrrh. We can used them fresh, dried, cold pressed or steam distilled (extracted) into essential oils . Since ancient times, herbs have been used for healing the body and they arrived here often from other countries. Before modern medicine, herbs were used frequently.
There is an EXCELLENT video and pdf of herbs that includes worksheets and a Herb Flavor Wheel from Learning Herbs here. It speaks to the body and whether you are hot, cold, damp or dry and the relationship to which herbs would work best for you…so very interesting and worth the view.
Here is Mountain Rose Herbs’ (bulk supplier) short list on some different herbs:
- Astragalus– boosting immunity, liver
- Burdock-skin disorders, lymph glands, fluid retention, tumors
- Calendula-varicose veins, athletes foot, wounds, chicken pox, measles, rash, lymph, dysmenorrhea, scars
- Catnip-fevers, indigestion, flatulence, insomnia, cramps, colic
- Chamomile-irritability, restlessness, indigestion, anti-inflammatory
- Comfrey-wounds, broken bones, pulled ligaments and sprains, varicose veins, burns, hernias
- Dandelion-digestion, water retention, skin
- Echinacea-wounds, colds and flu
- Elder-colds, flu, fever, skin, rashes, burns
- Garlic-hypertension, fungal infections, candida, lowering LDL, colds, flu, bronchial infection
- Ginger-colds, flu, poor circulation, cramps, spasms, motion sickness, vomiting, late menses, congestion
- Hawthorn-heart, weakness, blood pressure
- Lemon Balm-stress, anxiety, cold sores, melancholy, hyperthyroidism, seasonal affective disorder, fever
- Nettle-allergies, asthma, edema, kidney disorders, low energy, arthritis, adrenal fatigue
- Oats-stress, anxiety, adrenal exhaustion, lack of libido, rashes, skin inflammation
- Peppermint-stomach upset, hiccups, bad breath, colds, flu, fever, sinus, gas, nausea, itchy skin
- Plantain-insect and spider bites, urinary infections, coughs, ulcers, GI inflammation
- Red Clover-prevention of cancer, blood thinning, hot flushes, whooping cough
- Slippery Elm-cancer, ulcers, sore throat, coughs, colon, wasting disease
- St. John’s Wort-mild depression associated with lack of Vitamin D, sciatica, nerve pain, cold sores, liver function
- Valerian-insomnia, muscle spasms, uterine cramps, nervousness
- Wild Rose-bladder infections, muscle pain, colds, flu, grief, anxiety, sunburn, rashes, depression, cardiac weakness
- Yarrow-wounds, fevers, colds, flue, insect repellent, stop bleeding, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, cystitis
[*The top 10 easiest herbs to grow in your home or garden are probably: basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme.]
Here is a list of culinary herbs and spices… and here is a list of 100 herbs in pdf format. I can’t wait to start my herb garden now, I can just smell the basil!
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