Natural Herbs for Cough

Coughing is nature's way of moving mucus up and out of the lungs. There are three herbal strategies for dealing with a cough. First, choose herbs that help boost the body's natural healing abilities. Next, convert dry unproductive hacking into a more productive cough. And encourage coughing to expel any infection in the lungs.

Marshmallow

• Drink 3 cups of marshmallow tea every day. This is not the candy marshmallow but the cut-and-sifted root of the marshmallow herb. Bring 1 pt. of water to a boil and add 1 oz. of dried marshmallow root. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the tea before drinking. Marshmallow is a soothing expectorant herb that gets rid of a dry cough. The mucilage from the herb makes mucus thinner and easier to expel from the lungs. Drink marshmallow tea during the time when your cough is dry and unproductive.

Elecampane

• Drink 3 cups of elecampane tea daily. Simmer 1 oz. dried elecampane root in 1 pt. water for 10 minutes. Elecampane is another soothing expectorant herb with mucilage. Elecampane acts in a similar way as marshmallow. Take when your lungs are full of thick and sticky mucus. This will turn your unproductive cough into a productive one.

Licorice

• Drink 2 to 3 cups of licorice tea daily. Use 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp. of dried licorice root to 1 cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes and strain before drinking. It tastes strong, so experiment to find the right dosage for you. Start taking this tea once your cough has become more productive. Licorice has expectorant properties and stimulates a cough that will move the phlegm out of your lungs. It also supports the immune system. Drink licorice tea until your coughing subsides.

Echinacea, Elderflower, Usnea and Thyme

• Create a tincture mixture by pouring 2 parts echinacea, 1 part elderflower, 1 part usnea and 1 part thyme tincture in a jar. Take ½ to 1 tsp. tincture mixture three times a day. Take this tincture mixture for a cough that is associated with a cold or allergy. The thyme leaf tincture relieves the cough and the echinacea, elderflower and usnea help alleviate cold symptoms.

Horehound

• Add 4 heaping tsps. dried horehound in 1 pt. boiling water. Steep overnight, then place over medium heat. Simmer until the volume has been reduced to half. Remove from heat and add an equal amount of honey to the horehound. Sip this horehound syrup to relieve your cough. Horehound has antispasmodic and decongestant properties, and the honey acts as an expectorant.