Take a deep breath. Focus on the sensation of the air moving through your nose and into your lungs. Are your airways and lungs clear or congested? If they're clear, imagine a time when they were bogged down with mucus. I'm sure it was a miserable feeling! You were probably coughing up gunk and your chest and throat got pretty sore. Guess what? There's an herb for that! And you may already have this herb in your kitchen!
Through at least 20 centuries, Thyme has been used to help clear up cold, wet, boggy lungs, open the airways, and soothe the sore throat and chest that come with coughing. It works by drying up the excess mucus and killing the germs (bacterial and/or fungal) that your body is fighting. Those with asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough can benefit from using Thyme. Often, Thyme was burned in sick rooms to keep others in the house from catching the illness. Scientists have since proven that it's an airborne disinfectant. Today, we can diffuse the essential oil or use a smudge stick for the same purpose. Beyond its affinity for the lungs and its ability to disinfect, Thyme can reduce pain, cramping, spasms, and swelling. Your whole digestive tract can benefit from Thyme because it's able to alleviate gas, bloating, IBS, and more. It may also knock out lingering or recurrent infections. To learn about Thyme in greater detail, become a member and check out its Datasheet, which will be published in November.
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Often referred to as 'The Root of the Holy Ghost', Angelica has long been considered an herb that brings balance between the spiritual and the material worlds. This pungent, earthy, sweet smelling herb is a cousin to the carrot. While Angelica has quite a few therapeutic properties, its use tends to be concentrated on digestion, uterine health, and restoring the body following a lengthy illness.
Used in cooking or taken as a tea or tincture, Angelica can stimulate the appetite and the secretion of gastric juices. This means your body will be able to properly absorb and process the foods and nutrients you ingest. When you are weak after being sick, you may have little appetite, so recovery may be slow because you're not getting the nutrition you need for your body to regain strength. Angelica's ability to improve your appetite and stimulate proper digestion will allow your body to return to a healthy, pre-illness state more quickly. It can relieve heartburn, dyspepsia, gas, cramping, acid reflux, and indigestion. This goes along with improving appetite, recovering from illness, and maintaining health. Women who deal with amenorrhea, cramps, and PMS may find relief when they make a tea with Angelica, or spice their food with it. When tissues are bogged down and stuck, Angelica warms them and promotes movement. It can help bring on delayed menses and relieve the symptoms of PMS and cramps by improving circulation Angelica is also good for cold, boggy lung conditions. Bronchitis, pleurisy, colds, congestion, and cough can all benefit from the addition of Angelica to your diet. With its antibacterial property, it can help clear such conditions. Note the word 'cold' above. Angelica is going to warm and dry cold, damp conditions, or, in the case of fever, induce sweating which may reduce the fever. It's important to note that the Root must be dried before use because fresh root is toxic. Angelica is considered safe, though some sources suggest it may cause photosensitivity while being used and is contraindicated in pregnancy. This divergence in opinion stems from a lack of scientific studies that would give confirmation one way or the other. With that being said, phototoxicity with ingestion is considered theoretical based on no known cases according to the Botanical Safety Handbook. The Herbal PDR and other books and websites recommend avoiding exposure to UV rays if you are taking Angelica. (The essential oil is phototoxic.) Perhaps the best explanation comes from Richard Whelan, Medical Herbalist. He states that Angelica is very safe for all ages, that it would require a very high level of ingestion to cause photosensitivity, and that just because it will bring on a late period does not mean it will interfere with pregnancy. My recommendation would be to check with your health care practitioner before use if you are pregnant, and to limit UV exposure if you are ingesting Angelica. (If you use the essential oil topically, avoid UV exposure for 12 - 18 hours after use.) How would you like to sweeten your tea without using sugar? Licorice may be the answer for you. It's much sweeter than sugar -- 50 times sweeter in fact!
Wait, something that's sweet AND good for you? I think I could handle that! So, how does it benefit someone? I'm glad you asked. Licorice is a demulcent herb. That means it'll help moisturize dry, irritated mucous membranes. Imagine quenching the fire of heartburn or ulcer. As you moisturize your digestive tract and excretory system, digestion and elimination issues like constipation can resolve themselves. Licorice is also antiviral, antimicrobial, antitussive, and anti-inflammatory. All of these properties work together to help soothe hot, dry conditions when you've been sick with a cold or flu and you have a sore throat and/or dry cough. It may even help you recover more quickly from what ails you. Beyond that, it's an immunomodulator, which means it balances your immune system so you can stay healthy. As a flavoring, Licorice is used in toothpaste, candy, cooking, pastilles, lozenges, syrup, and teas. As an adaptogen, it has the propensity to enhance the synergy between other herbs in a blend so that they're more effective. As with all things, moderation is the key to using licorice. It needs to be a small part of an herbal blend and used short term -- not more than 6 weeks. Because it can raise blood pressure, those with high blood pressure should not use it. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, don't use this herb unless your health care practitioner recommends it to you. If you are taking medicines with corticosteroids, licorice could interact with them. |
DisclaimerThe information contained in this blog is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Archives
March 2021
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