Coughs
Angelica – This herb is a useful expectorant for coughs, bronchitis and pleurisy,
especially when they are accompanied by fever, colds or influenza. The leaf can
be used as a compress in inflammations of the chest. To make tea, place 6-12 Tbsp of herbs in 1-2 liters of water, simmer
30-40 minutes, and steep, covered, 30 minutes to 4 hours. Drink 1-2 cups per
day. Buy/view Angelica
Elder – Drink
as a tea. Elder helps coughs,
colic, sore throats, asthma and flu. A pinch of cinnamon makes the tea more
warming
Licorice – Licorice is one of the most
widely used medicinal plants. The chief medicinal action of licorice is as a
demulcent and emollient. Its soothing and anti-allergy properties make it
excellent in throat and chest complaints and it is a very common ingredient in
throat pastilles and cough mixtures. Use as a tincture or
drink as a tea. Do not take if you have heart disease or high blood pressure. Buy/view Licorice
Marshmallow – Marsh mallow protects and soothes the mucous membranes.
Marshmallow Root
Cough Syrup
1½
-2½ tsp chopped dried marsh mallow
root 2
cups water
2
cups refined
sugar ¼ cup orange juice
Stir the marsh mallow root into the water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the decoction into another saucepan; you should have about a cup. Over low heat, gradually stir in the sugar, so that a thick syrup forms. Simmer the mixture for another 5 minutes. Make sure the grains are fully dissolved. Stir in a small amount of water if the mixture gets too thick. Let the mixture cool slightly; then gradually mix in the orange juice. Pour the syrup into a sealable container and cover it when it is cool.
Thyme
- Thyme’s main medicinal role is in
treating coughs (including whooping cough) and clearing congestion. It makes an
excellent gargle or mouthwash for sore throats and infected gums. Many
pharmaceutical gargles, cough drops, mouthwashes, and vapor rubs contain
thyme’s constituent thymol, which destroys bacteria, some fungus.
Thyme Cough Drops
4
fresh thyme
sprigs 500 ml distilled water
1
Tbsp unsalted
butter 1 cup sugar
¼ cup
light corn
syrup
1 tsp oil of orange
1
tsp cream of
tartar
candy thermometer
In a small, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightly fitting lid, bring the thyme and the distilled water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to steep overnight. Coat an 8-inch-square cake pan with two teaspoons of butter. Set aside. Coat a medium, heavy-bottomed pot with the remaining butter. Strain the thyme infusion into the pot. Discard the spent herb. Add the sugar, corn syrup, oil of orange and cream of tartar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, moving the pot in a circular motion to swirl the liquid until it boils. Take the temperature. Swirl-cook at a boil, until the thermometer reads 300F. Pour the syrup into the cake pan. Set aside about 5 minutes. Score the semi-hard syrup into half-inch squares with a knife. Set aside to harden, about 30 minutes. Turn out on a sheet of waxed paper. Break into cough drops along the scored lines. Stored in an airtight container, they’ll stay fresh for months. (The Healing Kitchen)
