“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts.” Hamlet’s Ophelia gave a lesson on what some herbs have been traditionally associated with as she grappled with losing her love. I love learning about the historical threads of each living thing. If you count yourself among what I consider the lucky ones, you were never disconnected to your knowledge and trust in the natural world. Sadly a great many of us, myself included, are products of the industrial world around us. A world where the closest we come to a farm is the idyllic mural on your supermarket’s windowless wall. Even those that keep a small garden are often letting their taste buds guide them, and they should! But for millennia, our ancestors have turned to our favorite herbs for their medicinal qualities. Here’s a quick cheat sheet of known medicinal uses for some of your favorite herbs. Enjoy!
Rosemary: Antidepressant, soothes nerves, boosts memory
Sage: Calms anxiety, lowers blood sugar, reduces perspiration
Thyme: Soothes menstrual cramping, laryngitis, combats tooth decay
Mint: Relieves indigestion, heals the liver, improves blood circulation
Basil: Fever reducer, kidney booster, headache remedy
Dill: Heals the digestive tract, alleviates insomnia, allergy relief