Thanks Sara! I am literally working on a tincture for someone who constantly struggles with pneumonia and pleurisy. This article was incredibly useful, and I will be tweaking some of the ingredients based on your recommendations. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!!!
My absolute favorite is Ivyleaf Extract for coughs and bronchospasm in adults and children. Lots of great research. Has even been shown to be helpful for Chronic Bronchitis in a study.
A good brand for children is Zarbees Cough Syrup, with Ivyleaf Extract and Honey. There’s also a version without honey for infants under 1 year of age.
Another brand I often recommend with great results for cough is Natural Factors - Lung Bronchial and Sinus Formula which has Ivyleaf extract along with several other botanicals found on the list above.
This is a wonderful list. Thank you for posting all of this information. I'll share you substack.
I just have an important comment on slippery elm and other mucosals like that. Slippery elm must be taken several hours away from medications, other supplements, and even food in my opinion. We had given it to our dog because he was having acid reflux and it helps greatly to reduce that. Doesn't solve it. Just is more of a bandaid. His acid reflux was driven by the human thyroid medication we were giving him based on very bad suggestion of a vet and some other antibiotic after a dental that spurred something (still not clear about that). We learned our lesson the hard way and so I feel it necessary to pass along the correct info. First, thyroid medication for humans can cause one to experience acid reflux whether they are human or dog. I found a person who experienced that and so I learned that was the cause of our dog's acid reflux. Second, if one gives their dog thyroid medication it must be for dogs not humans.
Back to the slippery elm, our dog was experiencing severe acid reflux to the point of fainting and possibly worse on occasion. The worse being throwing up and eliminating his bowels because the reflux effects the vagus nerve (whole other topic). So, I researched and found that slippery elm would be helpful and it really was. I also read and asked every vet I encountered which were a few both holistic and conventional (don't get me started), if two hours was enough time away from medications, supplements, and food. They agreed with what I had read. Well, that wasn't the case. The slippery elm actually stopped the thyroid medication from working to the point that our dog nearly died. It took me three months to figure this out because I could not get the necessary guidance or advice from any type of vet (holistic or conventional). They were all completely ignorant. Our dog experienced many hypothyroid symptoms while on slippery elm including a weakened hind side and decreased sense of smell and taste which caused him not to want to eat. Once I figured this out, we stopped the slippery elm and within a month he was back to normal. It still took 6 more months to learn about that the type of thyroid medication we were told to give was completely wrong. We didn't know because we were using the generic name and apparently that makes a huge difference. We also ended up giving the slippery elm at bedtime many, many hours away from the new thyroid medication and he was so much better. That incident happened when he was 15 and he lived until 17.5.
Bottom line, be aware that even some herbals can cause the body to react in ways that aren't quite right. I've had that myself with different herbs. Start slowly especially if you need to still be on any medications due to interactions. Research as much as you can in this censored world we now live in.
I like tea or tincture. Food items can be eaten. Thyme in tea is nice. I like a tincture of lobelia, mullein. A blend of herbs is great too. I make syrups with lung herbs. A great way to get your herbs.
Thanks Sara! I am literally working on a tincture for someone who constantly struggles with pneumonia and pleurisy. This article was incredibly useful, and I will be tweaking some of the ingredients based on your recommendations. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!!!
Thanks for the concise western list.
This is a great list Sara!
My absolute favorite is Ivyleaf Extract for coughs and bronchospasm in adults and children. Lots of great research. Has even been shown to be helpful for Chronic Bronchitis in a study.
A good brand for children is Zarbees Cough Syrup, with Ivyleaf Extract and Honey. There’s also a version without honey for infants under 1 year of age.
Another brand I often recommend with great results for cough is Natural Factors - Lung Bronchial and Sinus Formula which has Ivyleaf extract along with several other botanicals found on the list above.
Here are links to some of the research:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8275562/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24393-1
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S094471131400227X
https://wiadlek.pl/wp-content/uploads/archive/2020/WLek202004108.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8069972/
http://abrilaroriginal.cl/wp-content/files_mf/1401368009Ivyversusambroxolinchronicbronchitis.pdf
This is a wonderful list. Thank you for posting all of this information. I'll share you substack.
I just have an important comment on slippery elm and other mucosals like that. Slippery elm must be taken several hours away from medications, other supplements, and even food in my opinion. We had given it to our dog because he was having acid reflux and it helps greatly to reduce that. Doesn't solve it. Just is more of a bandaid. His acid reflux was driven by the human thyroid medication we were giving him based on very bad suggestion of a vet and some other antibiotic after a dental that spurred something (still not clear about that). We learned our lesson the hard way and so I feel it necessary to pass along the correct info. First, thyroid medication for humans can cause one to experience acid reflux whether they are human or dog. I found a person who experienced that and so I learned that was the cause of our dog's acid reflux. Second, if one gives their dog thyroid medication it must be for dogs not humans.
Back to the slippery elm, our dog was experiencing severe acid reflux to the point of fainting and possibly worse on occasion. The worse being throwing up and eliminating his bowels because the reflux effects the vagus nerve (whole other topic). So, I researched and found that slippery elm would be helpful and it really was. I also read and asked every vet I encountered which were a few both holistic and conventional (don't get me started), if two hours was enough time away from medications, supplements, and food. They agreed with what I had read. Well, that wasn't the case. The slippery elm actually stopped the thyroid medication from working to the point that our dog nearly died. It took me three months to figure this out because I could not get the necessary guidance or advice from any type of vet (holistic or conventional). They were all completely ignorant. Our dog experienced many hypothyroid symptoms while on slippery elm including a weakened hind side and decreased sense of smell and taste which caused him not to want to eat. Once I figured this out, we stopped the slippery elm and within a month he was back to normal. It still took 6 more months to learn about that the type of thyroid medication we were told to give was completely wrong. We didn't know because we were using the generic name and apparently that makes a huge difference. We also ended up giving the slippery elm at bedtime many, many hours away from the new thyroid medication and he was so much better. That incident happened when he was 15 and he lived until 17.5.
Bottom line, be aware that even some herbals can cause the body to react in ways that aren't quite right. I've had that myself with different herbs. Start slowly especially if you need to still be on any medications due to interactions. Research as much as you can in this censored world we now live in.
How do you consume each?
For example, for basil, sage or thyme is it as simple as using them in a salad?
I like tea or tincture. Food items can be eaten. Thyme in tea is nice. I like a tincture of lobelia, mullein. A blend of herbs is great too. I make syrups with lung herbs. A great way to get your herbs.