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Herbs for Winter Health
It’s cold season again, and I remember last year, standing in the drug store
staring glassy eyed at all the endless possibilities to relieve my runny
nose, sore throat, cough, and congestion. I gave up and went back to work
for another week until I was so sick I could justify a trip to the doctor
for antibiotics. "Did you think about making soup and putting lots of
crushed red pepper in it to clear your sinuses and make you sweat?" my
doctor asked. I stared at her as if she had just told me the office visit
would be free. But I’ve thought about the question of alternative cold
remedies since then, and was recently able to attend local herbalist Kami
McBride’s class Herbs for Winter Health. With a little bit of education and
care, there are many herbs that can be used to prevent and help alleviate
the symptoms of colds.
A close evaluation of lifestyle and eating habits during the winter is
important, especially for those with a tendency towards serious colds.
During the winter decrease dairy, cold cereals and juice consumption (many are mucus forming and cause greater congestion) and increase the "warming" foods such as legumes and broth soups with lots of pepper, curry or garlic to help prevent colds. If you feel those first symptoms of a cold reduce the heavy foods such as red meat that tax the body’s digestive system, thus allowing the immune system more energy to fight the early stages of a cold.
Eating hot, spicy foods (sautéed onions with lots of curry and some fresh
ginger or garlic soup for example) can help during the early stage of a cold
to cause the body to sweat and hopefully expel the cold quickly.
Many herbalists use Echinacea during the early stages of a cold to
kick-start the immune system by stimulating circulation and respiration. It
is considered paramount in reducing the number of days and degree of the
common cold. Echinacea is not meant for continuous use, but only when one feels a cold of flu coming on or has been exposed. Ten to fourteen days is a maximum time for the use of Echinacea.
Another remedy for the early stages of a cold is to make teas of the
sweating" herbs, such as ginger, horehound, pennyroyal, elder flowers and mugwort. Take a hot herbal bath after drinking the tea then wrap up and lay under several blankets until you are sweating but not chilled. Rinse off with cool water and go to bed. Sweating during the early part of a cold is
wonderful for helping to move the cold causing bacteria out of the system
quickly. This method should not be used when you have a fever or are in the later stages of a cold.
Herbal steams of lavender, thyme, sage and eucalyptus are excellent for
soothing and opening the nasal passages, and yerba manza can be taken as a tea to disinfect the mucus membranes. For sore throats a mixture of slippery elm bark and maple syrup rolled into a ball which can then be slowly dissolved in the mouth, or a small piece of osha root (one of Kami’s
favorite cold herbs) tucked between the cheek and gum can be very soothing.
I tried the osha root last weekend, and while the taste was not very
pleasant, it did reduce my usual 4 day sore throat to just 1 evening. Teas
containing one or more of the following: osha, comfrey leaf, peppermint,
licorice, cherry bark, rose hips, horehound, yarrow, elder, lemon grass,
marsh mallow and ginger are commonly used to reduce cold symptoms. Herbs that are mildly sedative, such as catnip, skullcap, chamomile, lemon balm, lavender and valerian aid sleep, which is probably one of the best (and yet least used) cold remedies.
The medicinal value of many herbs has been confirmed by research, however safety in their use is critical. Some herbs are not recommended to be used by persons suffering from medical conditions such as high blood pressure, thyroid disorders, asthma or during pregnancy. There are plenty of good herbal references available, including a short list below, to help you become familiar with the properties and uses of common herbs. An oncoming cold might be your best excuse this winter to stay home for the day, drink some herbal tea, eat some garlic, take your Echinacea and catch up on some good herbal reading.
Further reading:
Hoffman, David. The New Holistic Herbal.
Castleman, Michael. The Healing Herbs.
Levy, Juliette. Herbs for Common Ailments.
Mabey, Richar. The New Age Herbalist.
Author Unknown
Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its strength.
-A.J. Cronin
Sweet Marjoram essential oil boosts the decongestant effect of Eucalyptus oil. Add to a massage blend for the chest to relax and ease congestion. Use up to 15 drops total amount of essential oils per 1 oz. of base oil.
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