Three Herbs to help Heal and Soothe the Lungs and Throat

Almost as soon as I was done writing this, the wind changed direction and within minutes we were surrounded by thick smoke, and while not so great for our throats and lungs it did make for a beautiful sunset.

Currently 27 km (yes I am Canadian!) from my house there is a 250 hectare forest fire burning and while my house seems to luckily be out of the main smokey area; nearby the smoke is thick and heavy and I am sure there are some sore throats and lungs out there. Not only here on Vancouver Island but sadly there are many fires burning all over our planet, and many areas that simply have poor air quality that can affect the lungs. And we really need to care for our lungs, they have a pretty important job to do! So I thought I would highlight a few herbs that are great for soothing the lungs and throat.

Mullien:

I would recommend a tea or infusion of the leaves of the Mullein plant which are soothing to the lung tissue and also works to expel mucous from the lungs. I am currently also working on a herb profile for this herb and was out gathering some this morning so there will be much more information on Mullein very soon.

Liquorice:

Has been long used in Chinese Medicine as it is known to help balance all other herbs in a remedy. This herb is extremely soothing and also works to soften and remove excess mucous in the lung membranes as well as the stomach. This anti bacterial and anti viral herb has also been known to be very soothing to the throat.

Lungwort: Grows on the Maple and some fruit trees nearby where I live and I often have to wait for the fall storms to come so that the wind can bring it down for me. This is interesting to me because I truly believe that all of the herbs we really need grow all around us and this herb that is amazing at promoting respiratory and lung respiratory health always falls to the earth when flu season hits! Lungwort works to clear the upper respiratory tract, nose, throat, and upper bronchial tubes, while helping the body soothe the mucous membranes in these regions and lessen throat irritation and coughs.

And lets also give a shout out to a couple of classics: Peppermint tea: great for the throat and tummy and good old fashioned Hot Water with Lemon and Honey - so soothing! Classics are classics for a reason!!