5 Herbs to Grow Inside

     There are many wonders that modern technology has given us. We have the world at our fingertips, and an easy way to travel. But in the South, and especially here in Florida, there's one modern miracle that makes life so much easier this time of year, air conditioning. A/C makes summertime in Florida livable. Unfortunately the air quality inside most of our homes is pretty horrible. We use chemicals in everything, and all of those chemicals effect our air quality. Since we are spending so much more time inside to beat the heat, what can we do to clean our air and make life a little more pleasant? Plants! Bring the herb garden inside! That way you have easy access to herbs you love to use, and they help to filter your air. Here's a list of 5 of my favorite herbs to grow inside and why they're so awesome!

1. Aloe Aloe Vera

Aloe is a plant that I use almost every day. I make quite a few hair and skin products using aloe gel, I use the whole leaf to reduce inflammation, and I even drink aloe water. It has a number of amazing health properties and I could go on and on and on. In fact, one of my first posts on this page was all about aloe. It's easy to take care of as long as you keep it well drained and it helps to filter out formaldehyde, which is commonly found in carpets, rugs, and furniture.

2. Rosemary Rosmarinus officialis

Rosemary might be a little tricky to grow inside, especially if you're new to gardening (this page has some great tips). However, it's well worth the effort. Not only does it help to purify the air, but it releases essential oils from it's leaves. These oils actually improve cognitive function. They help improve memory, protect the brain from free radicals, and they help keep your house smelling great. Plus, whenever you need some rosemary for that special recipe, it's just a few feet away!

3. Mint Mentha spp.

Mint is another herb I tend to use a lot. It helps improve the flavor of quite a few teas, tastes great in salad, improves digestion, and smells great. However, when you plant it, it will take over EVERYTHING. So I always make sure it's in a container, inside or outside, and I never plant it with other plants. I used to have a decent sized container that had 7 different varieties of mint, from pineapple mint to chocolate mint. However, the chocolate mint slowly took over and now I just have a large container of that. Lessons learned. But it's still a great plant to grow inside. It works well to filter air, but it also makes the air easier to breathe for those with weak lungs.

4. Lavender Lavandula angustifolia

Lavender is one of my favorite plants to grow indoors. It keeps the house smelling fresh and clean, repels insects, helps reduce anxiety, improves sleep, and is one of my favorite scents. However there are a few people who are allergic, and if you have cats make sure to keep it in a place your kitty won't get to. Cat's livers cannot process the lavender very well and may not cause immediate reactions, but over time the build up can cause liver damage. However, keep in mind that lavender LOVES sunlight and well drained, not very rich, soil. Windowsills are a great place for lavender to go.

5. Rose Geranium Pelargonium graveolens

There are over 200 different species of geranium, and they are all great air purifiers and easy to care for. I prefer to grow Rose Geranium, however, because it's also a great tea for diabetics, it lowers blood glucose levels fairly quickly. All geraniums also repel insects and can survive without water for up to 2 weeks. Rose Geranium also smells very similar to roses, so it's a great way to get a beautiful, floral scent in your home without having to resort to chemical heavy scents. The more sunlight it has, the more it blooms, the more fragrance you'll notice. It also helps filter out, not just chemicals, but also bacteria from the air. So if your family is prone to infections, invest in some Rose Geranium plants.

The Amazing Aloe

    I have a few herbs that I keep coming back to time and time again.  These herbs are useful in most situations, and are typically herbs that are easy for most people to access.  Aloe is one of these herbs.  I recommend it for everything, to the point of my friends and family making fun of me about it.  Whenever I say they should use something, they stop me before I finish and say variations of “I know, I know, Aloe.”  If you’ve been reading this blog for the past several months you’ll also notice that aloe is a key ingredient in many of my recipes.  So today, I’m writing about aloe.

    Aloe vera is in the Liliaceae (Lily) family.  This spiky succulent is native to Africa and was well known by the ancient physicians of Egypt, it was even called the “plant of immortality” by them.  As such, it was often given as burial gifts to pharaohs.  Hippocrates documented over 14 different remedies using aloe.  Alexander the Great even conquered a whole island just to ensure that his troupes had enough aloe to keep them healthy.  Today it is still one of the most popular medicinal herbs in the world, and scientists have identified over 200 biologically active compounds in the plant.  Pretty awesome for a plant that’s over 99% water. 

