So, I'm loving #naturalmedicine's recent 'Add to the Cornucopia: home remedy challenge' here on steemit.
I'm happy that this group has formed too- as I think there could be so much more conversation on herbal medicine and natural remedies on steemit.

This group has jumpstarted that majorly!

It's hard for me to pick a favorite remedy that I use. @riverflows recently asked me about herbs I use on the road. I have a few favorites to deal with stress, but I also have a few things I just love to use no matter where I am and what I am doing.

I really like a good warming adaptogenic Chai tea.

This is a remedy that I make up according to what I am wanting at the moment. This usually includes some warming herbs like Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon. I usually add Ashwagandha (one of my go-to travel herbs), Reishi (preferably some I harvested myself if I have it) Black Pepper (of which I only like in a tea, not on food), possibly Astragulus and Licorice root. I often add Coconut milk and Maple syrup, sometimes Ghee or Coconut Oil to throw in some fat. I usually don't put black tea in it, but if someone serves me some and it is early enough and I've had food, I'm down with it.

(Reishi, from North Carolina. I took this a couple years ago. Due to all of the Hemlocks getting sick and dying, the Reishi associated with Hemlock trees is flourishing, albeit temporarily)

(Reishi, North Carolina)

I love Reishi in homemade Chai especially in the fall when the weather starts to cool down a lot and warmth and grounding is needed from a upward energy focused summer.

It doesn't taste amazing, but feels really good in the body. Reishi is specifically indicated for folks who have dealt with environmental stressors that affect the lungs. The lungs then are associated with unresolved grief, and this inner/outer landscape can really play off of one another.

My dad grew a whole greenhouse of Ginger last year to sell, and saved me a freezer full at our home farm in Virginia for me to make tea, syrups, meads, sodas and medicines from. I love how warming and flavorful it is. Of course, Ginger is also great for fighting colds and flus.

Ashwagandha is a nightshade and tends to like hot and dry conditions, and often gets eaten up by flea beetles in the garden. I have successfully grown it though, and with the right kind of tending, folks who live in hot places can really grow a lot of this one. You harvest the root preferably after 6 months of it growing, when the flowers have started to produce seeds in red fruits.

Often some of the herbs that can be included in the Chai are easily found in the kitchen herb cabinet. Warming culinary spices make fine tea. I don't drink dairy (unfortunately) except for the occasional goat milk, so I often go for a dairy-free alternative.

I really don't have a good picture of Chai or me making it- but possibly in the future I'll make a post on steemit about putting one together and how kitchen elements can be used, and the garden, too.

I would say my second favorite 'home remedy' would be Rosemary.

I like this plant because it can be easily found in a lot of gardens or planting in places like California, or the southeastern U.S. where I am from, and also is easily found in the grocery story culinary herb section.

It is incredibly useful and abundant. Rosemary is in the mint family, and has a lot of natural essential oils in its leaves, and because of these strong essential oils, Rosemary is antimicrobial. Rosemary is a digestive stimulant and also helps to increase circulation.

The way I use it the most is as a face stream when I am fighting a respiratory infection.

I will gather a bundle of fresh Rosemary sprigs, put them in a boiling pot of water- being careful to turn the water off quickly after the water comes to a boil, as to not compromise the integrity of the medicinal constituents. I let the pot cool a little bit- enough to not let the steam burn you. Then I throw a towel over my head and get comfortable inhaling the steam coming from the pot- which contains the essential oils in the steam. This gets into the sinuses and helps to coat the inflamed and infected mucous membranes.

(Fresh Rosemary from making a chutney)

I look forward to sharing more of my favorite remedies as time goes on.