I just went for a walk to help my brain come up with a new article to write for you. While I was out tromping about with my dawgy, one of my besties texted, “Hey Dr. T! Do you have any recommendations for a natural cough suppressant? Or a throat spray that helps calm the tickle? This is the second night in a row I’ve spent coughing and not sleeping :(”
Aw. Sad face. 🙁
I see this a lot at this time of year. The colds patients are getting quickly turns into a nagging cough that just won’t quit. Sound familiar?
Aha! I had fodder for my article. Her text was timely not only because of the season, but also because it came when I was hoping to be hit by some inspiration. Thank you universe! I dictated to my phone as I walked. That is nothing to do with anything but I thought I would tell you. There you have it!
1. Choose Soothing Herbs
The first thing I recommend is licorice. This tasty (so says me but not my husband) root is a demulcent, so it soothes both the gut and the upper respiratory tract. It is anti-microbial (kills nasty bugs – hooray) so is doubly good for those chest colds. I usually recommend gargling with some licorice root tea (of course let it cool first.)
You can also get licorice root as a tincture which can be diluted in some water, put into a spray bottle and sprayed to the throat. If you’re a keen bean you can combine other tinctures such as Echinacea root or Usnea barbata aka old man’s beard. (To be clear… not an actual old man’s beard. While that may tickle your fancy – literally – it is unlikely to help your cough.)
I told my BFF if she was a patient in my office I’d likely suggest this particular throat spray.
Please keep in mind that licorice is estrogenic so it’s not necessarily safe long term for everyone. It will also increase blood pressure so if you tend to be hypertensive I don’t recommend this option. (And if you are hypertensive I can help you be not so. Call me.)
2. Support the Immune system.
Next I like to recommend general immune boosting strategies which I am not going to list today because I already did that right here.
3. Choose More Soothing Herbs
This isn’t a cop out bullet point I promise. Lastly, I suggest things that can support the lungs directly. We can do this via steam inhalations. Here’s how:
- Put a kettle on to boil.
- Grab a bowl.
- Put 2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil** into the bottom of the bowl. (My dictation software took “of the bowl” and made it “Hannibal.” Also unlikely to help your cough.
- When the kettle is ready, pour the water in to the bowl.
- Cover that puppy with a towel.
- Stick your head under there like a reverse turtle. As if that’s not the best simile you’ve heard all day.
- Then breathe in the beautiful healing aromatherapy steam for 20 minutes.
** My favorite herbs for this are lavender, sage, and thyme. All essential oils are anti-microbial by their very nature so you can pick anything you’d like. Also if’ you’re a nature lover like me, then you grab some cedar sprigs while you’re walking your dog in your back yard forest and grind up the little needles with a mortar and pestle (pesto says my talk to text) and then put those bits in your bowl before you pour in the water.
This is a picture of me smelling some cedar in my very attractive, walking-in-the-forest outfit. Smells divine.
So my friend (both my real life one and you who I may not yet know,) I hope that helps you get some snug as a bug sleep so you can have the vitality and energy to live a life that lights you up!
Here’s to your healthy, thriving, delightful life,