    Most people know aloe is great for burns.  Some people also know that it is great for wounds in general.  This is such common knowledge that there have been a number of scientific studies done comparing aloe to other common burn and wound creams.  In most of them, aloe heals the wounds and burns faster by a significant amount of time.  Aloe is also used to help treat other skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.  But it doesn’t just work on external wounds.  Aloe is great for internal sores as well, sores like mouth and stomach ulcers. 

    Aloe is also my favorite anti-inflammatory.  It is so amazing at this that it can relieve internal inflammations with external application.  This means that if you have inflammation in your gut, applying the aloe leaf to your abdomen may reduce that inflammation.  Now if it is serious and reoccurring inflammation, please see your doctor!  However, when I have a sore and swollen joint I always slice an aloe leaf and apply it (wrapping it with a bandage and elevating the joint for 20 minutes minimum).  It almost always does the trick.  I even worked with aloe when I tore a tendon in my foot, I’m convinced it was the aloe that helped to heal the tendon 3 months ahead of when I was told it would be healed. 

    Aloe is also a really effective laxative.  Especially the outer parts of the leaf.  The gel will help improve digestion, but the outer leaf will make sure your sluggish digestion gets a move on.  I don’t recommend the leaf for anything less than serious constipation.  The gel and juice, however, can be taken daily to help keep things more regular, particularly in the case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). 

    Aloe improves immune function.  It can stimulate the immune system in people who have immune deficiencies.  It can also reduce immune function in the case of excessive stimulus such as allergies.  Because of this, scientists are currently research its effectiveness in HIV, AIDS, diabetes, and certain cancers.  But for most of us, this means that a daily dose of aloe is good for immune health.

    When you combine all the benefits of aloe, it seems like there are limitless possibilities for how this plant can help.  There’s really only one warning I can give with this herb, if you have a staph infection, please don’t try aloe.  Aloe is the perfect breeding ground for the bacteria that causes staph infections.  But don’t hesitate to use aloe in any other situation.  It’s an antimicrobial (it fights bacteria, viruses, and fungi), anti-inflammatory, immune boosting, digestive aiding, and all around amazing powerhouse of wellness.  I encourage everyone to have at least one of these plants in easy access to their home for first aid purposes, but taking a small amount every day is also of great benefit to almost everyone.  And, it tastes pretty good in smoothies! 

Resources:

Dr. Weil: http://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/herbs/aloe-vera/

Dr. Whitaker: http://www.drwhitaker.com/the-medicinal-uses-for-aloe-vera/

Happy & Raw: http://happyandraw.com/top-12-benefits-of-aloe-vera/

Healthline: http://www.healthline.com/health/7-amazing-uses-aloe-vera#2

Herb Wisdom: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-aloe-vera.html

Aloe Based Hand Sanitizer

    Anyone that knows me knows that I am strange.  With that said, I like germs.  Not that I like being sick, or seeing other people sick, but that germs help our immune systems to develop.  Currently, in modern America, everywhere you go you see antibacterial this and antibacterial that.  I think all of these antibacterial products are contributing to the prevalence of certain diseases such as resistant strains of bacteria.  There are actually quite a few of scientific studies that back up my beliefs in this, check out this article from Scientific American for a good introduction to the concept.  There is a lot more information out there about this rising problem, I encourage you to check it out.

    That little rant being said, we need to be mindful of cleanliness as well.  It’s no secret that many diseases are spread through contact with a sick person or animal.  You can still protect yourself from these without all the added issues that come with overpopulating the world with harsh antibacterial chemicals.  Many plants are naturally antibacterial and products made with these are not as harsh on both your body and the environment.  Homemade, natural hand sanitizer is a great way to protect yourself from the spread of contagions.  I don’t necessarily think that you should carry it around and use it after washing your hands or touching everything, but I always take some with me camping or on road trips in case I end up having nature call in a less than sanitary environment (think about those yucky convenience store bathrooms you always encounter on road trips). 

A Quick Word on Ingredients

Aloe Vera gel is a great base for hand sanitizers because it is gentle on the skin and naturally both antifungal and antibacterial. 

