There are plenty of natural treatment options available to you. Some of the best alternatives come from the world of herbal healing. Before you embark on any of these herbs though you should visit your health care practitioner to ensure that none of the herbs you’re considering using interferes with any prescription medications you may be taking.
Natural Cough Syrup
· 1 chopped red onion
· 1 chopped head of garlic
· 10 slices of ginger
· 2 cups dehydrated cane juice
Instructions:
Layer in a mason jar, repeatedly alternating ingredients. Be sure to leave as little space for air between ingredients as possible. Seal lid. Let stand four hours. Straining is optional.
Dosage:
1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon, as needed
You may also want to consult a professional herbalist in order to discover the most potent herbs available for your condition. This way you can be sure of receiving the maximum benefits from these powerful, natural healing substances.
The first herb you may want to investigate is Echinacea. This is considered by many herbalists a natural bacterial and virus killer. Ideally, you should take this as soon as you notice the first signs of a cold. Most herbalists recommend about 200 mg four times a day.
If you already have the herb, ginkgo, in your medicine cabinet for other reasons, now would be a great time to pull it out and start using it again. Many herbalists recommend it for their clients who have bronchitis.
You may also want to ask your herbalist about using eucalyptus. Commonly used to treat coughs and the common cold, eucalyptus helps to loosen the phlegm, which makes it ideal as an aid in helping to relieve the symptoms of bronchitis.
You may also want to consider using the herb barberry. An excellent choice for fighting infection, barberry has also been know to help boost your immune system.
The active ingredient in peppermint, menthol, makes this herb a very effective decongestant. Menthol actually thins your mucus, which makes it the ideal expectorant. Not only that, but this healing plant also has the additional benefits of soothing and calming sore throats and dry coughs.
Slippery elm has the unique distinction of receiving recognition from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as being a safe and effective option for the treatment of a sore throat as well as respiratory symptoms.
The active compounds found in the stinging nettle plant cause it to act as an expectorant which is why many herbalists recommend this to their clients. But more than that, this particular herb may also possess anti-viral properties, which is just what you need to tackle that respiratory infection.
Reference: Asthma and Bronchitis
