Medicinal Herbal Kitchen Garden

s a society, we’ve become quite dependent upon bottled medicines and visits to the doctor’s office. One way to be prepared for the future is to learn about medicinal herbs and begin maintaining a kitchen herbal garden.

Plan your garden in an area that is at least ten miles from any dumping areas, particularly toxic dumps, and at least a quarter of a mile away from frequently traveled roads. This insures that the plants remain free of chemical and industrial pollutants that can seep into the soil or are in the air. When gathering your herbs to store them, be sure that you harvest them in the proper season. In the spring, harvest bark and gather most roots in the fall. Take leaves before flowers develop and harvest flowers the first day the petals open. Be sure not to over-harvest your garden, but rather leave at least three quarters of each plant behind in order to propagate the species.

Important plants with medicinal qualities:

· Aloe Vera: The gel within the plant’s leaves is most known for its ability to ease pain associated with burns and even hasten the skin’s healing process.

· Burdock Root: Known for its ability to detoxify the blood for improved health and resistance to disease, the burdock root is also effective for skin conditions.

· Comfrey: Perfect for cuts and burns, comfrey leaves and roots should be in any medicinal garden. It can be made into a poultice for even deep wounds and can even help with bone fractures.

· Dandelion Root: This simple plant can be made into a tonic to improve kidney, liver, and spleen functions.

· Echinacea Root: This immune stimulant has become increasingly popular in mainstream health stores. It is used to treat colds, infections, allergies, and even the flu. It is known to inhibit tumor growth as well.

· Garlic: Adding garlic – either the bulb or the greens – to meals can help keep the immune system healthy. Eaten raw at the first signs of a cold, it can act as an antibiotic. The oil can be used to treat ear infections.

· Ginger Root: Ginger can be used to relieve digestive problems or added to a bath to reduce fever. It also is effective in treating menstrual cramps, morning sickness, or motion sickness.

· Kelp: Plants from the kelp family are able to help the body remove radiation that is stored in the bones and capable of producing leukemia, bone cancer, anemia, and Hodgkin’s disease.

· St. John’s Wort: Extracts and oils from this plant can be used as an expectorant and to relieve cold symptoms. Externally, it can be applied to bruises, sprains, cuts, and open wounds to accelerate healing. The plant is also helpful in reducing the signs of depression.

· Valerian Root: This bad-smelling root helps relieve anxiety, stress, and insomnia. It alleviates migraines, menstrual cramps, and rheumatic pain.

The Holistic Survival Team