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15 Windowsill Plants that Heal and Cure (#8 is Super Nice!)
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Don’t you hate it when you really need some pepto but you don’t want to get dressed, drive 20 minutes each way in traffic and burn a ¼ tank of gas just for something so simple?
If you keep a few plants on your windowsills or on your patio, you won’t need to! Freshly harvested plants can heal and soothe dozens of common health problems, including that upset tummy.
You don’t need much space; all of these plants can be kept in a pot. You can try and grow them from seed, but you might find seedlings are your best bet. Pick up a few of these and keep them on hand so that you never have to make another late night trip to the drug store ever again.
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera grows very well in pots that are placed in full sun or partial sun. Keep them well watered to keep the leaves plump and full. Aloe vera is great for sunburns and other types of minor kitchen burns. Simply break off a leaf and squeeze out the clear gel for some super hydrating skin repair. Aloe vera is 96 percent water but the other 4 percent is active amino acids and enzymes that will really nourish damaged skin.
2. Basil
This is a great little annual that is perfect for small pots in your windowsill. Pull off the white flowers as soon as you see them so that the plant will not go to seed and the basil will taste sweet, not bitter. You can dry the leaves for use later in the year. You can also make a fantastic tea with the leaves, use them in your cooking, and rub crushed leaves on your temple and forehead to stop headache pain within minutes.
3. St. John’s Wort
This plant might be a bit hard to find, but if you suffer from depression, it is well worth it. Ask your doctor if St. John’s Wort might work for you. If they agree, this can be a valuable little plant to have on your patio. It has beautiful glossy leaves and small yellow flowers that are well known for stopping mild to moderate depression.
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4. Lavender
This is a beautiful, fragrant, and sun loving plant that is easy to grow but needs good drainage. Use a pot with gravel on the bottom and a light soil. Lavender tea is great for relieving headaches and the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory compounds make this a great face wash as well. You can also dry the flowers and leaves for beautifully scented sachets throughout your home. Put one under your pillow for super sweet dreams.
5. Marigold
Beautiful in the pot, they love full sun. This plant has been used forever as a means of easing digestive problems and ulcer pain. This plant is sometimes called calendula. Make a tea from the flowers to ease sunburn pain.
6. Lemon Balm
This is a good one to keep in a pot because it tends to become overgrow in the garden. Lemon balm tea is perfect for insomnia, healing cold sores, or preventing breakouts. You can rub the leaves directly on your skin to relieve insect bites or as a natural insect repellent.
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7. Feverfew
As the name implies, this plant is often used to treat fevers. Making a tea from the leaves will also ease migraine and other headache pains. Drinking the tea regularly can provide arthritis relief.
8. Johnny Jump Up
These adorable little flowers please everyone. This plant grows best in full sun and is perennial so it will re-seed itself every year. Johnny jump ups have powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that are great for skin blemishes and skin problems like eczema. Even if you never end up using this little plant, you will be so excited and happy just to see to those pretty flowers.
9. Mint
This is another one to keep in a pot as it will take over your garden if you don’t watch it carefully. Peppermint tea can take the place of pepto any day! A cup of peppermint tea will ease indigestion, cramps, nausea, and gas.
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10. Echinacea
Super beautiful purple flowers that love the sun. Drink Echinacea tea at the first sign of a cold or the flu to ease the severity of the symptoms. Echinacea improves the immune system to naturally help you fight off viruses.
11. Parsley
This herb loves the sun but you must keep the soil moist. It grows best with regular doses of organic fertilizer. Chewing fresh parsley will freshen the breath and eases digestion. It also makes an immune boosting tea that you will love.
12. Chamomile
This is another great flowering plant that will stop insomnia in his tracks but it also makes a terrific salve to relieve indigestion, anxiety, tension, and skin inflammation.
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13. Rosemary
This plant smells so good, you will want several pots of it! Rosemary loves the sun and likes its soil a bit on the dry side. You can use it fresh or dried in your cooking as well as making teas that are known to help with SAD, hangovers, and mild depression. Rosemary has been linked to improved memory just from smelling it!
14. Sage
Sage will need full sun and sandy soil but it rewards you with beautiful silver/gray leaves and velvety purple and white flower spikes. Sage is another common spice for cooking and when you make a tea out of the leaves, you have a super potent mouthwash that can relieve sore throats and kill the bacteria that causes gingivitis.
SEE ALSO: Fertilizers for the Garden and for Houseplants That Cost You Nothing!
15. Thyme
Thyme also needs plenty of sun and it prefers things a bit on the dry side, so don’t overwater. Thyme can be used in your culinary dishes but it is also a powerful antiseptic that can help stop colds and sore throats.
Please note that pregnant women should not use thyme.
Once you get hooked on using your own organic, fresh herbs, you will never go back to those old bottles of outdated medicines ever again.
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