Breathe…
This is most certainly an interesting time, to put it mildly. We find ourselves constantly worried, anxious, insecure, angry, sad, and so much more. Some have found balance in the down time, others find loneliness and grief for the people and places they miss. Collectively, we are all on edge and living with a quiet, subtle baseline of fight or flight.
In these moments in life, one of the things that happens without us realizing it, is the shallowness of our breathing. It’s an automatic consequence of that baseline of unease we bring with us from day to day.
As we approach the Winter months, cold and Flu season (in the middle of an airborne respiratory viral pandemic to boot!) I wanted to share some simple info on how to feel a little better through it all, and to share a few of my favorite plants to help keep the respiratory system healthy.
Mullein - Verbascum thapsus
Rich in mucilage and saponins and a specific to the respiratory system, mullein is an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic useful for bronchitis and dry coughing, and as a general tonifying herb for the respiratory system (Hoffmann, 2003; Hardin, 2009). Mullein’s expectorant action boosts coughing to effectively aid the body in removing congestion and is especially beneficial for dry or non-productive coughing associated with wheezing (mcdonald, n.d). The German Commission E (The German Commission E is a scientific advisory board of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices) has approved the flower for catarrhs of the respiratory tract. It is used for coughs, asthma, colds, bronchitis, and other lung and respiratory system issues. There are reports of Native Americans using the introduced mullein as a smoking herb to address bronchitis and asthma (Brill, n.d.) and this method is sometimes still employed by experienced herbalists to "clean the lungs."
Mullein is considered sweet, cooling, and pungent in it’s qualities and energetics. This is a wonderful herb enjoyed both as a tea or a tincture. Sipping on a hot brew of mullein always brings a sense of soothing. It can be enjoyed on it’s own or blended with other herbs to fortify it’s respiratory effects, with the choice of those herbs depending on your personal constitution.
Marshmallow - Althea officinalis
Herbalists use marshmallow leaf and root as demulcents for the mucus membranes. The German Commission E has approved the root for oral and pharyngeal mucosa irritation, dry cough, and mild irritation of the gastric mucosa, and the leaf for dry cough and oral/pharyngeal mucosal irritation. Marshmallow is demulcent, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and emollient (Hoffman, 2003).
As an infusion or decoction, marshmallow’s mucilage relieves sore, dry throats by coating and cooling the irritated tissues with its slippery gel. To extract this beneficial mucilage, Richo Cech (2000) recommends a cold-water infusion of the leaves and flowers and a water decoction of the dried root; however, other herbalists suggest that a cold infusion of the root is best. At any rate, when making a tincture, keep in mind that it is best to use low or non-alcoholic solvents because the mucilage is precipitated out of solution by alcohol (Cech, 2000). The plant is highest in mucilage content in the fall and winter (Pedersen, 2010) so those harvesting their own marshmallow should keep that in mind in order to harvest the most potent medicine.
Marshmallow is helpful for respiratory complaints of the drier, inflamed nature.
Elecampane - Inula helenium
Energetically, elecampane is warm and drying, with a sweet, slightly bitter, and pungent taste. It brings a sense of deep peace and stillness, and with its forceful elder energy it feels very protective, supportive in the case of vulnerability, and able to banish unwanted energy.
Elecampane has expectorant, antitussive, antimicrobial, astringent, carminative, and diaphoretic actions. Elecampane is indicated for damp, cold, congested, stuck conditions due to its stimulating, expectorant effect. It has been used as herbal medicine for millennia, with the Greeks and Romans considering it one of their most important herbs.
CBD ( Cannabidiol)
“Therefore the present and previous data suggest that in the future cannabidiol might become a useful therapeutic tool for the attenuation and treatment of inflammatory lung diseases”.
This is the abstract of a recent study published on PubMed about Cannabidiol (CBD). There is literally so much to say about this wonderful plant Cannabis and Hemp ( a variety of cannabis containing less than 0.3% THC, the molecule responsible for the psychoactive effects of Cannabis).
Besides being one of the strongest fibers in the world, Hemp is also rich in Cannabinoids. For a better understanding of the Endocannabinoid system works, and why Cannabinoids are a fundamental part of overall health (especially when the whole range of cannabinoids work together in what is known as the “entourage effect”).
Botanic Full Spectrum CBD (Product Link)
Cure Pharmaceutical Blog on the role of the endocannabinoid system in the human body: (Article Link)
This is also the study published on PubMed on Lung health and CBD : (Article Link)
Last but not least...practice breathwork, pranayama, deep breathing in a relaxed and profound way. Our breathing tends to be short and shallow when we are tense. At times we even hold our breath without realising it. Taking just a few moments at various points in your day, and simply focusing on your breath will take down the anxiety, nourish your cells with oxygen, and force you to slow down for a minute. A mini reset.
The information in this blog is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. No information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
