Plants that Double as Alternative Medicine

Here at ginger we love everything to do with alternative health and the preservation and protection of it. We offer several treatments including reflexology and acupunture to help you maintain your health, but there are many other things to consider as part of your healthy lifestyle. We all know that having plants in the home is good for you, especially when we have a gardening revolution on our hands, so here are five plants that have healing properties too.

Holy Basil or Tulsi

Also known as Holy Basil, the medical uses for this amazing plant date back some 3,000 years. It’s so revered in Hindu culture that it’s said to represent the earthly presence of the goddess Tulsi.

This “adaptogenic” herb (reduces stress while increasing energy), is most often consumed as a tea, which can be “spicy,” but with zero caffeine content. The remedies include anxiety, lowering of blood pressure, protecting internal organs from pollutants or heavy metals, hyperthyroidism, and even acne.

Overall, this good-to-have-around-the-house plant is thought to assist the body in maintaining its proper state of homeostasis. That is, it helps our natural systems stay in proper balance.

“A total of 24 studies were identified that reported therapeutic effects on metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, immunity, and neurocognition. All studies reported favourable[sic] clinical outcomes with no studies reporting any significant adverse events.”

Lemon Grass

The Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass plant) is often found in Thai cooking, but there’s more to it than that. In fact, the list of health advantages to drinking lemongrass tea is a particularly long one.

First of all, it has some mean detoxification qualities, not to mention it fights bacteria, viruses, and fungus. More? It’s thought to lower cholesterol, ease joint pain, fight anxiety and depression.

Skeptical? Take a read from the Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology and Research based on the culmination of recent study data:

“Studies indicate that Cymbopogon citratus possesses various pharmacological activities such as anti-amoebic, antibacterial, antidiarrheal, antifilarial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties… These results are very encouraging and indicate that this herb should be studied more extensively to confirm these results and reveal other potential therapeutic effects.”

Sage

That’s right, like the stuff in a shaker you keep in your spice rack. It’s a member of the mint family, though you wouldn’t know it when it’s swimming in your Butternut Squash Ravioli.

Just the same, this spicy contender packs a real therapeutic wallop. First of all, sage is high in nutrients. Next, it’s a righteous antioxidant. In one study, drinking a single cup of sage tea twice daily significantly heightened antioxidant defenses. In addition, it lowered LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) and raised the “good” HDL cholesterol.

An article in Science Daily reports that British scientists conducting clinical trials with healthy, young adults confirm centuries-old beliefs that sage can improve memory function. Which means that all my difficulty remembering to pick it up at the supermarket is entirely my fault.

Anyway, you can grow your own sage.

Marigold

We’re talking about the plant Calendula, also known as pot marigold. The common ornamental marigolds just won’t do this trick. Steep the flowers in boiling water to make a tea and you’ve got yourself an outrageous antioxidant. That’s pretty tough to beat right there.

There's some great ideas here on how nature and plants can help you to improve your health, but if you want any other help, please contact us today.