Green Thumb:
Plant Life
Plants make me happy, whether you get a bouquet or have some your home, hope you have a green thumb so they can bring you the same happiness they do for me.
Apparently I have a green thumb, not sure why, I don’t do anything specifically, nor do I properly transport them into bigger pots for them to continue to flourish. I will say I am lucky in that area, but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t own a plant and not kill it. Read below for why I decided to create an entire section about plants and their benefits to your mental health, as well as resources to finding plants online or in person (if you’re in L.A.).
“Research has shown that actively interacting with plants can reduce physical and emotional stress, through effects mediated by the cardiovascular system, particularly by reducing sympathetic tone and by lowering blood pressure while promoting relaxing and soothing feelings,” explains Dr. Parmar.
Dr. Kaplan adds that nature-derived health benefits may have something to do with the “biophilia concept, which proposes that human comfort from naturalistic elements is rooted in psychological adaptions from our evolutionary history.”
Houseplants can also remind us of the positive experiences we’ve had in public green spaces that may be less easy for people to access safely during the pandemic, thus boosting our mood, says Dr. Parmar.
“Urban green spaces have been linked with positive emotions and reduced stress level,” she explains. “Having an indoor plant may serve as a reminder of such positive memories, as well as the physical effects you might have experienced during those relaxing trips with nature.”
Plus, plants can even alleviate some of the loneliness many people have been coping with over the last year, says Leela Magavi, MD, a psychiatrist at Community Psychiatry.
“Like animals, houseplants can improve individuals’ mood by allowing them to care for something other than themselves,” she says. “This can create a sense of connectedness, which can alleviate feelings of anxiety and loneliness.”
Cited: Going Green During COVID-19: What Houseplants Can Do for Your Lockdown Health
Now that you know why plants are good for your mental health, below is a list of a few and their specific mental and physical health benefits to you. Here are a few plants and their powers:
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Basil Plant This holy plant is one of the most common plants you may find in the households. People do not just preach it because of its Godly presence but you’ll be amazed to know that basil plant has anti-stress properties which help to relieve stress and anxiety. Basil leaves are used in many purposes like salad dressing, treat stomach ulcers, insect bites, and sore throats. Basil plant acts as an adaptogen (a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress) which is why having a basil plant in your house or office can improve mental clarity.
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Jasmine Plant This blissful plant not just possess beautiful flowers that are pleasing for the eyes but also is a natural way to reduce stress and anxiety at work and home. A jasmine plant helps in lowering anxiety and stress levels. Also, it helps you feel better by increasing your productivity by giving you a fresh environment and a good odour. This gorgeous plant not just makes your room decor lit but also contributes to keeping the surroundings fresh with its fragrance and fresh oxygen supply.
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Aloe Vera Plant An Aloe Vera plant has always been a top choice amongst people for their homes and workaholics due to its rich properties and infinite health benefits. This plant is a succulent which helps in cutting down the harmful radiations from electronic devices. Electronic gadgets throw harmful effects on humans but aloe vera helps to give away more oxygen in the environment. Aloe Vera plant is a low maintenance plant that is also a natural air purifier that helps to reduce anxiety and stress by giving you fresh air to breathe
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Snake Plant Snake plant is one of the best stress-relieving plants, to keep in your home and office spaces. Keeping a snake plant in your bedroom or on your office desk will improve the air quality by removing harmful toxins and providing you fresh air to breathe. This unique looking plant can be kept in a beautiful small pot and that helps ease headaches, eye irritations, and breathing problems.
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Lavender Plant One of the most soothing plants to keep in your home and offices is the Lavender plant. Known for its heavenly scent this plant is a God’s gift to all the human race. Its sweet smell helps soothe the mind and relieves anxiety, stress, and its mesmerizing fragrance has sedative properties that help induce sleep. This indoor plant is so beautiful that it adds to your home decor and makes it even more scenic.
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Chamomile Plant Chamomile Plant is one of the best stress-relieving indoor plants to keep at home and offices. This plant has a lot of health benefits besides being a good looking flower. Chamomile tea is one of the very famous tea flavours consumed by people in foreign countries that help to ease an upset stomach. It also detoxifies your body by increasing your metabolism and improving your digestion system.
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Areca Palm Areca palm has its own ways to relieve stress. Areca palm is a very popular air-purifying plant, which can be kept both in the homes and offices. This low maintenance plant is easy to care for and is proven to remove harmful toxins from the air that affects the health of people. Therefore, this plant helps to lower anxiety levels and blood pressure, which in turn helps us to calm our mental and physical state thus protecting us from falling sick.
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Peppermint Plant This anti-anxiety plant helps in keeping us refreshed at home and offices by keeping those Monday blues away with its minty fragrance. Peppermint plants have menthol which is known to ease stress and keeps us full of energy and zeal throughout the day. By keeping a small pot on your office table or on your bedroom’s side shelf can help in not draining off your energy by the end of the day. Thus, keeping you relaxed and fresh.
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English Ivy Plant English Ivy is a proven indoor plant for stress relief and anxiety. It reduces headaches and promotes a good night’s sleep. This hanging plant is a great companion to those who wish to calm their allergies, particularly if they suffer from asthma. This plant helps in keeping away airborne diseases and is the best when the climate conditions go worse during the festive season. Due to its rareness, you might not be able to find this plant easily in the nearby market. But you can order this plant online and get it delivered at your doorstep hassle-free at exclusive prices and discounts.
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Chrysanthemum
These jaw-dropping bright flowers can help to lessen symptoms of worry and stress. These flowers are actually great stress relief plants to be kept at home and offices. Chrysanthemum has been found to reduce the activity of certain genes that go into overdrive during stressful situations. It is also a great tea flavour to be consumed that helps in reducing stress and increasing your metabolism.
Cited: 10 Best Stress Relieving Plants for Home and Office
Where do I get me some plants?
​You can a list of easy-care plants on The Sill website if you aren’t a plant expert, but still love the plants. The Sill’s goal is literally self-care through plants. Plants make you happy.
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BUT if you are in the LA area, driving down here or can manage some sort of shipping option, below is a list of other plant loving POC friendly businesses I support and are local to the Los Angeles area:
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