Herbs for the Common Cold
The winter season is slowly creeping upon us, and as we know, those colds are upon us too! We can do plenty to support and increase the vigour of our immune system to ward off those colds, however today we’d love to mention a few herbs to keep on hand in case you do catch it.
The following dried herbs are found in our naturopathic dispensary or in our tea section. In our dispensary, these teas are in loose leaf form and can be easily made into a tea by popping them in a teapot, plunger or by using a tea strainer. Not only are they easy to use, they are also effective and are warming and comforting to drink when feeling unwell. Drinking 3 cups per day is generally required for a therapeutic dose, however more is okay too!
Elderflower (Sambuccus Nigra)
Elderflower is a small tree, indigenous to Europe, North America and North Africa. This tree has a vast number of small white and fragrant flowers as well as small red fruits.
Drinking the tea of elderflowers is a very popular European remedy to take whilst having a cold or being nasally congested. Elderflowers are known to be anticatarrhal to the upper respiratory system. It also promotes sweating during a fever.
Apart from colds, it is also useful for sinusitis, fever and influenza.
Chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita)
This popular herb is great to have in the pantry for many reasons! Apart from being great for digestive and nervous system complaints, chamomile is also anticatarrhal of the upper respiratory tract. It is importantly also antimicrobial and antiseptic.
Chamomile is a great all-rounder as it can help clear congestion from the nose and sinus whilst also helping to fight bacteria. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties in relation to mucous membranes, it can reduce inflammation and irritation in the nasal cavity and throat. Additionally, it is a sedative herb, so may help with one’s sleep when they are feeling sick.
Eyebright (Euphrasia Officinalis)
Eyebright is another well-known European herb to drink during the common cold. As with Elderflower and Chamomile, Eyebright is also strongly anticatarrhal for the upper respiratory tract. It is also anti-inflammatory, astringent and a mucous membrane tonic. This basically means that Eyebright will reduce congestion, whilst also reducing inflammation, irritation and any damage to the nasal cavity. It is also a great herb to consider for sinusitis.
There you have it! Three herbal teas that you can keep in the pantry or natural first aid kit!
If you’d like more assistance regarding herbs, come say hello to our naturopaths! It is also always recommended to first check if certain herbs are the best for you. There can be interactions if you are on medications and many herbs are not safe if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Peace, love and honeybees,
The Good Food Emporium Team x
