• Culinary herbs contain chemical properties that can enhance health.herb garden image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
  
  Garden herbs are not difficult to cultivate in a garden or window box. These herbs are easy starters and will continue to produce all season. Use the herbs in recipes for general health benefits, or consume them to address particular medical conditions. Be aware that any herb that can be used as a medicine can be hazardous if used in the wrong proportion, for the wrong condition or in an incorrect mix with other herbs or medications. Using herbal remedies in the place of pharmaceuticals can also present problems for people with certain medical conditions.
  
  

Mint

• Mint honey is collected from bees who have collected nectar from mint flowers.mint and snail image by Lytse from Fotolia.com
  
  Mint is one of the easiest herbs to cultivate and is used universally for digestive upset. A mint tea with honey can sooth your stomach, and chewing on a washed leaf helps with breath and indigestion. Pennyroyal, however, can damage your liver if you ingest it. Mint will overwhelm a garden unless it's kept under control. Dig plastic dividers down to root level around your mint section before planting.
  
  

Basil

• Basil is used commonly in pestos.basil image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
  
  Basil has been used in traditional Thai medicine for centuries. The oil, which contains terpenoids, has been shown to have antiviral and antifungal properties. Seeds are used to treat constipation, and the plant is thought to have a general salutary effect on mucous membranes in both the mouth and the digestive tract. Basil can be grown from seed, but it's often easiest to buy a start from a nursery. Harvest leaves regularly to promote thick growth.
  
  

Thyme

• Test oil of thyme on a small patch of skin before using it, as it can cause irritation.thyme herb image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  Tea made from garden thyme is often used to ease respiratory symptoms. The oil is useful as an antiparasitic and an antifungal agent and can be diluted to treat athlete's foot. Take advantage of thyme's antiseptic properties by using it in homemade deodorants, mouthwashes and hand sanitizers. Thyme can be used as a ground cover as well as a conventional garden plant.
  
  

Sage

• Sage washes also treat mouth ulcers.fresh aromatic sage. image by joanna wnuk from Fotolia.com
  
  Treat sore throats with a wash of sage, vinegar and salt. Sage's drying properties make it useful in aftershave and antiperspirant mixes. Make sure you plant the herb sage (genus Salvia) rather than the very different and bitter sagebrush plant (genus Artemisia), often called wormwood.
  
  

Cilantro

• Cilantro is also called coriander.Salsa Background image by JJAVA from Fotolia.com
  
  Cilantro is another indigestion-treating herb, and is particularly effective for reducing gas. Cilantro actually increases gastric secretions so could help those with too little, rather than too much, stomach acid. A side effect is increased appetite, which helps those on medications that decrease the desire to eat. Plant pico de gallo in your garden by cultivating cilantro next to the tomatoes and onions.
  
  

Rosemary

• Rosemary is a heavily aromatic herb.rosemary image by Denis Plaster from Fotolia.com
  
  Rosemary is a slow-growing perennial plant from the Mediterranean. Plant in a sunny spot where it can stay all year. The herb is sometimes effective for treating stress headaches and in salves for sore muscles. Some reports link culinary use of rosemary with the breakup of some carcinogens. Add rosemary to a sachet as an insect repellent or a hair rinse to beat dandruff.
  
  

Parsley

• Chew a bit of the parsley accenting your plate after your restaurant meal for fresh breath.parsley image by fafoutis from Fotolia.com
  
  Wash hair in a parsley rinse to treat head lice, or chew on the leaves after a meal to freshen breath. Parsley is has possible estrogenic and anti-histamine effects, so it can be used to treat some menstrual irregularities and as a poultice over insect bites. It can reduce swelling from water retention. Do not use medicinally if pregnant or if you have kidney disease. Harvest parsley with stems intact to encourage new growth. Hang to dry and store the thoroughly dried leaves in a cool, dark place.