Indoor plants to boost your health

Dr. Robin Anand

BAMS · Ayurveda ·

3 low-maintenance, indoor plants to boost your health

Did you know a few indoor plants have the ability to cleanse the air and make it fresher, besides having great medicinal properties. These plants can be eaten, taken as juice, or used for culinary purposes. You can grow these low-maintenance plants at home, in your garden or near your windowsill.

1. Fenugreek or methi:
How to use: fenugreek leaves as well as seeds are edible and it encourages weight gain, deters cancer of the liver and lowers blood cholesterol levels. Fenugreek also drains off the sweat ducts, and is useful for body building, for the late onset of diabetes, painful menstruation, and labour pains. It restores a dull sense of taste as well.
How to grow: fenugreek seeds are widely available across grocery stores. To grow the plant at home you can soak the seeds in water and scatter them densely in a bed of rich soil. Sprouts will appear in about five days, and the first harvest takes up to three weeks. After a month you will have better and sweet tasting clover-like leaves.

2. Aloe vera:
How to use: the big aloe leaves contain sap and can be used for healing burns, wounds, cuts and skin allergies. Intake of aloe vera juice helps in correcting digestive problems and appetite, chronic constipation and ulcers. The juice of the plant can be used as a skin and hair potion as well.
How to grow: aloe vera plant is one of the easiest to maintain as it just needs moist soil, regular watering and sun exposure. It requires only 1-2 inches deep water levels in order to grow and even lesser amount of water during winter.

3. Tulsi:
How to use: tulsi is an amazing remedy for the severe respiratory syndromes. You can compress the leaves to juice form to cure cold, malaria, fever, bronchitis and cough. Tulsi or basil leaf can also be sipped as herbal tea too. The plant is a purifier and its decoction along with honey and ginger helps in relieving bronchitis, flu, common cold and seasonal cough.
How to grow: tulsi plant requires ample sunlight and water every day. This plant is a must-have for each household as it is both easy to maintain and effective for healing indigestion, headache, hysteria, insomnia and cholera.