Issue link: https://nest.uberflip.com/i/1440312
ALOE One of the most popular houseplants for medicine, aloe has been used for medicine for thousands of years. People used it to treat all kinds of skin problems, as well as arthritis and constipation. Today, it's most commonly used for sunburns. You can find it as an ingredient in numerous burn gels. Using a real aloe plant to treat sunburn is easy. Break off a leaf as close to the stem as you can get and slice off both ends. Trim off the spiny edges, too. You'll see the gel between the skin. Cut off the rest of the leaf skin and you'll have a piece of pure gel. You can rub it right on your burned skin for soothing relief. If the aloe further irri- tates your skin, don't use it again. BASIL This herb is more than just a tasty topping for pizza or pasta. For thousands of years, people have considered basil one of the most powerful plants for medicine. During religious fasts, people would chew basil for strength, and it was even used for snake bites. In Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, basil is a common ingredient. If you're growing basil indoors, you can rub a leaf right on your skin and go work outside, because the juice has been shown to deter pests like mos- quitoes. If you have a cold or feel one coming on, eat more basil. It can also help improve digestion. PARSLEY A very easy plant to grow, parsley has a long history of use in veterinary medicine. Thank- fully, humans can eat it, too, and it has a lot of antioxidants that make it a healthy addi- tion to your diet. It's also a very good natural breath-freshener, so chew on some after eating something with garlic. Parsley has also been shown to help reduce bloating, poor digestion, and period cramps.