Vitamin E Oil is a great moisturizer for your skin and acts as a preservative which can prolong the shelf life of your sanitizer.

Witch Hazel is a great astringent (meaning that it tightens the tissues) which helps it to get rid of excess oils from the skin and shrink down pores.  

Rubbing alcohol is a great disinfectant and cleaning agent.

All essential oils are also antibacterial, so to an extent you can feel free to vary the essential oils in my recipes, but tea tree and lavender essential oils are typically considered the best antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal oils.  Essential oils are really strong medicine and should be treated with respect.  Rosemary, eucalyptus, camphor and certain kinds of lavender essential oils have been known to trigger seizures in epileptic patients, please use caution when using these oils.

Moisturizing and Gentle Hand Sanitizer

Ingredients:

¼ cup 100% Aloe Vera Gel

20 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

10 drops Lavender Essential Oil

5 drops Rosemary Essential Oil

5 drops Lemon Essential Oil

¼ teaspoon Vitamin E Oil

*optional 1 teaspoon either Witch Hazel or Rubbing Alcohol

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Pour the mixture into the bottle/container you want to use (Specialty Bottles has a great selection ).  The Vitamin E Oil will act as a preservative (as well as softening your hands) so that the gel will be good for several months.

    Like all of my recipes (both edible and non-edible), you can feel free to play around with it.  I rarely use the exact same recipe twice for my own purposes.  You can even turn this into a spray by making a strong antibacterial tea (some good herbs for this would include lemongrass and green tea) to add to this recipe.  I hope you enjoy making your own hand sanitizers and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Resources:

DIY Natural: http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-hand-sanitizer/

Everyday Roots: http://everydayroots.com/diy-hand-sanitizer

Live Strong: http://www.livestrong.com/article/191247-common-uses-for-rubbing-alcohol/

Natural Living Ideas: http://www.naturallivingideas.com/14-reasons-why-witch-hazel-should-be-in-every-home/

Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-antibacterial-products-may-do-more-harm-than-good/

Specialty Bottles: http://www.specialtybottle.com/plastic-bottles/natural-hdpe

We Love Aloe: http://www.aloeplant.info/the-antibacterial-qualities-of-aloe-vera/

Wellness Mama: http://wellnessmama.com/281/homemade-hand-sanitizer/

Summer Sunburn Relief

    If living in Florida has taught me one thing, it’s how to care for sunburns.  Florida’s reputation as the “sunshine state” is well earned.  Even in the middle of a rainstorm, the sun can be out in full force.  With my pale skin, it doesn’t talk long for me to burn to a crisp.  Of course, the best thing to do is to protect yourself and prevent sunburn by applying sunblock, staying in the shade, and wearing protective clothing.  If you get caught out in the sun too long, however, here are some natural ways to help heal and relieve the pain of sunburn.

Aloe

    One of the best things for sunburns is aloe.  Aloe naturally relieves pain, reduces inflammation, repairs damaged skin cells, strengthens the immune system, accelerates the healing process, and fights off bacteria that can cause infection.  It also forms a protective layer over the skin which helps hold in moisture while adding extra hydration.  This basically means that aloe is a powerhouse for healing any burn.  The easiest way to use aloe is to cut a leaf and squeeze the gel onto the burn, or cut the leaf and scoop out the gel.  Apply the gel to the burn and leave it until it dries.  If it starts to get sticky wash it off.  However, this method can be difficult for sunburns that cover a large area, so I recommend harvesting the gel ahead of time and keeping it in your fridge.  You can also freeze it in icecube trays to have an extra bit of relief from the cold.  You can also add other things to your aloe gel, such as cucumbers which also help soothe the inflamed skin.  Just cut the aloe leaf, scoop out the gel, peel and dice the cucumber, put them into a blender and blend until smooth.  Leave this mixture on the burn for 30 min. 

Sunburn Tea

    Oddly enough, one of the best things you can use for sunburn is one of the staples in almost every southern home.  Iced tea.  Black tea has quite a few amazing qualities that help heal and soothe skin after a sunburn.  Adding in a mixture of other healing herbs can make for an amazing sunburn relief tea that you can then apply (either by blotting with a cloth or by spraying on) as often as you need.  My favorite mixture is black tea, lavender, rose petals, peppermint, yarrow, and apple cider vinegar. 

