LEMON BALM
You can grow lemon balm indoors all year round,
though it does enjoy the warmth of the summer
sun. Like all of the plants on this list, people have
used it for medicine for thousands of years. It was
prepared in a tea and used to reduce stress and
anxiety, and sipped as a tonic to increase strength.
If you're feeling a bit blue, reach for the lemon
balm and a mug of hot water. If you're already on
an anti-anxiety medicine, skip the lemon balm,
since the two combined will be too strong. When
using any plants for medicine, always be cautious
and aware of any allergy symptoms. Lemon balm
also deters mosquitoes, so rub some of the leaves
on your skin.
OREGANO
The ancient Greeks used oregano a lot, and Hip-
pocrates, the father of modern medicine, used it
as an antiseptic. The herb has antibacterial and
anti-inflammatory properties, so it's good at help-
ing prevent UIs. It's also been shown to help ease
period cramps and headaches. To use, simply add
more leaves to your dishes or brew into tea.
Herbal medicine may seem like hocus-pocus in
our modern world, but the more research that's
performed on old folk remedies, the more we
realize there's actually hard science behind it.
