Herbs for Cleaning Out Lungs

A person's lungs are only as clean as the air taken in. The pollutants and irritants we come in contact with everyday can remain in our lungs and have an adverse effect on our quality of life. There are several herbs that have traditionally been used as lung cleaners. In addition to pollutants, the lungs can sometimes be filled with mucous after colds and the flu; there are specific herbs to deal with this as well.

Help For Smokers

• While the damage caused by cigarette smoking may not be completely reversed, taking a naturopathic approach can go a long way in healing tissues damaged from years of smoking. Some herbs for this are mullein, colts foot and uva ursi. A tea prepared from this mixture can be consumed twice each day, using two parts mullein to one part each of the other herbs. The dried components should be mixed together well and stored in an airtight container. When preparing the tea, steep one teaspoon of the dried mixture for 10 minutes.

  Some users of this remedy have reported throwing up a black substance after drinking this tea for several days, indicating that the person is expelling accumulated tar from the lungs.

Clearing Out Mucus

• The herb horehound is very effective in loosening and removing mucus from the lungs. It is also used commercially in cough drops and syrups. A syrup can be made by boiling 1/4 cup dried horehound leaves with 2 cups of water. Remove this from the heat after boiling and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain, and mix it with honey. Store this mixture in a jar and use as needed for coughing and to remove phlegm from the lungs.

  Nettle also acts as an expectorant and can remove phlegm from the lungs. This can be taken as a tea prepared with equal parts comfrey and mullein, using one ounce of the dried mixture and allowing it to steep in boiling water for 10 minutes. While the nettle is utilized for its expectorant properties the comfrey is known for its ability to soothe inflamed lung tissue and can aid against further inflammation as the nettle does its job.

  Several drops of the mullein tincture can be used alone three to four times per day to loosen phlegm so that it can be coughed up. It is an excellent herb to soothe a sore throat and calm irritation in bronchial passages during and after an episode with a cold or the flu.