Dry Cough Remedy Tea

6/11/13

So I get home and roomie's cough is back. But he's NOT SICK, he insists. It's a dry cough that he's had on and off for at least a year now, it comes and goes, and he believes it most likely must have to do with outdoor allergies. The problem is, that he said one of the teas I had made when I first moved in here had made the cough subside, and the "tickling" feeling in the back of his throat go away. However, I had made so many different teas, that I'm not quite sure what I had put in the exact one that caused his symptoms to subside. So here we go: I'm making a tea of what I can remember I had put into those teas that would have, and could have made his cough subside. Either way this is a powerful combination of herbs that could address any number of causes for & symptoms of his cough. These herbs are good for bronchitis, allergies, asthma, coughs, bacterial infections and viruses, and general immune system enhancers.

1. Echinacea - it fights colds, flu & viruses, general antibiotic, immune system booster which helps combat allergies.
2. Oregon Grape - used in the place of Goldenseal oftentimes, as Goldenseal has become an "endangered herb", it is also immune boosting, virus fighting, antibiotic herb, helps combat allergies.
3. Licorice - mucilagenous herb (coats the throat, and pretty much anything it touches) and is good for bronchitial issues
4. Anise - Recommended for coughs
5. Mullein - good for upper resperatory infections and asthma
6. Black Cohosh - good for asthma
7. Plantain - mucilagenous herb, coats the throat
8. Ginger Root - good for circulation & anti-bacterial.

* Honey to sweeten

Now, I think I have covered all angles of this cough. Immune system boosting for allergies, colds & flu type viruses, herbs for bronchitis, athsma & cough. Let's see if it works :)

Making a decoction, since most of these herbs are roots (Decotions are best for roots, infusions are best for leaves & flowers): Simmer herbs & water for 15 minutes, let steep 15 minutes. I am going to add honey, which improves immunity to local allergens, such as airborne pollen from trees, grasses & flowers. He has been doing a lot of gardening lately..

Why is honey the best sweetener to use in a tea to treat allergens and cough? Well for coughs, the honey is soothing for the throat because it coats it quite effectively. For allergens, the reasoning is more complex. It is like a vaccine, which is also a similar kind of thinking that is behind homeopathy, which is that adding qualities to the medicine that contain traces or similar qualities to what is causing the malady will in effect cause a reaction in the body to conquer the illness and re-balance to a state of health. So.. that being said, honey contains traces of these pollens, and causes the body to produce the appropriate antibodies to combat the culprit. Many people throughout time have attested to the effectiveness of honey in alleviating allergies. Therefore, honey is the sweetener of choice for the roomie's cough remedy tea for now.

*Drinking the tea right now. I didn't add honey to mine because I generally do not like to sweeten my medicinal teas... at least for now, I want to be sure that I am very much aware of how the herbs taste and smell without anything altering them. This tea is amazing tasting! Wow! The Anise, Licorice & Ginger are so aromatic and flavorful it's a great tea to drink cough or no cough. I'm pretty psyched and happy that it has such a great taste, since my roomie says he wants me to make a big batch of it so he can sip it throughout the day at work!