Black Tea- Earl grey tea seems to work best on sunburns, I suspect this is due to the bergamot that gives earl grey its distinctive taste.  Black tea is packed full of antioxidants which help to block the harmful effects of the sun, even after sun exposure.  It also is full of tannins which help to reduce post-sun inflammation.  Earl gray is black tea and bergamot oil.  Bergamot is full of more antioxidants.  But it is also from a citrus fruit and all citrus helps boost immune function, but bergamot is also a pain reliever. 

Lavender- Lavender is calming, and soothing to the nerves.  It also helps to tone the skin.  Essential oil of lavender is also a great topical pain reliever. 

Rose Petals- Rose petals are high in vitamin C which helps boost immune function.  They also have a great cooling effect on the skin. 

Peppermint- Peppermint has an amazing cooling effect and it helps to reduce inflammation. 

Yarrow- Yarrow speeds up the healing process for wounds and reduces inflammation.  It also prevents blistering and peeling.

Apple Cider Vinegar- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is great for taking the sting out of burns.  It also is full of amazing nutrients that help to fight infection and heal the skin. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup water

2 bags of good quality Earl Grey

1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

1 teaspoon dried rose petals

1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves

1`teaspoon dried yarrow leaves and/or flowers

½ cup raw apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

Bring the water to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add in the tea and the herbs.  Let it steep for 30+ minutes.  Strain into a glass container.  Add in the apple cider vinegar.  If you want, you can add 5 drops of lavender essential oil for added relief.  Storing this is the refrigerator not only adds to the shelf life, but it also adds a bit more cooling relief upon application.

Sunburn Cream

    Creams are good to have premade.  This one is good to keep around for any kind of burn, it also works well for sores and razor burn. 

Witch Hazel- Witch hazel is great to heal all kinds of skin issues.  It will help prevent blisters and peeling as well as reduce inflammation.

Coconut Oil- Coconut oil is a great moisturizer and it helps to reduce the pain of sunburns. 

Cornstarch- Cornstarch helps relieve the pain of the sunburn and has a cooling effect.

Ingredients:

½ cup witch hazel

1 cup water

3 tablespoons aloe gel (fresh is best, but don’t use the green or blue stuff from the store)

About ½ cup cornstarch

3 teaspoons coconut oil

10 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions:

Put the water, witch hazel and aloe gel in a glass container.  Mix these together, cover, and let sit for 2 hours.  After the two hours, add the remaining ingredients and mix together (you can use a blender or food processor if you want) until creamy.  You can add more cornstarch if it’s too watery or more water if it’s too thick.  The texture you are looking for is similar to a lotion.  Let it sit for 24 hours before use.  Store in a tightly lidded jar, in the fridge.  Will keep for several weeks.

Potato Paste

    Yes, this next recipe is essentially mashed, raw potatoes, but it really works.  Just like cornstarch, potato starch works wonders on sunburns.  It draws out the heat and toxins from the burn and alleviates the pain and has a cooling effect.  Some people slice raw potatoes and just apply them to the burns, but this paste is a little more effective and has better skin coverage for those pesky sunburns. 

Instructions:

Wash some potatoes, leave the skins on, and put them in the food processor.  Add a little water to moisten the paste.  Apply to your sunburn, but don’t rub it in, dab it on.  Keep it there for 30 minutes.  Discard the potato paste afterwards.

    I hope these tips and recipes help you with your sunburns, but don’t forget to protect your skin before you go out into the summer sun!

Resources:

DIY & Crafts: http://www.diyncrafts.com/6768/health/5-natural-sunburn-remedies-instantly-stop-pain-prevent-peeling

Home Remedies for Life: http://homeremediesforlife.com/aloe-vera-for-sunburn/

Love to Know: http://skincare.lovetoknow.com/Severe_Sunburn_Old-Fashioned_Remedy

Organic Facts: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-bergamot-essential-oil.html

Today in Dietzville: http://todayindietzville.com/2016/05/sunburn-tea-natural-sunburn-remedies/

Top 10 Grocery Secrets: http://www.top10grocerysecrets.com/2015-09-28-top-10-medicinal-plants-natural-sunburn-relief