Max Hahne - Home Sweet Home August

5 Healing Plants and the Benefits They Provide

The following is a list of just a few plants people are drawn to for their healing properties.

LAVENDER: For many, lavender is synonymous with relaxation. The scent of lavender can also be soothing for anxi- ety. Warning: Lavender contains the chemical linalool which can be poisonous to dogs and cats. However, the amount of linalool in lavender is so small that your pet would have to consume a great quantity to cause serious illness or injury. Still, if you have furry family members, either avoid lavender or keep a small plant in a place pets can’t reach. SAGE: Often used in cooking, sage also offers several health benefits for humans. Sage has been shown to help clear infections of the digestive tract, mouth, and skin. It also has properties that help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Sage is safe for dogs to consume, and it can actually be used to treat digestive distress by putting just a few leaves (fresh or dried) in your dog’s food once a day. This versatile plant has other medicinal uses for dogs: eating it can help reduce inflammation and arthritis pain. Does your dog have dandruff? Ashley suggests doing burning sage in a fire-safe container to cleanse your home of allergens including pet dandruff. Warning: You don’t want your pet to inhale too much smoke though, so, for safety’s sake, do the sage burning while your pup is outside.

SNAKE PLANTS: If you are one of the millions of Americans who have trouble sleeping at night, try placing one or two of these plants in your bedroom. Like all plants, the snake plant is air-purifying, and they produce and release oxygen into the air at night and during the day, they absorb carbon dioxide. The higher purity of air is conducive to a good night’s sleep and enhanced concentration the following day. SPIDER PLANTS: These low-maintenance plants can be placed throughout your home. They offer much of the same benefits that snake plants do with the added plus that they can go up to two weeks without watering and will continue to thrive. ALOE VERA: This succulent has long been a popular house plant because applying the gel from an opened leaf relieves burns, scrapes, and skin irritations. Aloe vera has also been shown to be good for oral health as it prevents plaque buildup and can reduce swollen and bleeding gums. Warning: Although aloe vera has many ben- eficial uses, it is imperative that aloe plants be kept out of the reach of children and pets. The plant is toxic for young children and pets because it contains a chemical known as saponin. Young children and pets cannot digest this chemical so ingestion of aloe vera can cause severe digestive system distress.

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