One early morning last week as the sun came up, I was sitting drinking my morning brew, when I heard "the cough" from the bathroom shower, and instantly felt a shot of adrenaline rush through my body.
If you have known me for a while, you would know that I have made a few trips to the ER in an ambulance with my son who often would get croup as a young child.
He has mostly outgrown the "croup crisis" these days, but the sound of that barking cough coming from the shower last week reminded me that I surely haven't outgrown my stress response.
I instantly got up and began to grate up some ginger in my kitchen, filled up a pot of purified water and started brewing a soothing pot of ginger lemon tea. He decided to go back to bed with his warming tea by his bedside.
There is nothing like a warm cup of ginger lemon tea to console the lungs.
Using herbal teas for your health and well being is something I stand behind 100%. They are inexpensive, easy to make, and most often super effective in soothing your symptoms.
Check out my 5 Favorite Home Brews for your Health
- Ginger Lemon Tea
Ginger tea is an easy one to make at home and is phenomenal support for inflammation/irritability in the lungs. Simply grate about a ¼ cup of ginger and simmer in a pot of water for 10-15 minutes. Add raw honey and a squeeze of lemon for a warming lung and throat soother.
- Wild Passion Flower Tea
I have tried tinctures and tea bags of passionflower before and they are a great start, but nothing beats the fresh flowers or roots and stems. If you check out your local herb shop (I use Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary), you can find the most fresh and potent flowers. Passionflower is a remedy used to treat anxiety and sleep (or both).
Simply steep one flower in a boiling cup of water (or roots and stems) for about 15 minutes, drink, and then eat the flower.
- Peaceful Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is a very popular herbal tea, but when used in a therapeutic dose (ie fresh or it’s oil form), it does wonders for the digestion due to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Finding fresh peppermint in the spring is pretty easy, or you can use 2 drops of food grade peppermint essential oil. Simply steep in a pot of purified boiled water for 10-15 minutes and enjoy.
- Dandelion Detox Tea
Those “pesky” dandelions must be good for something right? Other than the delicious dandelion pesto recipe that I shared a few weeks ago using dandelion greens, dandelion root makes for a powerful detoxifying tonic. Since spring is the season of the liver, dandelion tea is a welcome homebrew for a reliable cleansing effect.
Boil the roots in a pot of purified water for 20-30 minutes, strain and enjoy.
- Nettles Tea
Oh yeah, Nettles sting, but only when raw. If you can find your way to some fresh nettles be sure to protect your fingers and wear some gloves. Once they hit the boiling water, the sting dissolves and the nettles tea is wonderful to boost the immune system, a helpful aid in clearing up seasonal allergies, and a big boost for your energy. It can also be sautéed, juiced, or pulverized into a pesto.
If you can’t find fresh nettles, check out the dried version to make your homebrew.
Nettles tea is one of my favorites to use for a cooling iced tea during the summer months.
Steep in a pot of boiled water for 5-10 minutes, strain and enjoy.
