Hello friends, how are you? The most common illness that we have present is the cold, in those moments of discomfort we want to take herbal teas, soups, anything hot. You feel a phenomenal relief. Sometimes we don't want to saturate ourselves with commercial medicines, that's why I want to talk to you about 5 medicinal herbs that will help you to alleviate those moments of discomfort 🤢.
I will show you in this post which herbs help the body with sore throats, coughs and runny noses, and how you can use them to make the most of their therapeutic potential. Growing these herbs is easy and possible both in the garden and on the balcony; they are beautiful and fragrant as well as very effective in strengthening the body and combating the annoying symptoms of classic colds.
Preventing colds with rosemary
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The effects of rosemary as a medicinal herb
A runny nose? A burning throat? These are the classic complaints that easily occur in autumn and winter. Rosemary is rich in essential oils, tannins and substances that are useful for strengthening the body. Its action stimulates circulation and strengthens the immune system. This helps to improve the natural defences against viruses, especially blocking those that cause colds and related symptoms. You can unleash the power of rosemary in the form of herbal tea. You can also integrate your "rosemary cure" with a rosemary bath salt and take a relaxing bath amidst the intense and beneficial aroma of this Mediterranean plant that is so precious even in the kitchen.
Home remedy for sore throat: sage
The word itself says it: the term "sage" derives from the Latin word for health. And not without reason: sage has many therapeutic properties, including a soothing effect on the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat; it is a real panacea for sore throats and coughs.
It is most effective if the sage remedy is taken at the first signs of inflammation. Sage herbal tea also has other therapeutic uses, and can be used, once cold, to make a gargle that also fights inflammation of the gums. Sage also has a soothing effect on hoarseness. Like all herbs, sage should be used in moderate doses and for short periods of time.
Home remedies for cough and runny nose: thyme and peppermint
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The effects of thyme as a medicinal herb
In fact, thyme is a powerful herb for combating cold symptoms: not only does it have a soothing effect on coughs; in fact, it helps to clear the airways and has an anti-inflammatory role to effectively combat bacteria and viruses. The possible uses are equally varied: in the form of a herbal tea, or as an essential oil for fumigations (the classic bowl of boiling water with 4-5 drops of essential oil, over which the head is covered with a towel to inhale the beneficial vapours) or thyme oil in the water of a very hot, fragrant and relaxing bath. All these variants can provide beneficial relief from seasonal ailments. The combination of thyme and evening primrose essential oil is particularly effective against coughs, as it also has expectorant properties.
The effects of mint as a medicinal herb.
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Peppermint will help you breathe better if you have a cold. It helps to clear the airways in both the lungs and nose. Peppermint tea is nice and effective, but you can also use the essential oil added to hot water in a bowl and then inhale the steam (be careful not to burn yourself: under the towel the heat of the water and steam stays high!). Peppermint essential oil can also be applied to the skin. If you suffer from muscle tension headaches, as well as cough and runny nose, you can, for example, apply a few drops of peppermint essential oil to the temples and massage gently. Be careful not to get oil in your eyes.
The effects of chamomile as a medicinal herb
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Chamomile can relieve a variety of symptoms: it is used against colds, sore throats, coughs; it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Unlike the aromatic herbs mentioned above, whose leaves are used, chamomile has its therapeutic power mainly in the flowers and is used in the form of a hot drink but also as a concentrated solution for gargling (cold), excellent especially against sore throat, or steam bath for inhalation (fumigations), recommended for clearing the airways and obtaining an expectorant action as well as soothing coughs.
A great drink with fresh or dried herbs.
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Preparing the herbal tea is a very simple operation and is the perfect way to savour herbs picked on the balcony or in the garden, taking advantage of their excellent phytotherapeutic properties. To do this, collect the leaves on a sunny, dry day so that the essential oil content is as high as possible. You can also collect and dry leaves and sprigs of rosemary, thyme or sage, tie them in bundles and hang them to dry in a dark, airy and dry place. In the case of chamomile, the flowers should be dried as recommended above. After a few weeks, you can chop the dried herbs, alone or mixed, and store them in an airtight container until you are ready to use them by pouring a spoonful into a cup and covering with boiling water. When the herbal tea has infused for a few minutes, it is ready to be savoured; you can also sweeten it with a teaspoon of honey, a natural substance that also has excellent antibacterial and soothing properties, particularly to help the throat and combat coughs.