Grow Your Own Herbs: Boost Your Health and Wellness (the natural way!)
Besides being the secret ingredient to flavor-packed recipes, garden herbs have a wide variety of health benefits. I’ve listed some easy-to-grow herbs to boost your health and wellness the natural way.
I encourage you to grow at least one variety of herb this year. They’re so easy to incorporate into your life because they can fit in any type of growing situation (raised-beds, in-ground, pots, a garden tower. . . you get it) and are easy to add into your diet through sauces and salad dressings, smoothies, pesto, tea blends and more.
How to Choose Which Garden Herbs to Grow
I promise you won’t regret the decision to grow herbs. Need help choosing which varieties? Read on to see the health benefits of some of the easiest herbs to grow in your kitchen garden.
Herbs to Reduce Inflammation
Sage is believed to have many health benefits, including improving brain function, reducing inflammation, and improving digestion. It is also sometimes used to help relieve symptoms of menopause.
Holy Basil (also known as Tulsi) is believed to have many health benefits, including reducing inflammation, boosting the immune system, and improving digestion. My holy basil comes back every year and is great to dry for winter teas!
Herbs to Improve Digestion
Peppermint is often used to ease digestive issues, such as bloating and indigestion. It is also believed to have antimicrobial properties and may help to reduce inflammation. Be sure to grow mint in a separate container and never combine it in any other garden beds. Mint grows and spreads like crazy and can choke out other plants, and you’ll never be able to get rid of it.
Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help to improve digestion and lower blood pressure. I’m adding ginger to my garden for the first time this year!
Herbs to Boost Your Immunity
Turmeric is seeing its heyday, and for good reason. This herb is packed with essentially every health booster you can think of; it’s full of antioxidants, is a powerful anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, fights free radicals and has anti-cancer properties. You can enjoy it as a tea (check out this recipe for a golden milk latte, yum!), in smoothies, or add it to savory recipes like curries, soups, and casseroles.
Garlic has so many health benefits, including boosting the immune system, improving heart health, and reducing cholesterol levels. Plus, garlic makes everything taste better. I planted over 40 bulbs last year and I gotta tell you, grocery store garlic has got nothing on fresh-grown garlic.
Herbs to Help You Sleep Better
Chamomile is a calming herb that is often used to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. It is also believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and may help to improve sleep.
Lavender can support sleep by boosting your body’s natural melatonin levels and has the compound linalool, which is known for reducing anxiety and blood pressure. Lavender is calming to the nervous system and has been shown to relieve headache pain and menstrual pain.
A Few Quick Tips for Harvesting Garden Herbs
It’s best to harvest herbs in the morning, when the essential oil content is the highest.
Try to harvest on sunny days for optimal flavor and scent.
If you have an abundance of herbs, there are so many ways to preserve them! Try freezing, drying, adding to canned sauces, vacuum sealing, and/or infusing oils and vinegars to make your herbs last all year long.
You can learn more about planting, growing, harvesting, and preserving herbs in my FREE Herb Guide, which you get when you sign up for my newsletter!
Are you already on the way to planting? You can check out my blog post on How to Grow Herbs for step-by-step instructions.
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