It’s
never a fun situation when you have a persistent cough. You don’t want
to be that person in a quiet room during a lecture that can’t stop
breaking the silence with your hacking, or that person at the restaurant
that makes people fling themselves over their plates to protect their
food while you cough away. Or that person on the plane that everyone
throws disgusted looks at. Coughs are just terribly uncomfortable all
around, both physically and otherwise. There are two primary types of coughs, dry and productive. A productive cough is one in which you are coughing up phlegm or mucous-this is not a cough that should be suppressed, as your body needs to rid itself of the gunk that’s in your chest/lungs. While it shouldn’t be suppressed, some of these remedies will address a productive cough by including an expectorant, or something that loosens mucous and makes it easier for the body to get rid of.
1. A Spoonful of Honey
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Note: This is an excellent alternative remedy for both kids and adults, but should never be given to children under the age of 2 years due to the risk of botulism.
You will need…
-1 tablespoon of organic, raw, honey
Directions
Take 1 tablespoon of honey 1-3 times daily as needed to control
coughing. Take immediately before bed if cough is disrupting your sleep.
For children, you can adjust the dosing to 1 teaspoon up to one
tablespoon.
2. Licorice Root Tea
Licorice root is both an expectorant and demulcent, simultaneously
soothing your airways while loosening and thinning mucous, easing
congestion. It can also ease any inflammation that may be irritating
your throat. Its main constituent, glycyrrhizin, is responsible for most
of its effects. 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), it
inhibits an enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (how would like
you to write that on a name tag?) This enzyme regulates access of
glucocorticoid (a steroid hormone) to steroid receptors, ultimately
slowing the conversion of cortisol to cortisone. This increases the
effect of cortisol and reducing inflammation. If you are on steroids, or
have any problems with your kidneys, it is best to steer clear of
licorice root.
You will need…
-2 tablespoons of dried licorice root-8 ounces of fresh water
Directions
Bring water to a boil and place the licorice root in a mug. Cover
with water and steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink the entire cup up to 2
times daily.
3. Gargle Salt Water
Also a popular remedy for sore throats, salt water can ease the
discomfort caused by a cough the same way it helps a sore throat-through
osmosis. When the concentration of salt is higher outside of the cells
in your mucous membranes, water flows out of the cells to balance
everything out. When water leaves the cells, swelling goes down, and
discomfort is decreased. If you have a cough that happens to come along
with inflamed tissue, this is a good route to take. It can also help
dislodge any phlegm that’s hanging out and allow you to expel it easily.
You will need…
-1 teaspoon of salt-8 ounces of warm water
Directions
Stir salt into water until it is thoroughly dissolved. Gargle for 15
seconds, spit, and repeat with the remaining water. Rinse with plain
water afterwards.
4. Steam, Steam, Steam!
I can’t say how underrated steam is when it comes to anything dealing
with a cough, cold, or congestion. Not only does the steam quite
literally loosen mucous and phlegm, almost immediately, but you can add
numerous essential oils that will impart wonderful healing benefits.
These benefits (anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory etc.) do
become airborne, so you inhale them while you breathe in the steam. For
this particular blend I’ve included both tea tree oil and eucalyptus
oil, which can help soothe and open your airways as well as help fight
off bacteria or a virus.
You will need…
-3 drops of tea tree oil-1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil
-A bowl of water
-A soft, clean, towel
Directions
Bring enough water to a boil to halfway fill a medium size-heat proof
bowl. Pour the water into it, let it cool slightly for 30-60 seconds,
and add the essential oils, giving it a quick stir to release the
vapors. Lean over the bowl and get as close as you can while still
being comfortable. Remember that steam can seriously burn! Use the towel
to cover your head like a tent, trapping the steam, and breathe deeply.
Ideally, do this for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times a day.
5. Tea Thyme
Thyme has been used for centuries, and was even used during one of
the most devastating pandemics to take place in human history. The Black
Death was a plague that peaked in Europe from 1346-1353. During that
time, and in other incidents of the plague thereafter, townspeople would
gather to burn large bundles of thyme to ward off the disease, or carry
pockets of thyme on them. Indeed, thyme does have anti-microbial
properties, but we’re not warding off any plague here-just your cough.
Thyme relaxes the muscles of the trachea and bronchi, and also opens up
airways. The result is less coughing, and increased comfort.
You will need…
-a handful of fresh thyme sprigs OR 2 tablespoons dried thyme-8 ounces of fresh water
-Honey or lemon (optional)
Directions
Lightly bruise the thyme, e.g. with a mortar and pestle, and then
place in a mug. Cover with 8 ounces of boiling water, cover, and let it
steep for 10-15 minutes. Add some lemon or honey to taste, and drink the
whole thing. Repeat 2-3 times daily as needed. It’s absolutely
delightful just before bedtime (unless you aren’t a fan of thyme. But
drink some anyways.)
6. Pepper & Honey
Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice, but most of its use is
limited to the culinary world. What people don’t know is that it can
make a great remedy for coughs that are accompanied by a lot of mucous
or chest congestion. If you’ve accidently leaned too close to black
pepper while it’s being grinded, you know it can make you cough or
tickle your nose. This may not be fun on a regular basis, but it’s a
plus if you need to expel all the nasty stuff that’s gunking up your
lungs. The honey adds its antibacterial properties, and it makes it so
the pepper isn’t too irritating. You can make black pepper “syrup” with
honey, or a tea, as below. If possible, use freshly ground black pepper,
as the pre-ground pepper simply seems to lose some of its punch.
You will need…
-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper-1 tablespoon of honey
-8 ounces of fresh water
Directions
Place the pepper and honey in a mug and then cover with boiling
water. Give it stir to disperse the pepper flakes and melt in the honey.
Steep for 10 minutes, stir once more, and drink in its entirety. Repeat
1-2 times a day as needed to loosen mucous.
7. Ginger Peppermint Syrup
Here you get the soothing qualities of warming ginger, all wrapped up
in a delicious easy to swallow cough syrup. Spicy ginger works as an
expectorant, helping loosen and expel mucous from the lungs. It can also
stop the painful tickle at the back of throat that can trigger a cough
if the first place, if you are experiencing a dry cough. The peppermint
will also help relieve the irritating tickle of a cough.
You will need…
-3 tablespoons of chopped ginger-1 tablespoon of dried peppermint
-4 cups of water
-1 cup of honey
Directions
Chop the ginger and add it along with the peppermint to 4 cups of
water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat so that the liquid
simmer. Simmer until the liquid has been reduced by half, than strain.
Let it cool slightly, and then stir in 1 cup of honey until it has been
dissolved completely. Bottle and take 1 tablespoon every few hours as
needed to ease your cough. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
Tips:
-I cannot stress the importance of covering your tea while it steeps.
Not only does it keep it piping hot, it traps all the steam and any of
the volatile oils in the steam (and their benefits) in the cup for you
to inhale when you uncover it.
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