15 Healing Herbs That You Should Keep Handy

1. Aloe vera:

The classic garden plant - our very own aloe vera has numerous properties. It has a wide variety of benefits, ranging from skin repairing to burn healing.

It typically grows very well in sunny areas, so you can comfortably grow one in your garden.

Aloe is a terrific moisturiser that soothes the skin in winters and also to the same effect, it can work brilliantly well on small cuts and burns due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Regular consumption of aloe vera juice helps to strengthen the immune system.

2. Thyme

This, like aloe, grows in a sunny environment and is super easy to maintain. Thyme is aromatic and a lovely addition to the medicinal garden.

The aroma that it dissipates at the touch of it is due to the oil, thymol. Of the many benefits it has to offer, the best is its ability to cure respiratory tract infections.

An inclusion of thyme in the gargling water helps get rid of foul breath and mouth ulcers/sores.

It also helps to cure acute tonsillitis and a little application of it on the throat externally, helps in relieving throat infection.

3. Rosemary

A unique blend of rosmarinic acid, cineol, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate and α-pinene makes rosemary rich in medicinal properties.

Because of the wide variety of medicinal properties, it is used widely in the cooking of many dishes of chicken and lamb.

The richness in iron, calcium and vitamin B6 makes it a unique source of health and well being.

Typically, it has been used to relieve muscle pain, prevent vision degeneration, improve digestion, boost the immune system and improve memory.

4. Chamomile

A herb that belongs to the daisy family - this little plant is a part of the Asteraceae family.

The two most commonly used varieties are - German chamomile and Roman chamomile. This can be used both internally and for external application as well.

It is often added to herbal teas and is very well known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Also, it is used as a relaxing aid for improved sleeping and in curing teething problems, allergies, gastritis, constipation and stress.

5. Peppermint

Although peppermint is readily associated with its fragrance and its flavouring property for which it is used in candies and gums, because of its many medicinal properties, it has been used widely across ages.

As a therapeutic herb, peppermint is used to treat many gastric disorders such as irritable bowl syndrome, colic in infants, colonic spasms and gastritis.

It also has been known to improve memory and treat respiratory tract infection and bad breath.

6. Ginger

Ginger - one of the most widely used kitchen ingredients has one of the most amazingly wide uses when it comes to the medicinal aspect.

Indians and Chinese, especially, have used it to cure many ailments and diseases for over thousands of years.

Its medicinal properties come from an ingredient called gingerol, an oily resin from the root that acts as a very effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

It helps tackle heart diseases, provides relief from nausea, improves the immune system and cures throat and respiratory malfunctioning, bacterial infections and indigestion.

7. Turmeric

Speaking of its uses in the kitchen, turmeric needs no new introduction of its requirement in that space.

However, the kind of variety it has to offer in the medicinal world is almost unbelievable. It is anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant to begin with.

It helps to relieve stress and pain. It is also used in chemotherapy and in treating arthritis and diabetes.

8. Cinnamon

Most widely known as a spice from a utilitarian perspective, its medicinal properties are almost underestimated most often.

It is actually the bark of the stems of the cinnamomum tree. The oil in the bark, cinnamaldehyde is what gives this herb it's distinctive aroma.

It is this property that gives it all of it's medicinal properties - which helps in boosting the health and immune system.

It is very rich in antioxidants and high in anti-inflammatory properties.

It also has the potential to reduce many heart diseases and in treating the malfunctioning of the hormone insulin and is also anti-cancerous.

9. Parsley

The perennial herb parsley is always available in the market, but it definitely is an idea worth considering to keep it handy in one's garden or grocery storehouse, for the kind of amazing properties it has.

The nutrients found in parsley include vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, choline, folates, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, zinc and copper.

It's known for its anti-diabetic, anti-rheumatoid and anti-carcinogenic properties to begin with. Also, like most herbs mentioned above, it has an anti-inflammatory effect on cuts and bruises.

10. Chili Peppers

Chili peppers are known for boosting metabolism and the capacity of stomach cells to resist the growth of ulcers and sores.Make sure to include this in your diet.

11. Saffron

This is one of the subtler herbs, which has a rather calming effect, as its core property.

It is predominantly used to lift up one's spirits and hence helps tackle clinical depression.

Also, among women, it is known to have helped cure pre-menstrual syndrome, because according to research 75% of women who were given a dosage of saffron have been reported to see a drop in their mood swings and crankiness by half.

12. Lemon Balm

A part of the mint family, this wonderful herb helps relieve anxiety, stress, injuries, herpes, bad stomach, cold sores, insomnia and insect bites. It also is known to ease the pain caused by constipation and promote better sleep. Plus, it gives mental clarity too.

13. Sage

Although the name could be very deceiving in terms of setting expectations of a rather drastic or aggressive result, this herb is anything but average.

Even the slightest of the acts, like smelling it, has proven to recall incidents and improving the memory by a large scale.

It is rich in antioxidants, is effective in boosting immunity, improves bone strength and is great for improving the skin and its texture.

14. Basil

It makes our pizza and pastas taste phenomenal with just a dash of it, but guess what, it has many more shades to it - it heals, repairs and improves your life.

Besides ruling your kitchen, it cures fever, sore throat, kidney stones, mouth infections, stress, skin disorders and tooth problems (to name a few). It is one of the most widely available herbs.

15. Curry Leaf

Another most widely used natural food flavouring agent, this herb is also very rich in its healing properties.

Available throughout the year and the easiest to grow in one's backyard, curry leaves are known for their antioxidant properties, ability to control diarrhoea, cure gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, peptic ulcers, diabetes and also cure cholesterol imbalance.

Please think twice before picking them out of your cooked food and throwing them away, for you are throwing good health away along with it.